Alcântara Guide

Lisbon's Parish Councils

All Lisbon Parish Councils

The Freguesia de Alcântara is located in the west of Lisbon. The word Alcântara has its name from the Arabic al-kantara, which means bridge. In Alcântara, the Dock is a "place of arrival and departure of the great steamers that made history in the Atlantic crossings during the first half of this century", with a capacity for 440 boats. The "Alcântara Dock maintains an important role in the operational structure of the Port of Lisbon" [Visit Portugal].

Lisbon night at the Alcântara Dock
During the night, Doca de Alcântara "is surrounded by some of the most notorious nightclubs, restaurants and nightclubs in the capital and one of the liveliest places for nightlife in Lisbon" [Idem].





A good part of its territory is covered by part of the Parque Florestal de Monsanto and the other by the Tapada da Ajuda gardens.

A bit of history

Philippine rule over Portugal
It was in the current Freguesia de Alcântara that the troops of the Spanish king Filipe II defeated the troops Portuguese (Battle of Alcântara, in 1580) and imposed Spanish rule. Philip II of Spain then became Philip I of Portugal.

Alcântara Nights

The Parish of Alcântara, on the north bank of the River Tagus, has very lively nights with clubs that attract inhabitants of the capital and tourists looking for fun. The highlight is at Doca de Alcântara, with its bars, cafes and restaurants, one of the busiest night spots in the Portuguese capital. Lower...
Find out more: Nights in Alcântara

LX Factory, Alcântara

Former factory (founded in 1846) located in the Parish of Alcântara, the LX Factory forms a set with more than 50 shops, cafes and restaurants. During the night the excitement is even greater.
The hub created around the LX Factory is a real city within the city, and in the surroundings you will find street art, culture and incredible industrial architecture. All this just 15 minutes from the Lisbon Cathedral, on Avenida 24 de Julho.

Find out more: LX Factory, Alcântara

Alcântara Dock

An important part of the Port of Lisbon (boat trips, yachts and others), the Alcântara Docks are very busy during the day and also at night, where, in the vicinity of the Docks of Santo Amaro, many restaurants, bars and cafes attract numerous tourists and people from Lisbon in search of animation and excitement in its nightclubs.

Tourist attractions in Alcântara

With a rich and varied historical heritage and a lot of nightlife in its bars, cafes and restaurants, in Alcântara, the following attractions stand out:

• the Alcântara Docks; the best nightlife in Lisbon also happens here

• the Church and Convent of Flamengas (built by order of the Spanish King Filipe II);

• Tapada da Ajuda;

• the Church of São Pedro de Alcântara;

Location

As a rectangle in the vertical position, the Parish of Alcântara is located on the right bank of the River Tagus (to the south of the parish). To the north, it borders the Parish of Benfica, to the northeast with Campolide, to the east with the parishes of Santo Condestável and Prazeres. To the west with the Freguesia da Ajuda and to the southwest, with the Freguesia of Santa Maria de Belém (right bank of the River Tagus).

Alcântara

Small drop in resident population
With 5 km², the parish of Ajuda has a population of 13,852 inhabitants (INE, 2021). In 2011, the Parish of Ajuda had a population of 13,943 inhabitants (idem), having registered a small drop of 0.7% in its population resident during this period.

The Quarries of Alcântara

In Alcântara, in the 15th century, in addition to agriculture, stones were extracted for construction, from which the well-known stone of lioz, a beige limestone also widely found in the municipality of Sintra. This relatively rare limestone contributed a lot to the development of the economy of the Parish of Alcântara in the past.

The lioz is the stone that gives the clear and illuminated tone of Lisbon. The Mosteiro dos Jerônimos is one of the buildings emblematic of the city, whose construction was made with lioz stone. Find out more: Lioz from Lisbon

Important streets of Alcântara

These are the major arteries that cross the parish, such as Avenida Brasília, Avenida da Índia, Avenida de Ceuta, Avenida Duarte Pacheco, Rua da Junqueira and many others.

+ Information

• Address: Rua dos Lusiadas 13
• Telephone: 213 615 200
• Official Link: JF de Alcântara