WhatsUpLisbon Alpha

In 1821, after more than a decade in Brazil, the Portuguese Court returns to Portugal, crossing the Atlantic along with people, stories and part of the Royal House's treasures — a journey that helps us understand one of the most striking moments in Portugal's history.

Entrance ticket to the Ajuda National Palace, Lisbon's only palace to keep its 19th-century style and room layout, with decorative arts collections and over 17,000 pieces of porcelain.

Climb to the top of the Rua Augusta Arch for a 360° view over Lisbon's harbour and a close look at Célestin Anatole Calmels' sculptures.

Entry ticket to Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with access to the Governor's Room, Kings' Room, chapel and batteries, plus a spectacular view over the Tagus.

Admission to São Jorge Castle with an audio guide, covering the walls, the Tower of Ulysses and the peacock-filled gardens, with views over Lisbon's historic centre and the Tagus.

At the launch of issue #15 of the newspaper Coreia, edited and presented by João dos Santos Martins, the conference-performance Dance Becomes Her (2022) explores how dance and embodied knowledge are shared between bodies and archived within them over time. Free entry.

Experience intimate fado concerts with premium seating close to the artists in the Jardim do Príncipe Real, rotating between the Chinese Pavilion on Thursdays, the Patriarchal Reservoir on Fridays and Saturdays, and EmbaiXada on Sundays.

An intimate 50-minute live fado performance in central Lisbon, where you can immerse yourself in authentic Portuguese melodies and toast to life with a glass of port wine.

A 40-minute guided tour of the house where Amália Rodrigues lived for 44 years, recreating the Queen of Fado's daily life through her stage dresses, jewelry, awards and personal objects. Tours run Tuesday to Sunday in Portuguese, French or English, with free entry for children under 12.

A virtual reality expedition that lets you move freely through the Great Pyramid of Giza as it was 4,500 years ago, exploring forbidden corridors, the Queen's Chamber and the goddess Bastet — developed with Harvard Egyptologist Peter der Manuelian and already experienced by more than 2 million people.

Entry ticket to Monserrate Palace in the Serra de Sintra, a 19th-century eclectic residence with Gothic, Moorish and Indian influences set in one of Portugal's most romantic botanical gardens.

Skip-the-line tickets for the Moorish Castle in Sintra, where you can walk the trails along the ancient fortification walls and enjoy sweeping views over Sintra and the surrounding area.

Entry ticket to the Museu Banksy in Lisbon, where 100 works by the anonymous street artist are on show, from 'Girl with Balloon' to murals, canvases, projections and video installations gathered from around the world.

An interactive visit to the Museum of Illusions in Chiado, with more than 20 immersive rooms, optical illusions and brain teasers that challenge perception and entertain all ages.

Skip-the-line entry to the National Palace of Queluz and its gardens, the 18th-century summer residence of the Portuguese Royal Family, with access to the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art and a free hop-on hop-off service in the gardens.

Admission to the Park and National Palace of Pena, the former monastery turned fairytale palace by King Fernando II, including the exotic park and the charming Chalet of Countess d'Edla.

Interactive centre inside the 25 de Abril Bridge with multimedia exhibits, virtual reality and an elevator ride to a panoramic view over Lisbon and the Tejo; children under 5 enter free.

A guided tour of São Jorge Castle with fast-track entry, available in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese, tracing its evolution from Moorish stronghold to royal palace and ending with 360º views from the Tower of Ulysses.

A tribute concert to Depeche Mode.

Entry ticket to the Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece of 16th-century Manueline architecture overlooking the Tagus, including access to the cloister and the old monks' refectory. Visits run Tuesday to Sunday from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM, with wheelchair access and a tactile map for blind visitors.

A themed walk that starts by crossing the Aqueduto das Águas Livres, built to carry larger volumes of water to Lisbon, then follows the Galeria de Campo de Ourique to the Amoreiras monumental complex designed by Carlos Mardel, ending at the Mãe d'Água das Amoreiras reservoir. 120 minutes; tickets 12 € via ticketline.pt.

A youth volunteering initiative to support the organisation and running of the Sintra Trail Cruz Alta.

Mariano Llinás's monumental 324-minute biography of Jorge Luis Borges draws on an exhaustive analysis of the documents, books and places of a writer who lived as a hidden, clandestine warrior whose cause was literature — its Portuguese premiere at Doclisboa.

A concert featuring Beethoven's Piano Trio Op. 11 'Gassenhauer' and Op. 70 No. 1 'Ghost Trio', performed by Trio Arkadia.

A family-friendly visit to the Xerazade exhibition: armed with a suitcase in hand and a special passport to fill in along the way, visitors embark on a journey through the world of the arts.

After a sold-out first release, AFRODISE Lisboa opens sign-ups for a second ticket release for its party with Aaron Sevilla.

Pop musical based on the classic The Wizard of Oz.

A double bill: in Jia Zhangke's Torino Shadow, a woman travels from China to Turin and is left alone after an unexpected departure, while in the debut feature I Plant My Hand in the Garden, Hoda, an Iranian refugee in Berlin, and Boris, a queer man from Serbia, decide to marry and raise a child together.

A therapeutic sound meditation session that also includes access to the exhibitions. Held in English, with entry at 20€.

A guided tour of '100 Years + Over 100 Documents', aimed at the general public.

A theatre piece exploring the concept of a superstar and fame culture.

An open-air tribute in the secret garden of the Museu Amália Rodrigues — the house where the Queen of Fado lived for 44 years — with Amália Rodrigues' greatest hits performed on two Portuguese guitars and a Fado viola, in 60-minute sessions at 17:00.

In a single session, Pasi 'Sleeping' Myllymäki surveys the whole history of experimental and avant-garde cinema in Super 8mm, with breathtaking freedom and humour: surrealism, stop motion, cameraless films, music videos for his band Sleeping & The Beds and dark political warnings — its Portuguese premiere.

The Trio Amatis and Thomas Quasthoff present Humanity in War, a concert that blends music and letters from World War I in a reflection on humanity and peace.

A Candlelight tribute concert at the Palácio Estoril Hotel in Cascais, where a string quartet performs Queen and ABBA classics like Bohemian Rhapsody and Dancing Queen surrounded by a sea of candles. The 60-minute show admits ages 8 and up.

Nha Balila, a 92-year-old living legend of Cape Verdean batuku, is invited to Portugal to celebrate International Women's Day, and her vitality and vibrant presence deeply move the Cape Verdean diaspora. The film has its world premiere at Doclisboa and is eligible for the non-competitive Portuguese Award.

Lukas, a peculiar teenager, comes of age just as a film crew arrives in his neighbourhood, after learning his father is a tikbalang and watching his body turn red; the story is told by his friend Lorena, fascinated by the strange boy. Portuguese premiere at Doclisboa.

Finnish bluegrass-rock outfit Steve 'n' Seagulls make their Portuguese debut at República da Música on 18 October 2026, turning rock and heavy metal anthems into banjo, mandolin and accordion-fuelled bluegrass versions.

The Candlelight concert series fills the Palácio Estoril Hotel in Cascais with a sea of candles for a 60-minute tribute to Vivaldi, with selections from The Four Seasons and La Follia performed by a string quartet.

Philosopher Slavoj Žižek guides us through landscapes of classic cinema, music, social media, archives and internet broadcasts, mapping the utopian illusions of our time through absurd juxtapositions and surprising perspectives. Portuguese premiere at Doclisboa.

Joe Jackson returns with his new album 'Hope and Fury', fusing Latin rhythms, jazz, funk, and rock in a vibrant live performance.

Du Nothin, the alter ego of Duarte Appleton, presents the debut album "Mundo do Pop" at the Coliseu Club, in a show blending alternative rock, 1980s aesthetics and themes of youth and creative freedom.

Exiled director Nikita Lavretski (played by Belarusian filmmaker Sergey Kolosovski) tries to cross European borders to reunite with his wife, wondering whether he is condemned to relive the past forever; a playful take on autofiction and a Proustian experience of recovered time. World premiere in the International Competition.