WhatsUpLisbon Alpha

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.

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.

A one-hour live fado concert at the Cine-Theatro Gymnásio in Chiado, with sessions at 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM, where Portuguese and acoustic guitars accompany singers through the music that made fado an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Suitable for all ages, with images of Lisbon's most iconic spots projected alongside the performance.

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.

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.

The Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa, conducted by Pedro Neves, performs Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which ends in the famous Ode to Joy, alongside Eurico Carrapatoso's A Canção da Urze and the world premiere of Alexêi Tolpygo's Três Poemas Portugueses.

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 journey through 5000 years of health history at the Pharmacy Museum, featuring reconstructions of an 18th-century Portuguese apothecary, the early 20th-century Liberal Pharmacy and a traditional Chinese pharmacy from Macau. Open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with free entry for children under 5.

Ico Costa's world premiere portrays Mozambique at a decisive moment: the 2024 presidential elections, in a tension-filled campaign where FRELIMO, in power since 1975, is losing the trust of a population disillusioned with inequality, corruption and the lack of freedom of expression. Shot in a direct cinema style, the film travels the country giving voice to the people, and is eligible for the Rights and Liberties Award.

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.

A screening of 'Insiang', Lino Brocka's classic of Philippine cinema.

Doclisboa 2026's Earth to the Moon session brings three restored films by the Collectif Mohamed — The Garage, Immigration Zone and Ils ont tué Kader — to São Jorge, Sala 3 on 19 October at 16.30, with Portuguese premieres. A rebellious triptych about self-management, everyday violence and the murder of Kader Lareiche, presented by the Cinémathèque idéale des banlieues du monde.

A presentation session introducing the Oliveira Lima Library and its documentary and artistic collection to the research community and Portuguese academia.

In Doclisboa 2026's International Competition, Mariano Donoso Makowski world-premieres Saturn or a Brief Treatise on Melancholy, following Rubén Díaz, a craftsman, Falklands War veteran and healer known as Caballo Loco, who holds a secret winter-solstice ceremony in Lagunas del Rosario, Mendoza. Screenings on 19 and 23 October at São Jorge, Sala 3.

A Portuguese Competition session with two world premieres eligible for the Short Film Award: Inês Sapeta Dias's The House Is the Ruin of a House, which maps a century-old house standing in the mouth of a giant, nearly extinct volcano, and Raul Domingues's Hipogeus, inspired by the archaeoacoustics of prehistoric tombs. On 19 October at 19.00, São Jorge, Sala M. Oliveira.

A screening of 'Bona' as part of the series dedicated to Filipino director Lino Brocka. Tickets cost 3,20€, with discounts for Friends of the Cinemateca, young people, students and over-65s.

A screening of Lino Brocka's Ina, Kapatid, Anak at the Cinemateca, a drama about the bonds between a mother, her children and their siblings. Tickets are 3,20€, with discounts available.

This provocative play centers on João, who falls for a woman after a pause with his boyfriend.

In Doclisboa 2026's Portuguese Competition, Inês Oliveira world-premieres Visits from a Distant Relative, in which photographer Mariana Viegas returns to the images of 35mm film sets she took over seven years while working with filmmakers such as Šarunas Bartas, Pedro Costa and Manoel de Oliveira. Screening on 19 October at 21.30, São Jorge, Sala M. Oliveira.

A screening of Lino Brocka's Cain e Abel at the Cinemateca, a portrait of the rivalry between two brothers. Tickets are 3,20€, with discounts available.

In Doclisboa 2026's Risks section, the Portuguese premiere of John Torres's Todo todo teros (2006), a surreal look at Manila built mostly from archive footage of close friends, Filipino musicians and performance artists, in which an artist wakes up in the skin of a terrorist. Screenings on 19 and 25 October at São Jorge, Sala 3.