Elevador de Santa Justa
Elevador de Santa Justa
3.5
7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 11:00 PM
About
This elevator is located inside a gothic tower, which provides quick and easy transport between Lisbon's Baixa and Bairro Alto districts.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Baixa, Rossio & Restauradores
A pending candidate to become a World Heritage Site, Lisbon's downtown (the "Baixa Pombalina", or simply "Baixa") is a perfect example of anti-earthquake construction, having been rebuilt following the 1755 earthquake by the famous Marquês de Pombal (hence its name). Its offer is vast: restaurants and cafes in Rossio and Restauradores, outlets and shops in the Áurea, Augusta, Prata and other famous streets, the imponent Praça do Comércio and its Arch, the luxury shops along the Avenida da Liberdade, this is the beating heart of the city center. The Baixa also grants easy access to trains leading to Sintra, the trams that go around the Castle hill, old neighborhoods or even take you to Belém, and Lisbon's traditional restaurants and cafes. Considering a visit to the Fashion and Design Museum (free entrance) and don't forget to try the famous liquor, "ginjinha"!
How to get there
  • Baixa/Chiado • 3 min walk
  • Terreiro do Paço • 6 min walk
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See what travelers are saying
  • bluebay06
    La Spezia, Italy2,128 contributions
    A vintage and not very useful elevator
    We went to the Santa Justa Lift driven by curiosity for this tourist attraction and in the hope of doing something original. The long queue started from R. do Carmo and went down the steps of R. de Santa Justa to the base of the elevator. We were able to notice that only one of the two elevators was going up and down, between ascent and descent there were times longer than necessary and each time about twenty people could get on, a lower number than the declared capacity for 29 passengers. However, we waited patiently for over an hour and when we got on we could see that the clearly vintage cabin does not allow a panoramic view during the short climb. However we didn't pay because the Viva Viagem day ticket was also valid for this lift. Since the observation deck above the lift was closed and therefore not accessible, we took some photos through the wire mesh on the elevator arrival floor and then continued towards the exit walkway. The functionality of a single cabin, the unavailability of the observation deck, in addition to the long queue, make it much more convenient to walk the 45 m in altitude covered by the lift.
    Visited November 2022
    Written December 12, 2022
  • Kendall K
    782 contributions
    Nice pic view point.
    This elevator stands out amongst the stone buildings and beautifully decorated tile streets. It has a style that could be inspired by the Eiffel Tower for sure. It’s a nice view point to which you can take pictures from. You can take about 3 different routes to get to the top, 2 of the three are free and will require you to walk a couple of stairs. The last 1 will cost you about €3 euros to ride the elevator up to the top. It’s up to you how you get to the top but either way it’s a nice spot to visit.
    Visited December 2022
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 22, 2022
  • BrIssieTrish
    Golden Beach, Australia46 contributions
    Walk if you can. Don’t bother waiting in queue.
    Had the 24hr Viva Viagem card so entry into the lift was free. If it wasn’t then the 5,60EU is not worth it. Waited nearly 45mins. Can’t imagine the wait in summer. If you’re fit you can easily get to the same end point by walking up the hill near the museum. My husband only took about 10 mins walking at a medium pace. He got to the top and I was still in line below!! Once you’re up there the view is worth it.
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 2, 2023
  • Anne S
    Leeds, United Kingdom567 contributions
    Long queue for a short ride
    We queued for the lift for quite a long time. The structure was quite interesting and the information good. But the ride in the lift was very short and when we got to the top we found the viewing platform was closed so we didn't get the full effect. But it did get to a part of the city we probably wouldn't have visited.
    Visited November 2022
    Written January 26, 2023
  • Manny G
    San Francisco, California37 contributions
    Just Look, Don't Ride!
    The person who coined the phrase "You've been taken for a ride!" probably rode and wrote about this elevator. First, service is very slow that there is a very long queue to get in. Second, it will cost you 5,60EU for the 30-second ride unless you have a Viva Viagem (24-hour card). Take note : This elevator is not handicapped-friendly. When you get off the elevator, the only way to the upper town is through the steps going down to the small street toward the museum.
    Visited February 2023
    Written February 6, 2023
  • SP
    Lake District, United Kingdom25 contributions
    Walk across the bridge - miss the queue!
    The queue for this was long. We had a free ticket as we had bought a yellow bus tour. We joined the queue. While waiting someone shouted to tell everyone that you can walk further up and take the bridge over. We went to explore. Found the way to the bridge and walked to the viewing platform. Definitely better than queueing. Amazing views from the top. A tourist must do!
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written February 24, 2023
  • Ian H
    Sharnbrook, United Kingdom19 contributions
    Think hard you'll be waiting a long time!!!
    Bear in mind this is February & before the high season. There is only one car working currently so that is making things worse. The queue was over 1.5 hours to ride to the top. Then the viewing gallery is closed. So whilst the views are good they'd be even better from the top level. It takes them an age to get the car from the ground to the top and back down again. The numbers that can fit in the car are small which does not help. I know that it is 120 years old but it seems to take 120 mins to make one journey up & down! The cafe at the top serves cod & cheese fish cakes which are excellent. Limited drinks menu & nothing beyond the fish cakes. It's as pricey as you'd expect but the quality is good. Beware however it is card only & no cash!
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 24, 2023
  • Jessica S
    Tampa, Florida408 contributions
    Skip the line, find the bridge to the platform
    After reading the reviews on Trip Advisor and seeing the winding lines, we had decided to skip the lift. It’s a cool structure, but didn’t think it would be worth the wait. As we wandered, we came across the bridge to the viewing platform which you can enjoy without waiting in line. It was the best of both worlds. We got to see the view (there are better around Lisbon, but it was neat) and see the structure. Unless you’re really into riding elevators, highly recommend saving the time you’d spend in line and using the bridge!
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written March 4, 2023
  • Liga R
    Jelgava, Latvia41 contributions
    Don’nt waste time in queue, walk there instead
    Use only if there are no queues and You have transport ticket (24h transport ticket which van be bought in metro stations includes rides on trams, buses, metro AND lifts and elevators). Lift takes up ~every 10-15min ~15persons. Lift itself is 0 emotion attraction, the only effect is view from platform which You can get by simply walking up there on foot using streets. Platform is free of charge.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written March 12, 2023
  • Lydia O
    8 contributions
    Don’t waste your time or money
    We queued for the lift for just over an hour. The lift is mentioned as one of the ‘things to do’ in Lisbon. Basically, you queue for a lift to a viewing platform that can be accessed by another means. I agree with other reviewers. Skip the line. It will be an hour ( or more) of your life you won’t get back! Very disappointing. 😞
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 19, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

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Vladimiramirela
Mississauga, Canada1,872 contributions
Sep 2019
It is a fascinating tower of iron lace, dating from 1902an impressive piece of engineering and art. However, the line-up for the ride up is somewhat disarming as it may take more than one hour on a non-top of the day time. Probably, the best suggestion is to admire its beauty from outside, both from the lower street level and from the top, as it can be easily reach via the streets, in just minutes of walking. The actual elevator ride is less than one minute and it does not justify such a long queue, nor does it worth the ticket fee in my opinion.
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lafayet
Bologna, Italy60 contributions
Nov 2019
Taking this lift is not worth it, since the queue is insanely long, the crew operating the lift is way too slow and the ticket is very expensive. There are plenty of other great view points in Lisbon, go there.

PS: in case you absolutely want to enjoy the view over Lisbon from this perspective, be aware that there is no need to take the lift, as the very same platform is accessible from nearby the Carmo church. You can get tickets there for less than the half price, and there is almost nobody queuing.
Written July 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sharon H
Las Vegas, NV2,082 contributions
Jun 2019
This historic elevator was created by Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame, and you will see the resemblance immediately in the beautiful filigreed ironwork. It is stunning to look at and even more fun to ride. We made a point of arriving just before it opened in the morning (9:00 am). Even that early we had to wait for the second elevator up, so be warned, the lines do get longer as the day progresses. Once we exited the elevator, we climbed the tiny spiral staircase to the platform above, where we had the most incredible views of Rossio Square and the city below reaching toward the sea, as well as the ruins of the old church of Santa Maria do Carmo, founded in 1389 (which can be easily reached by exiting the platform and walking a mere half block). We wandered through the neighborhood for a little while, enjoying the cobbled stone streets, the beautiful trees and flowers, and garden in front of the church ruins, since we had to wait for them to open at 10:00. Be sure to visit these ruins and its museum while you are there—they are amazing!
Written March 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stuart B
Cleeve, UK131 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Complete waste of time and money. If you do go then avoid the lifts as the queueing system is ridiculous with staff allowing people to jump the queue for no obvious reasons and the wait is over an hour ... it wasn’t even busy!

A slow ticketing system, surly and disinterested staff - find something else to spend €5.30 on as this just isn’t worth it.
Written February 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kristina P
London, UK586 contributions
Sep 2019 • Solo
This iron building is an amazing viewpoint. The ride up in the elevator gives fantastic views over the Baixa.
If you want to save money and reach just a viewing platform, go from the Convento do Carmo side via Bellalisa restaurant and pay €1.50.

Entry fee: €5.15 ( Free with Lisboa Card) .
Written April 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LuizDutraNeto
Rio de Janeiro, RJ8,621 contributions
Apr 2019
The iconic "Elevador de Santa Justa" is indeed a Lisbon's landmark and a Portuguese National Monument! The lift was inaugurated in 1902 and connects the "Baixa Lisboeta" (at the end of the "Rua de Santa Justa") and the "Bairro Alto" (at the "Largo do Carmo"). The 45m high neo-gothic iron tower was clearly inspired by the works of Gustave Eiffel and was totally renovated in 2006. At its top, a panoramic deck offers awesome views of Lisbon and its Tagus River. One curiosity, the two cabins can transport, at each ride, 20 passengers up and, due to security reasons, only 15 down. One ticket for both ways costs E$5,15. A ticket for only visiting the panoramic deck, E$1,50. Enjoy!
Written March 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amy U
Bristol, UK13 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Situated in the middle of central lisbon, elevador de Santa justa is the perfect addition to any day out. Queues can be quite lengthy but do move relatively fast and admission fee is reasonable. You travel to the top in a old school pull lift which really sets the scene. You then have two floor to explore which give you 360 views of lisbon which is truly beautiful.
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

WorldTravellerSoon
Canada362 contributions
Apr 2022
The lift is a beautiful metal structure to transport people from the ground level to the top. It is now a tourist attraction.

Every time I saw long queue of people to use the lift. You have to pay a few Euro to use it. However, if you buy a transit day pass (Viva Viagem card), you don't have to pay extra to use it but you still have to line-up.

You can also walk to the top from the other side (not the observation deck as it was closed when we were there). Or you can go to the building next to Muji, use the elevator to to to the top floor and walk as short distance to to top level of the lift.
Written April 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mauriceb17
England, UK172 contributions
Nov 2022
This lift is impressive, and a great photo opportunity as so unusual.
However, the queue takes about 20 minutes, and the process is slow, as there is only one man operating the lift and taking all the money for tickets.
You have to pay cash (€5.30 per person) and he gives out tickets, closed the door and operates the lift.
The top viewing platform was closed when we went, but there are great views of the city from the lift platform.
However, we discovered that you can get up/down for free by walking along the platform at the rear of the lift, past the cafe, down the stairs, and down a regular lift into a shop at the rear of the Santa Justa lift.
You can still access the viewing area. Basically you only need to queue and pay, if you want to take a ride in the actual lift (which only takes a minute or so).
Written November 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rosie2409
Old Newton, UK132 contributions
Mar 2020
If you’re not fussed about taking the lift, as the queues can be long, walk up the stairs, past the queues. At the top, turn left and then right. This will bring you to a little square. Just to the right of the ruined convent (before you get to the military building) there’s a little alleyway on the right hand side. You’ll see a sign for a cafe, head up the steps and it’ll bring you to the covered walkway. There you’ll find a ticket booth which has tickets for the final spiral staircase to the top of the Elevador. Tickets for final ascent €1.50 rather than the €5 or so to take the lift. Obviously the €5 euros includes both the lift and the staircase but if you just want the view the shortcut is just as good. The metal staircase is open grilled and although enclosed still vertigo inducing (but that was just me 😁).
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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