Markets, museums and events in Saldanha, Lisbon
A municipal market six minutes away, the Gulbenkian with free Sunday afternoons, €2.15 student tickets at the national cinematheque, a house-museum and Parque Eduardo VII's book fair and Christmas market.
Photo: Pedro Macedo Matos · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Saldanha isn't a nightlife district, but for culture on a student budget it's one of the best-placed parts of Lisbon. Walking times are from our Saldanha residence.
Mercado 31 de Janeiro
The Mercado 31 de Janeiro (Rua Engenheiro Vieira da Silva, about 6 min) is the neighbourhood's municipal market, known for fresh fish and bacalhau, with fruit and vegetables, meat, roast suckling pig, spices, flowers, a café and a few places to eat. Free Wi-Fi for customers. Tuesday to Saturday, 07:00 to 14:00; closed Sunday and Monday.
The Gulbenkian
The Gulbenkian campus is about 21 to 24 minutes on foot, or Picoas to Saldanha on the yellow line and one stop to São Sebastião on the red. The museum reopened in July 2026 after an 18-month renovation, the Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM) has its own exhibitions, and the garden is free every day.
- •Free entry on Sundays from 14:00, and always for under-18s.
- •Under-30s get 25% off. The free Cartão Gulbenkian adds free exhibitions on Saturdays from 18:00 to 21:00 and 50% off tickets.
- •Museum and CAM: 10:00 to 18:00 (Saturdays until 21:00), closed Tuesdays.
- •Jazz em Agosto: open-air concerts in the amphitheatre from late July to early August.
Cinema
- •Cinemateca Portuguesa (Rua Barata Salgueiro 39, about 15 min): the national film archive screens themed cycles every month, and a student ticket is €2.15 (€3.20 full price). If you turn 18 this year, you get a free ticket. Its 39 Degraus bar-restaurant does three dishes of the day, one vegetarian.
- •Cinema Medeia Nimas (Avenida 5 de Outubro 42B, about 15 min): an independent cinema known for art-house programming. New releases open on Thursdays.
A small museum nearby
Casa-Museu Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves (Avenida 5 de Outubro 6-8, about 9 min) is a collector's house, originally built for the painter José Malhoa, with Portuguese painting, Ming-period Chinese porcelain and period furniture. Tickets are €5, and residents of Portugal with a NIF get in free on up to 52 days a year. Tuesday to Sunday.
Parque Eduardo VII through the year
- •Feira do Livro de Lisboa (about 14 min): Lisbon's huge open-air book fair, late May to mid-June, free to enter. The 2026 edition drew more than 800,000 visitors; 2027 is announced for 26 May to 13 June.
- •Wonderland Lisboa (about 14 min): the Christmas market, with a Ferris wheel, an ice rink and food stalls, from late November to early January. Free to enter. The 2026 dates weren't official when we checked.
For food and coffee, see where to eat in Saldanha and cafés and places to work in Saldanha.
Frequently asked
When is the Gulbenkian free?
On Sundays from 14:00, and always for under-18s. Under-30s with the free Cartão Gulbenkian also get free exhibitions on Saturdays from 18:00 to 21:00. The garden is free every day.
When is the Mercado 31 de Janeiro open?
Tuesday to Saturday, 07:00 to 14:00. It's closed on Sundays and Mondays.
How much is a student ticket at the Cinemateca?
€2.15, against €3.20 full price. Anyone turning 18 this year gets a free ticket with their Cartão de Cidadão.
Rooms in Saldanha
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Gomes Freire Residence
Gomes Freire Residence
Gomes Freire Residence
Gomes Freire Residence
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