Hotels near Praça do Comércio

Praça do Comércio is the great riverfront square rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake on the site of the royal palace it destroyed, and it becomes the centre of two of Lisbon's biggest October events. The EDP Lisbon Marathon starts in Carcavelos at 08:00 on Saturday 10 October 2026, runs along the coast through Oeiras and Belém, and finishes under the Arco da Rua Augusta. On Sunday 11 October the Hyundai Half Marathon and the non-competitive EDP 8K start on the Vasco da Gama Bridge, with the half marathon finishing on the same square.

Spectating is free and easy. The final kilometres along the river through Cais do Sodré are the loudest stretch, and the marathon course has a six-hour limit so roads can reopen, meaning the riverside avenues are closed for most of Saturday morning. Plan taxis and airport transfers around it.

A week earlier, Monday 5 October is Republic Day, a national holiday marking the proclamation of the Portuguese Republic in 1910 from the balcony of Lisbon City Hall in Praça do Município, a three-minute walk west of the square. In 2026 it creates a long weekend from 3 to 5 October, and central Lisbon is busier than the rest of the month.

Pro Tip: Watch the marathon finish from the steps by the river on the western side of the square, then take the lift to the top of the Arco da Rua Augusta for the view over the finish area. Book hotels early if your dates touch 3 to 5 October or 10 to 11 October, when rates jump.