Thank you random american man who kindly approached us at the back of the ginormous queue and said it wasn’t worth queuing. We’re so glad we took your advice and didn’t waste anymore of our precious time in Lisbon standing in this queue. We followed your directions to the top and walked over the bridge to appreciate the views instead.

The views from the top were good, but the chain link mesh makes it difficult to get good pictures. We had to wait for quite a while and went in the morning in November. The cost is €5.30, but it was included in the metro Viva Viagem day pass card so we didn’t have to pay. The viewing area is also accessible from the streets at the top of the connected hill by the sky bridge so there are a lot of people accessing the area while you are waiting down below for your turn to go up.

It's definitely a monument because of its unusual design, and it is definitely a way to get up the hill without a climb. But there is usually a very long line of tourists waiting to ride. There are other elevators available in the parking garage and in the shopping center.

On the Yellow Bus deal this attraction was included which is why we wanted to do it. However we had to wait for an hour in the queue for the privilege! The queue goes down some steep steps so probably I wouldn’t recommend for those who struggle with their mobility. It continues down an alley which smelt of men’s urine so not the best entrance. Once in the elevator a man checks your tickets and you can either stand or sit. However you can’t see the view as it’s blocked by the bars of the elevator. The journey was very quick and lasted under a minute but the views as you step out are lovely over Lisbon. There is a small cafe on this level but they have a limited menu of only coffee, so if you don’t like coffee it’s best to wait until you go back down in the lift where there’s a wonderful cafe serving the most delicious rich hot chocolate and local delicacy ‘pastel de natas’ (a must try custard tart).

It’s pleasant but not worth the wait. The lift holds about 15 people, so the wait is long! At the top (30 seconds ride) it’s a nice view but very closed in with metal wire obscuring the views. And it costs €5.30 pp. so, the free alternative is to simply to go around the back of the lift and head towards a nice square at the Carmo Archeological Museum. In the square you can walk to the viewing place and into the top of the lift for free. It’s all allowed, no reservations, no cost. Of course you don’t get to ride the lift, but it will take you to the same place.

After waiting for 30 minutes on line we realized that it would take much longer than that. We decided to bail-out, and instead climbed to the elevator observation deck through the side streets. The view is very nice, but the elevator is much too slow, so unless there's almost no line, skip it

Elevador de Santa Justa is situated at the end of Rua de Santa Justa and connects the lower streets of the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo (Carmo Square). This is a popular tourist attraction with long lines to enter. There is a free way to enjoy the same views but you dont ride in the elevator. Our walking tour guide showed us this. If you go to the rear of the lift and go to the square at the Carmo Archeological Museum you can walk to the viewing place and into the top of the lift for free.

The lift is a beautiful structure and a very interesting and intricate design. Initially we queued at the bottom but decided to walk to the top admire the views, we were unable to go to the top of the platform due it currently being shut. To get the lift down, we found that there was no queue and were able to get straight on. Overall, I'm not sure it's worth waiting in the long queues at the bottom but it was an enjoyable experience to see the structure and the beautiful cabin lifts themselves.

A tourist must but somewhat expensive for such a short ride up €6! - prob a once only experience . You do get 2 rides with your ticket but I guess a lot of folks either walk down or don’t bother queuing for another ride up. Prob get the same experience by taking your photos from the bottom then walking up the backstreets and walking onto the viewing platform from above (it’s free to do so)

We looked at the queues and decided that only thing to do would be to arrive when it opened at 730 (our hotel was literally around the corner) Went straight on and up free with our Lisboa Card. Viewing platform still closed. Took a few pictures and walked down. It is not really worth waiting for at least an hour unless you really want to use the lift! It’s really nice to look at but you can do this from the street Save your time