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The capital of Portugal has become the place to be, and it’s not hard to see why. With more than 300 days of sunshine each year, a thriving bar and restaurant scene, and one of the lowest costs of living in Western Europe, it’s become a hotspot for casual travelers and digital nomads alike.

Like Rome and Jerusalem, Lisbon was built on seven hills. Although there’s great public transport, from rickety trams to speedy underground trains, it’s a pleasure to explore on foot.

Pack a good pair of trainers with a decent grip (the cobbled streets are slippery when wet). You should also consider picking up a Lisboa Card — this gives you free rides on public transport, and discounted entry to many of the big ticket attractions.

If you’ve only got a few days to spend in this gorgeous coastal city, fear not — we’ve put together the perfect itinerary to spend 3 days in Lisbon, combining top attractions with hidden gems.

Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet Portugal (Travel Guide)

Day 1 – 3 Days in Lisbon

You’ve checked into your hotel, had a great night’s sleep, and are ready to tackle the Portuguese capital head on. Here’s how to spend your lazy first day in Lisbon.

3 Days in Lisbon Portugal

Get your bearings on a free walking tour

First things first, head to the Camões Monument on Largo de Camões to meet your Sandeman’s guide for a free walking tour. These take place every day at 10am, 11am and 2pm and they’re a great way to get to know

Lisbon’s city center and intriguing history. You’ll learn all about Lisbon’s role in WWII as a destination for spies, and about the 1755 earthquake which almost destroyed the city completely.

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3 days in Lisbon Portugal

Eat a seafood lunch at Cervejaria Ramiro

Take the metro to Martim Moniz and grab lunch at the city’s most famous seafood restaurant. Don’t be put off if there’s a line outside — it moves super fast. It looks swanky, but prices are very wallet friendly.

Order some percebes (goose barnacles), Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams with garlic and coriander), and a tiger prawn. You can’t have a seafood dinner in Lisbon without finishing with a prego (steak sandwich), so leave room for “dessert”.

Opening hours: 12 pm — 12:30 am (closed Mondays)

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** FULL DAY TOUR FOR THOSE FOODIES! ** Full-Day Tour from Lisbon with Traditional Fisherman’s Lunch in Setúbal

3 days in Lisbon Tram 28

Take the Tram 28

This iconic yellow trolley dates back to the 1930’s, and clatters and creaks its way up and down Lisbon’s hills. Hop on at Martim Moniz, near the restaurant — this is the start of the route so you’re more likely to get a seat. Stay on board for a tour of beautiful neighborhoods like Sao Bento, Estrela and Alfama.

Admission: €2.85 if bought on board, €1.45 with Viva Viagem

Running hours: four times an hour from 7 am to 10 pm

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3 days in Lisbon Portugal Castle

Visit the Castle

It’s a steep uphill walk to the São Jorge Castle which towers over downtown Lisbon, but it’s well worth it for the views. The castle itself was built in the mid-11th Century and has a permanent exhibition with objects found during archeological digs on the site.

There’s also a garden with native tree species, and a camera obscura.

Admission: €8.50

Opening hours: 9 am to 9 pm March through October, 9 am to 6 pm November through February

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3 days in Lisbon Portugal

Explore Bairro Alto

From one of Lisbon’s seven hills to another, the Bairro Alto is the perfect place to end your first day in Lisbon. The neighborhood is famous for nightlife and there’s something for everyone here — whether you’re into wine and tapas, beer and burgers or colorful cocktails served in plastic cups.

Day 2 – Things to Do in Lisbon

For your second day in Lisbon, it’s time to leave the city center behind and discover the historic suburb of Belem. This is where the Portuguese explorers departed from during the age of discoveries and is a wonderful place to while away a morning.

Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet Portugal (Travel Guide). 

Things to do in Lisbon Portugal

Eat Pasteis de Nata

First things first — breakfast. Portugal has many different cakes and pastries, but it’s most famous for its custard tarts (pasteis de nata) and the Pasteis de Belem bakery has been making them since 1837. The shop is cavernous, with large rooms decorated with the local tiles (azulejos). The custard tarts are some of the best we’ve tasted, so it’s well worth joining the queue.

Tip: To order one custard tart, you ask for “um pastel de nata” but to order two or more you ask for “duas pastéis de nata.” Portuguese is hard, but don’t worry: there are plenty of free resources for learning Portuguese online.

Get a Lisbon, Portugal Guide Map: Michelin Lisbon City Map – Laminated (Michelin Write & Wipe)

Things to do in Lisbon Portugal

Visit the Maritime Museum

Belem has a huge range of museums to visit, but if you have to pick choose the Maritime Museum. It’s a great place to learn about Portugal’s seafaring past. There are 17 thousand items on display, including a wooden sculpture of the Archangel Raphael which Vasco da Gama took on his voyage to India.

After leaving the museum, take time to admire Jeronimos Monastery and the Torre de Belem. These early 16th-Century buildings are some of Lisbon’s few remaining examples of Manueline architecture — the other buildings were destroyed during the 18th Century earthquake.

Admission: €4

Opening hours: 10 am to 5 pm (6 pm May through September)

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things to do in Lisbon Portugal

Stroll along the River

Walk back towards town along the banks of the Tagus and watch locals cycle, run and fish. This is one of the best spots in the city for jogging and is lined with cute bars.

There are another couple of museums along here too, including the electricity museum and the MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology).

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things to do in Lisbon Portugal

Have lunch at Santo Amaro Docks

After walking under the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge (the one that looks like the Golden Gate) you’ll find yourself at a small waterfront area. This strip of restaurants seems to have flown under the tourist radar and is a great place to grab lunch.

The 5 Oceanos restaurant is a great place for lunch, especially if you can sit outside. Order the Azeitão cheese as a starter.

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Things to do in Lisbon Portugal

Spend an evening at the LX Factory

This old factory complex is a 15-minute walk from the docks and is a hipster hotspot packed with interesting shops and bars. Browse the racks in Ler Devager — a bookshop set inside an old printing press — before checking out the kawaii clothes in A Showroom. Finish by watching the sunset from the roof terrace of the Rio Maravilha bar.

This tour is a must when visiting Lisbon: Private Lisbon Sightseeing and Traditional Fado Show with Dinner

Day 3 – Lisbon Itinerary

You’ve managed to take in some of the biggest tourist attractions on day one and two, so on day three it’s time to really delve into Lisbon’s neighborhoods.

Principe Real

This fashionable neighborhood has the perfect mix of tiny art galleries, independent boutiques and colorful mansions. Admire the view from the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcantara, then head to the Embaixada Concept Store. Set inside an old palace, this shopping gallery is a showcase for local artisans.

Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet Portugal (Travel Guide). 

Lisbon Itinerary Portugal

Eat at the Time Out Market

Head down the hill to Cais do Sodre and the Mercado da Ribeira — home to the world’s first Time Out Market. You can sample some of the best food Lisbon has to offer: from fine dining dishes to burgers.

Famous chefs like Henrique Sá Pessoa have stalls in the food court, as do popular restaurants such as Sea Me. There’s also a Super Bock beer experience, where you can sample different flavors and pour your own drink.

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Lisbon Itinerary Portugal

Discover Alfama

After eating your fill, wander over to Alfama. Lisbon’s old town was made for Instagram. It’s all narrow lanes, cobbled streets and bougainvillea pouring over walls. Look for the street artists painting masterpieces with black coffee and red wine.

In the evening, wander into one of the bars (tascas) and order a drink. It won’t be long before the fadistas start singing the mournful fado music that Lisbon is famous for.

Lisbon’s Alfama is a can’t miss when visiting Lisbon. 

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Lisbon itinerary Portugal

Sample the local cakes

Although most people have heard of the pastel de nata, few have heard of any of Portugal’s other pastries. Just as Belem is famous for the pastel de nata, Sintra is famous for the travesseiros — a pillow-shaped pastry filled with almond flavor custard and dusted with sugar.

Some Portuguese people believe you simply can’t get a good one outside the town limits, and the best place to sample them is Casa Piriquita (where the sweet was invented). While there, try the local Queijadas, a small tart made from requeijão (the Portuguese version of ricotta).

Try Portugal’s Favorite Dish

A trip to Portugal without eating bacalhau (salt cod)? Unthinkable! According to legend, the Portuguese have 365 recipes for codfish, one for each day of the year, but having lived in Portugal I think the actual figure is much higher.

At D’Bacalhau Restaurante you’ll be able to try a good range of the dishes. I recommend bacalhau com natas, which is served in a creamy sauce, or bacalhau com broa which is coated in sourdough breadcrumbs.

Book a Room: Read reviews and check prices for all hotels in Lisbon, Portugal at TripAdvisor or AirBnB.

Lisbon Itinerary

Cable car over the Tagus

Take the train back to Oriente train station and make a beeline for the Telecabine Lisboa. The cable car lifts you nearly 100 feet in the air over the Tagus River. You’ll get excellent views of the ten miles long Vasco da Gama bridge, the modern Parque das Nações neighborhood and (if you time it right) the pink sky at sunset.

Admission: €3.95 one-way, €5.90 round trip

Opening hours: 11 am to 7 pm (6 pm in winter, 10:30 am to 8 pm in summer)

Day Trips from Lisbon

It’s time to leave the city center and discover pastures new — you want to get the most out of your last day in Lisbon, after all.

Day trips from Lisbon Sintra

Sintra

With its pastel palaces and dewy forest covered hills, Sintra is like a backdrop from a Disney movie. It’s 20 miles from Lisbon, and in the olden days Portuguese nobility flocked to the town.

Today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can catch a train to Sintra from Rossio station in the city centre or Oriente Station at Parque das Nações.

Sintra has lots of palaces and castles to visit, including the Castelo dos Mouros, Quinta da Regaleira and the Palacio Nacional de Sintra. If you can only see one, make it the Palacio da Pena (Pena Palace).

This romantic palace in bright yellow and red really does belong in a Disney movie — it’s one of the world’s best expressions of 19th-century Romantic architecture, and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. Of course it’s UNESCO listed, too.

Admission: €14   Opening hours: 9:45am to 7pm

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day trips from Lisbon Porto

Porto

The center of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with lovely architecture. During a day trip to this city you can visit the vibrant downtown Baixa district, walk through the leafy greenery of Serralves Park where the Museum of Contemporary Art is located, and try some signature local wines and food.

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day trips from Lisbon Fatima

Fatima

Known for it’s architecture, Fatima is one of the most popular day trips from Lisbon. It is possible to visit Fatima itself in a half day, however many options exist to combine Fatima with other notable and popular areas around Lisbon to make a full day trip.

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3 Days in Lisbon Portugal

Where to Stay in Lisbon

Deciding where to stay in Lisbon is difficult. Lisbon has so many wonderful neighborhoods, and each has its own vibe and characteristics.

The good news is that no two neighborhoods are very far away from each other. Lisbon is a very walkable city, and it has an excellent public transport service as well.

Let’s start with two areas that I personally avoid first: the Bairro Alto and, increasingly, Cais do Sodre. Both of these are areas that I enjoy spending time in, but both of these are the nightlife neighborhoods of Lisbon.

I once spent a sleepless week in an apartment in Cais do Sodre that was on a street that connected Cais do Sodre to the Bairro Alto.

There are plenty of apartments and hotels in these two neighborhoods that are reasonably quiet, of course. I just find it safer to avoid them if you value a good nights sleep.

Neighborhoods to look out for are Alfama (one of the oldest parts of Lisbon), Chiado, Baixa, Principe Real, and Avenida. All of these are pretty much in the city center or within a very short walk of it. You’ll find the majority of the hotels here, as well as many Airbnbs and apartments.

I also love Alcântara, and have spent many months living here. It’s home to attractions like the LX Factory, within walking distance of Belém, and it has an excellent area for running down by the docks as well.

Ultimately, though, the best area comes down to what you like. Do you prefer to be close to the city center or do you prefer the quieter suburbs? The great thing about Lisbon is that the two are never very far away from each other.

Book a Room: Read reviews and check prices for all hotels in Lisbon, Portugal at TripAdvisor or AirBnB.

About the Author

James moved to Lisbon in 2013 and is glad to see his adopted city growing so popular. When he’s not bar-hopping in the Bairro Alto or pounding the pavement by the Belem waterfront, you’ll find him blogging about all things Portugal at Portugalist.

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Comments

  1. PL says

    Lisbon used to be a great destination but it completely lost its magic over the past 5 years. Lisbon now suffers from overtourism and became very expensive and stressful. I recommend trips to the North of Portugal, notably Braga, Douro Valley, Guimaraes, Geres, Aveiro, Coimbra, or to the South, namely Tavira, Lagos, Vilamoura and Costa Vicentina.

    Reply

  2. Ingrid says

    We heard all abour Ramiro before going to Lisbon and I bet the food there is just great, but we got recommended another place with delicious sea food not far from it, without the crowns and surely with a lower price tag: Marisqueira do Lis. WOrth trying it!

    Reply

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