LisbonLisboaPortugal.com
The best independent guide to Lisbon
LisbonLisboaPortugal.com
The best independent guide to Lisbon
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How many days in Lisbon? How long to spend in Lisbon?
Lisbon is a fantastic tourist destination, and the sheer variety of sights, activities and day trips means it will appeal to a wide selection of visitors.
A visit to the city itself is great for a short city break, while the fascinating surrounding region could easily fill a holiday of up to ten days. This guide will provide suggestions for different lengths of stay within Lisbon, and links to further in-depth itineraries.
So, how many days to explore Lisbon?
We always recommend that it takes three days to fully explore Lisbon. This is sufficient to visit all of the characterful districts, experience the nightlife and join a couple of unique activities.
• Day 1 would visit the Alfama and Baixa districts with highlights of the Lisbon castle, the Praça do Comércio and a ride on the 28 tram.
• Day 2 would explore the Belem district for the majority of the day, and include a visit to Lxfactory and Estrela district for the latter part of the day.
• Day 3 would explore the Príncipe Real district and the Avenida da Liberdade in the morning and then visit the ultra-modern Parque das Nações for the latter part.
• Friday/Saturday include a night out in the Bairro Alto district or for more manic night head to “Pink Street” in Cais do Sodre.
The charming alleys and hidden stairs which make up the maze of the Alfama district
No matter where you are in Lisbon you will always be close to the sea or the Tejo Estuary
Frequently visitors wish to include a day trip to Sintra during their stay in Lisbon. To accommodate this day trip, the Lisbon sightseeing time could be reduced to 48 hours or the trip extend to four days.
The town of Sintra is beautiful, being set within the pine-covered hills of the Serra de Sintra, and the location of the enchanting Pena Palace.
Note: Sintra gets very crowded during the peak season, and it is advisable to start any day trip early in the day.
Related articles: Lisbon in 48 hours – Lisbon in 3 days – Sintra introduction
Lisbon district guides: Alfama district – Belem district – Baixa district
The beautiful Pena Palace, stands high above the Sintra region
The Parque das Nações is the modern side to historic Lisbon
Lisbon for a very short stopover?
Many of Lisbon’s highlights can be crammed into a very short visit (5-8 hours), ideal if you have a long connection between flights. The airport is only 7km from the city centre and is connected to the metro. For your short visit, catch the metro to the Rossio metro station (green line), which is the Baixa district. From here see the main plazas and then head to the castle, via the Alfama district.
Note: There is a left-luggage in terminal 1, so there is no need to lump heavy luggage around with you.
Note 2: There are two terminals in Lisbon airport so always be aware of which one you are fling out from.
Related articles: Lisbon in 24 hours – Lisbon metro – Lisbon airport guide
There are many steep hills in Lisbon, expect to climb these while exploring Alfama!
The magnificent plazas in the centre of Lisbon, this is Rossio
How about a small group tour?
One of the best ways to discover Lisbon and to meet fellow travellers is to join a guided tour. We have worked with Getyourguide.com for the last six years, and some of the best tours of Lisbon include:
A longer stay in the Lisbon region
The variety of sights activities and day trips means that the Lisbon region is ideal for a longer holiday, such as for 7 or 10 days. The next section provides suggestions for day trips with links to further in-depth guides.
Beaches
The beaches of the Cascais-Estoril coastline are popular with Lisbon’s residents and easily accessible by train. The beaches of the Costa da Caparica, a 15km stretch of sand to the south of Lisbon which is reached via bus.
Note: The weather is suitable for spending time on the beach from May until the end of September
Related articles: Lisbon’s beaches
The Praia de Carcavelos (on the Cascais-Estoril coastline) on a busy summers day
There are quieter sections of beach to the south of the Costa da Caparica coastline
Day trips
Cascais, a charming resort town, and a mix of beautiful beaches and grand 19th-century architecture. A full day is needed to explore Cascais, and there is a direct train service.
Obidos is a classic Portuguese walled town and one of the prettiest destinations in Portugal. Obidos is small and can be seen within 2-3hours; there is a direct bus to Obidos.
Setubal, a bustling dock city and major fishing port, with a gritty and non-touristy atmosphere – a great place to experience “real” Portugal. There is a direct train to Setubal and takes a full day to explore.
Sesimbra, a traditional Portuguese resort town, with beautiful beaches and famed for its seafood.
Obidos is one of the most charming towns in Portugal
Evora a historic city, which is at the heart of the Alentejo region. Evora is a great destination, but there is a long (2h) train journey.
The Serra da Arrábida nature park, a mountainous region with stunning coastline, only 40 minutes’ drive from Lisbon.
Mafra, location of one of the grandest palaces in Portugal.
Ericeira, centre for surfing, with multiple amazing surfing beaches.
Related articles: Lisbon beaches – Cascais guide – Obidos guide – Setubal guide – Sesimbra guide
Do you really want to go to the Algarve?
Many visitors new to Portugal think that the only good beaches in the country are in the Algarve. The Lisbon region has just as fine beaches and there is no need to head south for them. During the summer, much of the Algarve is filled with package tourists and school holiday families.
In our opinion, the Lisbon region has much more to offer than the Algarve region. The real highlights of the Algarve are the traditional fishing town of Tavira and the historic port of Lagos.
Have you booked your hotel yet?
There is very high demand for accommodation during the peak season, we advise to book your hotel rooms now before they sell out. To check current prices and availability enter your holiday dates in the search box below:
Discover more of Lisbon with our most popular guides
A complete list of all of our Lisbon articles
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