I am a huge planner. I mean I research the life out of something before I embark on the journey. I’ve been doing it since I was a small kid. My parents used to joke me about my very thorough MapQuest travel books, but they continue to employ me to plan family vacations. So, it was no surprise that I took this trip to Lisbon very seriously.
I always consult blogs, vlogs, newspaper articles, and more to figure out what’s hot and what’s… well, not. You can also learn a lot of insider secrets on the best times to go, free admission hours, and the best views and tastes around town. Today, I’m sharing with you the very extensive itinerary that I planned for Lisbon, Portugal which also includes a day trip to Sintra. I’ll also be sharing when and why we diverted from the schedule and other things we found along the way. My guides/itineraries for Madrid and Barcelona will follow in the next couple of weeks. You can also find the vlog from my time spent in Lisbon when it goes live here.
The Basics
Lisbon is the beautiful capital city of Portugal. It’s definitely an up and coming destination. Insider secret: this was hands down my favorite stop in our 10 day Iberian Peninsula extravaganza. The weather is absolutely perfect, there are several options for day trips during extended stays, and the people are extremely friendly. The pastries, juices, and cocktails were incredible, too!
The one big thing to note that may cause attitudes: it’s HILLY as heck. And I mean the type of hills where the next spot you’re going to step is staring you in the face. However, Lisbon also has some of the cutest transportation I’ve ever seen. I’ll talk about that later, but you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the trams. Most neighborhoods of the city are pretty flat so once you reach your destination, you’ll just be getting in your steps for the day.
When to Visit
The weather in Lisbon reminds me a lot of California. It was relatively warm during the day [but there is always a heavenly breeze] and it drops down into the sixties at night. Most people will tell you that April-Early June is the best time to travel to Europe in general. It definitely has a summery, sea town vibe and I’d agree that those months are probably best.
Getting To Lisbon
Lisbon is definitely on the rise in the list of European cities tourists want to visit most. The airport is relatively small and airlines are just now creating new flight patterns to service the city. I, however, have been incredibly spoiled by Delta and can’t honestly recommend anything else. Michelle and I even had a massive delay that made us miss a day in Lisbon and I’m still recommending Delta. The amenities and comfort are just unmatched.
Traveling With Friends
My favorite thing about Lisbon is that it is extremely affordable AND when you can travel with friends, it makes it even better in the wallet department. We stayed in Airbnbs during our entire trip and it is the way to go for a more immersive experience. I’ll link them down below for your perusal!
I also have to take a second to rave about my new favorite travel app: SPLITWISE. Splitwise is the best thing to ever happen to people who love to travel in groups. You can easily add expenses and split them among the group. It’s extremely customizable and you can make fun groups to keep everything organized by each trip. You can also use the integrated Venmo or Paypal options to settle up with everyone at the end of a trip. I have to say it made the money side of things extremely easy to manage. Also, it’ll tell you how much you’ve spent in total which might be a plus for some. I personally loved seeing that I came in way under budget!
Lisbon, Portugal: The City of Seven Hills
PRO TIP: My first pro tip is to invest in the Lisboa card. You’ll get free transportation on the trams, metro, and trains. It also gets you free admission into some of the best sights and museums Lisbon has to offer. We picked up the 24-hour pass because we only had one full day by the time we landed. But, for this itinerary, I’d go for the 48-72 hour pass.
Day 1
Most flights coming from the United States will put your arrival time anywhere from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM and the earlier you can arrive in Lisbon the better. Customs can get very backed up very quickly. Michelle and I were able to beat the crowds of South American flights that arrived around 9 AM and we sped through customs. Hannah and Chloe arrived at around 11 and waited for 90 minutes. Uber from the airport. It will cost you around 8-12€.
The three airBNBs we stayed at were in the neighborhoods of Barrio Alto and Chiado. If you want to experience the nightlife, I highly recommend staying in Barrio Alto. A lot of the nightclubs and bars are here. If you want to take advantage of early mornings and rooftop bars at sunset, Chiado is your spot. It’s definitely the more modern and sophisticated part of town!
Nini’s [pictured below] – Barrio Alto – Great location! – 6 guests
Chiado Studio – Chiado – Great location and excellent hosts! – 2 guests
Botanic Balcony – Principe real – Great views and trendy space – 3 guests
Once you’re settled in, I’d take a few moments to orient yourself with the nearest drugstore/supermarket, train station, and tram stop. Google Maps is still my favorite navigational app and but it will help immensely if you know the lay of the land.
LUNCH: Time Out Market
Ironically, we didn’t have time to stop in here. But, I think it’s a good way to get a feel for what the Portuguese have to offer when it comes to food. This was hands down one of the most common recommendations I noticed during my research period. The one that they built in NYC is also really nice and summarizes some of the best places in the city pretty well. So, I’m sure it does the same for Lisbon. The walk here is also downhill, so you can see a little bit of Lisbon as you journey for food.
Afternoon Activity: Belem
Time Out Market will put you close to the train station that will take you directly to Belem, a small town right outside of Lisbon’s city center. It is critical that you visit the Monasterio de Los Jeronimos de Belem. The cloisters here are stunning. You can also visit the Belem Palace and the Monument to the Discoverers. But, you must try the custard pastry, pastel de nata, while you are in Lisbon. The first place to try [because let’s be honest, you’re going to have more than one] is Pasteis de Belem. They apparently use the original recipe that the monks used. We also stopped by the number two favorite spot to get the delightful pastries, Manteigara, and to be honest, they tasted the same! These pastries are just super yummy all around!
PRO TIP: Get a guided tour wherever you can. This will help communicate the history and nuances of places. Otherwise, it can seem like you are just staring at pretty things all day. I did not regret a single
Dinner: Leve Leve Tapas Bar
This will forever be the spot where I had my first Aperol Spritz and it was good. So, if you were wondering, I am 100% on board. This was one of my favorite meals of our entire trip in Europe. It was tapas with an African flair. Everything was delicious and we ordered 8 small plates and were rolling home to our Airbnb. But, not before we stopped for gelato and a spot that was close to our home base, Gelatiamo Lisboa.
Day 2
This is the day to get a real feel for Lisbon and it’s heritage. There is a lot to see in the neighborhood of Alfama. This is the old and more historical part of town. The buildings are absolutely stunning and the colors are everything.
Breakfast: A Padaria Portuguesa
The pastries from this local Portuguese chain come from the heavens. The croissant and cinnamon bun I had over the couple times we popped in here were *chef’s kiss*. I also tried the Mango Banana juice and it was fantastic. This spot will require that you take a ticket and you’ll need to listen out for your number and be speedy about ordering. This place moves at a local pace which is a little bit quicker than the major vacation vibes you’ll be living in.
Morning Activity: Tram 28
Tram 28 gets incredibly crowded after 10 am because it’s become a huge tourist attraction but it’s also an actual method of transportation used by locals. Our Airbnb host recommended that we walk west from the city center to catch the tram when it was on the emptier side. It requires a little bit of an uphill walk, but it’s manageable. We rode it all the way through the city center and up into the hills of Alfama.
We got off in the Graca neighborhood and made the short walk to the Miraduoro de La Graca, probably the best expansive view of Lisbon that we found. You can see the Castelo de Sao Jorge and all the colored building of the city. I’d recommend walking through the neighborhoods of Alfama and stopping along the way to enjoy an easy lunch in a plaza with a glass of sangria.
Afternoon Activity: Downtown Sights
After lunch, you can venture back down to the central neighborhood of Chiado. The architecture of the plazas and square of this neighborhood are incredible. Praca de Comercio is filled with restaurants and the famous Rua de Augusta. This is a good time to stop into European favorites like Pull&Bear and find styles only found on the continent in fan favorites like Zara and MANGO. You can also pop into Amorino Chiado for the cutest and tastiest cone of gelato.
Dinner & Drinks: Topo Chiado
If they aren’t hosting a private event or party, the views here are unbeatable. Hannah and Chloe were able to eat here and said the food and drink were standard. Michelle and I were not as lucky and struck out every time we tried to eat or even get drinks here. Luckily, you have a lot of options nearby. We went to Pizzeria Mezzogiorno because I was craving pizza after getting fixated on Topo Chiado. The Margherita pizza was fine, but the tequila sunrise was great.
Day 3
Day Trip to Sintra, Portugal
Sintra is a beautiful mountainside town west of the city of Lisbon. It is home to some of the most stunning castles. It is the actual perfect day trip from the bustling city vibes of Lisbon. You’ll need to start the day pretty early. That is my biggest tip for the most enjoyable time. You can catch the CP train to Sintra every 20 minutes from the Rossio train station that is located right in the middle of the city. It is 5€ for a roundtrip ticket, but if you have the Lisboa card, the train ride is covered.
It takes about 45 minutes to get from Rossio to the Sintra train station. When you arrive, you can choose to explore the city of Sintra. It’s quaint and old, but still extremely beautiful. You can also head straight up to the castles. I’d recommend tackling one castle in the morning and one in the afternoon. Be sure to start with Pena Palace as this one is the most flashy and attracts the most tourists. It’s all the Michelle and I had time for, but you definitely need to see it in person. It’s incredible. I would have chosen the Montserrat Palace if I had time to see another one.
PRO TIP: Buy your tickets for the castles beforehand. You’ll save a ton of time when you can waltz right into the park. The lines can get pretty backed up midday so you’ll thank yourself when you don’t have to wait in the summer sun. It can also get pretty chilly because it’s windy and at a high altitude. Wear longer sleeves or bring a light jacket!
Lunch: Cafe Saudade
This was another one of my favorite places to eat. I was honestly pleasantly surprised that this cute cafe wasn’t more touristy. It’s a literal two feet from the train station. It felt like a place someone would drop in for a pastry and a coffee on a summer day. We had the best hot-pressed sandwiches, dessert, and coffee. I also had the lemonade which tasted so fresh.
Sunset Drinks: Park Bar, Portas do Sol, Topo Chiado
The sunset in Lisbon is unreal. I’d highly recommend finding a bar with a good view and enjoying some sangria or cheeky cocktails. You can then grab dinner at Cafe Janis which comes highly recommended by Lisbon Instagrammer, @heyandiehey. If you want to end your trip with a fancier spot, check out Bellalisa Elevador which is adjacent to Topo Chiado. The pasta that we had was super tasty. It’s a little pricey {but fair} because it’s very close to the Elevador de Santa Justa, but the sangria pitcher was a generous amount, strong, and sweet!
Day 4: Travel Day
Breakfast: Nicolau Lisboa, The Mill
I received so many recommendations for breakfast spots. Our first, last morning in Lisbon, the four of us went to Nicolau Lisboa. It was probably my favorite breakfast of the entire trip. It was trendy, yet incredibly affordable. I got the French Toast and the Avocado Toast. It was so delicious.
Our second, last day in Lisbon, Michelle and I had very limited time and ended up choosing The Mill. This spot gets very busy very quickly. The food looked so good. I ordered the Banana Bread special which took a very long time to make even though it seemed like they just warmed a slice of their {very tasty} banana bread and slapped on some mascarpone and a mixed berry filling. The coffee was extremely good though. I also received recommendations to try: Dear Breakfast, Heim Cafe, or Cafe Janis.
Morning Activity
Depending on how much time you have or if you still have hours left on your Lisboa card, I wish we would have had more time to go into museums and learn more about the history of Lisbon. One museum I wanted to visit was the National Tile Museum. If you have time to fit in one last thing, I’d definitely recommend doing something in the morning before heading off the train station, airport, etc. We used this excellent luggage holding service that was super affordable
So, there is all the stuff we did in Lisbon! Honestly, I’m itching to make a full dedicated trip just to Lisbon. It was such a beautiful and friendly place and I don’t feel like I even scratched the surface of what it has to offer. If anyone would like to fund my second trip to Lisbon, please let me know!
Until next time, Lisbon. Obrigada!
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