The Best 14 Things to Do During Your First Trip to Lisbon
There is so much to see while visiting Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon. Lisbon offers a perfect mix of rich history, stunning architecture, and lively culture. These are my recommendations of what to do in Lisbon, as well as the tourist traps that I would avoid to help you make the most of your time here.
Key Things to Know Before Going to Lisbon
stay centrally & bring comfortable shoes
The heart of Lisbon, where most of the bustling part of the city and historic sites are, is the top spot to stay in the city. I highly recommend staying within this vicinity so you can enjoy walking to many spots and experience the lively night culture. We noticed that many of the pockets outside of this main center were on the quiet side with fairly little pedestrian traffic. Additionally, the city has very HILLY TERRAIN so you should be sure to pack comfortable walking shoes.
plan for 3-5 days here
Lisbon itself is on the smaller side for a bit city, especially if you compare it to London or Paris. I found that 2 days was good for us to explore the city by foot and get a good feel for the neighborhoods. However, there are some incredible day trips from Lisbon like Sintra and Caiscais that I highly recommend carving out additional days for while here. The train system is incredibly easy and both are only about a 40 minute journey.
affordability and tourist traps
Lisbon pricing is on the cheaper side for this side of Europe, with many meals costing around 10 USD and Ubers nearly always being just $3-$5 USD. This was shocking to us as it was cheaper than taking public transportation. You’ll see very overpriced food at more touristy restaurants can easily be spotted by photos of the food being on the menu or outside the restaurant.
The Top 14 Things to Do in Lisbon
1. Walk through Castelo de São Jorge (Saint George’s Castle)
St. George’s Castle, unmissable as it’s perched upon one of Lisbon’s seven hills overlooking the city, offers some of the best views of the city and the Tagus River. It was originally a Moorish fort that played a key role in Lisbon’s defense until the 12th century when King Afonso I captured it during the Christian reconquest. This was my favorite activity in Lisbon, especially if you have time to sit at the cafe inside the castle walls for a drink.
You’ll see a long queue of visitors trying to get tickets in front but I recommend buying them online, even for that same moment! This saved us over an hour of waiting in line.
2. Praça do Comércio
Praça do Comércio, located along the Tagus River in Lisbon’s Baixa district, is the city’s most iconic squares. It was once the site of the royal palace, which was then rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. It’s surrounded by so many grand 18th-century buildings and the majestic Arco da Rua Augusta. It’s also harbour facing so you’ll get views of the water and the famous red 25 de Abril Bridge.
The main walkway near Praça do Comércio, Rua Augusta, is a very lively pedestrian street stretching from the iconic Arco da Rua Augusta to Rossio Square, offering a bustling atmosphere filled with boutiques, cafes, street performers, and outdoor vendors. Make sure to walk here either before or after visiting the square! It’s right through the main arch you see in the center there.
3. Stop at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia Viewpoint
There are so many viewpoints in Lisbon, but this one by far topped the cake for me! The energy here was so vibrant with a cute garden, live jazz music, and local art being sold nearby. This is right near the Alfama district and is very walkable.
Some other key viewpoints to note for Lisbon are:
- Miradouro da Graça
- Miradouro das Portas do Sol
- Jardim da Cerca da Graça
4. Visit LX Factory
LX Factory is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Lisbon – there is so much charm here with the street lined of bookstores, knick knack shops, restaurants, and bars. The brick walls and cobblestone streets create a very cool industrial yet historic vibe.
5. Explore All The Historic Neighborhoods
One of the main highlights of Lisbon is just walking through the various neighborhoods and soaking in their charm, cute local restaurants, and unique architecture. These are some of the key neighborhoods to be sure to walk through:
- Bairro Alto – this is one of the liveliest parts of the city, with bustling bars and restaurants at night. I recommend coming here in the evening for dinner and drinks.
- Alfama District – this is the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon, and the second oldest neighborhood in all of Europe. The streets are lined with speciality shops, tourist shops, and many local restaurants. Many of the cute street photos you see of Lisbon are typically from here!
- Baixa – this is the most visited neighborhood in Lisbon which is where the main plaza, main market street, and the famous Arco da Rua Augusta are located. It’s hard to miss!
- Cais Do Sodr̩ РTime Out Market is here, but besides this I loved the entire neighborhood which sits right along the water and has a lot of caf̩s with outdoor seating.
6. Do a Sunset Boat Cruise
There are so many affordable boat cruises that go out during sunset under the 25 April Bridge and along Lisbon’s coastline. The energy on the boats is so fun with classics like Mama Mia blasting and everyone having a really great time. A lot also come with open bar!
The boat tour we booked was through GetYourGuide here. It was $30 per person for a 2 hour boat ride with an open bar serving beer, wine, and sangria. I highly recommend it to kickstart a night out!
7. Eat Portugal’s Classic Pastel de Nata
Pastel de Nata is a classic Portuguese pastry that is a must try while in Lisbon! You’ll see them in so many window displays and various cafés. It’s essentially like a custard tart with a more creamy filling and flaky cinnamon crust on top. They are genuinely so delicious – I recommend trying a few as the recipes do differ between spots.
The best Pastel de Nata in all of Lisbon is at Past̩is de Bel̩m about a 10-15 minute walk from Belem Tower. The wait is usually like 15 minutes and was a recommendation I got from numerous locals. My only regret Рwe just got one each. I recommend getting a few from here! They really are the best ones.
8. Plan a Day Trip to Sintra
Sintra is a must do day trip from Lisbon which is just a 45 minute train ride away. Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is most famously visited for the Pena Palace, Moorish Castle, and my favorite, the Quinta da Regaleira. You’ll need to full day here to try to hit a few of the key sites in this beautiful and historic land.
Be sure to do the Quinta da Regaleira which we, amongst friends I’ve had visit, found to be the most incredible place in the city. Here, you can walk down the eerie “initiation well” down into underground caves, walk through the Palácio da Regaleiraon, enjoy an outdoor lunch , and take in views of the other historic sites. It’s a must!
One more tip – I highly recommend getting tickets online in advance for the historic sites you are looking to visit here, especially the top visited Pena Palace. Upon arrival, a lot of people were turned away or had to buy tickets with access for 8+ hours later.
9. Visit Belem Tower
You can purchase tickets for €6 at their official website which gives you access into the 7 floor tower. Inside you can walkthrough the gunroom, prison, rooftop terrace, and drawbridge. In the surrounding area are also small cafes, a beautiful park, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries), and the neighborhood around Pastéis de Belém that I highly recommend checking out while you’re in the area.
10. Ride one of the Trams or Funicular’s (not necessarily Tram 28)
Lisbon has a lot of Trams and Funicular’s that run through the city. While the Tram’s go around the city, the Funicular’s are typically on the steep hills to get people up and down. The classic yellow and traditional style is a must-do activity in Lisbon and only costs a few euros.
However, as I’ll mention later down in the article, I recommend doing one that isn’t Tram 28 unless you get there super early and aren’t waiting hours in line. The queue’s were crazy every time we went whereas we had nearly a private experience going on the Funicular pictured above.
11. Visit some of the local bars, speakeasies and restaurants
There are some really cool bar’s in Lisbon – a few favorites being Vino Vero, which is a wine bar, and Red Frog, which is the city’s famous speakeasy. For some of the top spots, you will need to make reservations fairly far in advance as they are very popular amongst locals and tourists. For restaurants, I recommend doing some research to find fun ones to try and then finish the night going out in Bairro Alto where crowds fill the neighborhood streets.
Mini Bar is the restaurant featured above in a few of the photos which was the highlight of our meals in Portugal. This is a speakeasy behind 2 other restaurants and through a hidden backdoor. You will need to make a reservation in advance which can be made on Mini Bar’s official site here.
12. Have a Beach Day in Cascais
A beach day in Cascais is just a 40-minute train ride from Lisbon’s Cais do Sodré station. It’s known for its golden beaches and charming old town, making it perfect for a beach day. While there, explore local shops, cafes, and the historic Citadel overlooking the harbor.
We didn’t have enough days to go ourselves but I’ve heard this was a highlight for so many friends that have visited Lisbon. It was my biggest regret of the trip!
13. Go Shopping on Lisbon’s Designer Street, Avenida da Liberdade
This wide, tree-lined boulevard is home to luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton, making it a prime spot for high-end shopping. The street stretches from Praça dos Restauradores to Marquês de Pombal Square, with a more upscale ambiance than the rest of the city. If you are looking to shop, this is the place to be!
14. Ride a TukTuk
TukTuk’s are Lisbon’s unique mode of transportation. It’s basically a motorized bike that you’ll see all around both Lisbon and Sintra. These are such fun ways to get around as the bike is open air and many of the drivers are really kind.
We personally rode the TukTuk when we were in Sintra to get to Pena Palace as we were in a rush. The driver was so kind and took some amazing backroads to get us there in time for our admission entrance window. It cost €30 for the 45 minute ride but they are open to negotiation. Note that a lot of Ubers won’t come into Sintra towards the evening so these are a great option to get around if you need.
The Famous To Do’s That Are Highly Overrated
There are so many items on a lot of blog’s and sites to do in Lisbon that I found to be highly overrated. Below are a list of the ones that aren’t necessarily bad to stop at if you are nearby, but I wouldn’t plan to specifically add these to your itinerary based on personal experience:
- Pink Street – this is quite honestly just a small 1 minute walk with the street floor painted pink. When we went during the day, it was pretty dead with the exception of 2 more touristy restaurants here. We heard at night it’s more lively so I highly recommend just going at night if this is a must-see on your list.
- Time Out Market – there are quite a few Time Out Markets in major cities, but this one was the most overpriced one I’ve seen in a city. While you can get really affordable meals in Lisbon, the prices here were 3-4x what we were seeing everywhere else and the crowds were very large. It’s not an open-air market so it was very crammed and dark inside.
- St Lucia Chairlift – there are stairs just behind this that you can climb FOR FREE so there is no need to wait in line and pay for the chairlift to take you up if you are accessible. The view from up top was cool, but there are arguably way better views throughout Lisbon as the city is naturally very hilly which offers vantage ports throughout so many neighborhoods.
- Tram 28 – there are SO MANY trams and furniculars that run throughout the city that I think give the same experience as Tram 28. The line for this key tram is typically over an hour or two hour wait + highly crammed inside whereas the others will have nearly no queue at all. The key highlight of Tram 28 if that you can take it through the Alfama neighborhood, but I recommend just exploring this area on foot as is given how special this area is in the city.
These are the top things to do in Lisbon for you next vacation here based on my personal experience! Just remember everyone’s experience can differ so much based on the weather, what is happening in the city that day, and more so continue exploring yourself and checkout other blogs too.
