Lisbon is a city of light and hills, where azulejo tiles shimmer on facades and the Tagus River opens to the Atlantic. Shaped by Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, and the Age of Discoveries, it was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake with grand squares and elegant Pombaline streets. Today, historic quarters rub shoulders with contemporary galleries, bold cuisine, and a thriving café culture.

Expect viewpoints at every turn—miradouros where locals gather for sunset, trams rattling up steep lanes, and pastelarias pulling hot pastéis de nata from the oven. Belém tells maritime stories through Jerónimos Monastery, the Discoveries Monument, and a bakery that’s become legend. Across town, LX Factory churns with makers, murals, and indie shops.

Practical notes: pack comfortable shoes for cobblestones and hills, and load a Viva Viagem card for metro, trams, ferries, and buses. Lisbon is welcoming and walkable, but do keep an eye on valuables in crowds. Come hungry—petiscos (Portuguese small plates), grilled sardines, bacalhau, and vinho verde await.

Lisbon

Lisbon rewards curiosity. Wander Alfama’s Moorish lanes to tiled viewpoints, glide by Elevador de Santa Justa to Gothic Carmo ruins, and hop riverside to the MAAT’s sinuous shell. By night, fado spills from taverns as locals toast with ginjinha (sour cherry liqueur).

• Don’t-miss sights: Castelo de São Jorge, Sé Cathedral, Miradouros (Santa Luzia, Portas do Sol, Senhora do Monte), Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, MAAT, LX Factory, National Tile Museum, Oceanário, Gulbenkian, Carmo Convent.
• Signature experiences: Pastéis de Belém fresh from the oven; Tram 28 at dawn; sunset at São Pedro de Alcântara; seafood feast at a cervejaria; fado in Alfama; a quick ferry to Cacilhas for dinner on the opposite bank.
• Food & drink mood board: petiscos at Taberna da Rua das Flores, garlic-showered clams and tiger prawns at Cervejaria Ramiro, bifanas at O Trevo, market bites at Time Out Market, natural-leaning Portuguese produce at Prado, and world-class pastry at Manteigaria.

Where to stay (curated picks):

• High-end classic: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon — sweeping views, art-filled interiors, and a rooftop running track.
• Heritage & quiet luxury: Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel — 19th‑century palace, gardens, and a serene pool above the river.
• Family favorite: Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites — apartment-style suites with kids’ club in central Chiado.
• Design-forward budget: Lisbon Destination Hostel — inside Rossio Station, with airy common spaces and private rooms.
• Browse more: VRBO apartments in Lisbon | Hotels.com Lisbon stays

Getting to Lisbon (LIS) and around:

• Flights within Europe: Compare fares on Omio (flights); typical nonstop times: London 2h45, Paris 2h30, Madrid 1h15.
• Flights from outside Europe: Search global options on Trip.com (flights) or Kiwi.com.
• Trains & buses in Europe/Portugal: Porto–Lisbon is ~2h50–3h20 by Alfa Pendular (from ~€15–35) via Omio (trains). Long-distance coaches (e.g., Algarve–Lisbon 3–4h) via Omio (buses).
• Local transport: Buy a Viva Viagem card (about €0.50) and load a 24‑hour pass for metro/trams/buses/ferries; it pays off quickly if you ride Tram 15E to Belém and the metro the same day.

Day 1: Arrival, Baixa–Chiado Stroll, Rooftops, and Market Bites

Morning: Fly into Lisbon (LIS). If arriving early, drop bags at your hotel. Grab a first espresso and pastel de nata at Manteigaria (buttery, blistered custards made to a crackly standard) to reset your clock.

Afternoon: Orient yourself in Baixa and Rossio: mosaic pavements, the National Theatre, and Ginjinha bars pouring tiny cherry‑liqueur shots. Ride Elevador de Santa Justa to the skeletal Carmo Convent ruins—Gothic arches open to the sky since 1755.

Evening: Eat your way through Time Out Market: try croquettes from Croqueteria, “prego” steak sandwiches at O Prego da Peixaria, and Santini gelato for dessert. For drinks with a view, PARK Bar sits atop a car park with the 25 de Abril Bridge aglow. If you prefer a seated classic, Pavilhão Chinês in Príncipe Real is a cabinet‑of‑curiosities cocktail bar.

Day 2: Alfama, Castelo, Tram 28, and Fado Night

Morning: Beat the crowds on Tram 28 from Martim Moniz to Graça, then wander down to Miradouro da Senhora do Monte for a sweeping city panorama. Continue to Miradouro das Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia, then Lisbon’s Sé Cathedral and up to Castelo de São Jorge for ramparts and roosters.

Afternoon: Lunch at O Velho Eurico (hearty Portuguese plates—try the pork secretos or grilled fish) or Zé da Mouraria (beloved for bacalhau and daily set menus). If it’s Tuesday or Saturday, browse the Feira da Ladra flea market above Alfama. Otherwise, taxi to the National Tile Museum to trace 500 years of azulejos, from blue‑and‑white panels to modern ceramics.

Evening: Book a fado dinner in Alfama. Clube de Fado offers a classic stage-and-supper format; Mesa de Frades is intimate inside a former chapel; Parreirinha de Alfama skews old‑Lisbon and soulful. Keep meals simple—grilled fish, caldo verde, and a carafe of Douro red let the singing lead.

Day 3: Belém’s Monuments, MAAT, and LX Factory

Morning: Take Tram 15E from Cais do Sodré to Belém. Start at Jerónimos Monastery (go right at opening to admire the Manueline cloister in peace), then walk to Pastéis de Belém for the original custard tarts, still baked in blue‑tiled rooms since 1837. Continue to the Belém Tower and the riverside Discoveries Monument.

Afternoon: Step into the MAAT for contemporary art and rooftop curves that mirror the river. Then head to LX Factory—a reimagined industrial complex with murals, ateliers, and the soaring Ler Devagar bookshop. Coffee at Wish Slow Coffee House; pick up local design goods from small makers.

Evening: Go full seafood at Cervejaria Ramiro (garlic clams, scarlet shrimp, and the famous “prego” steak as dessert) or book Solar dos Presuntos for Minho‑style fish and rice stews. Nightcap at Red Frog Speakeasy (reservation recommended) for award‑winning cocktails.

Day 4: Tuk Tuk Views, Boutiques, and a Lisbon Food & Wine Tour

Morning: Let a local whisk you up Lisbon’s hills with the True 4Hour Private Tuk Tuk Tour: Discover Lisbon with a Local!. It’s an efficient, story‑rich circuit through Alfama, Mouraria, Graça, and Bairro Alto with photo stops at miradouros. Perfect for context and hidden corners you might otherwise miss.

Afternoon: Browse Chiado’s independent shops—A Vida Portuguesa for housewares, Luvaria Ulisses for heritage gloves, Bertrand (world’s oldest operating bookstore) for a literary souvenir. Coffee at Fabrica Coffee Roasters; a custard tart encore at Manteigaria.

Evening: Eat like a local on the Winner 2025 Undiscovered Lisbon Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe—a small‑group walk through taverns, tascas, and street‑art pockets beyond the obvious. Expect petiscos, regional cheeses, pork bifanas, and Portuguese wines you’ll want to remember.

Day 5: Day Trip — Sintra Palaces, Cabo da Roca, and Cascais

Trade city streets for fairy‑tale hills on the Sintra and Cascais Small-Group Day Trip from Lisbon. Typically you’ll tour the colorful Pena Palace and its cloud‑brushed gardens, wander Sintra’s old town (save room for travesseiros pastries), stand at Europe’s edge at Cabo da Roca, and return via chic seaside Cascais.

Back in Lisbon, keep dinner easy: Pharmacia (playful petiscos in the Pharmacy Museum) or Marisqueira Uma (comforting arroz de marisco). If you still have spark, stroll Pink Street for a quick night shot beneath neon arches.

Day 6: Day Trip — Fátima, Nazaré’s Cliffs, and Óbidos’ Castle Walls

Discover Portugal’s spiritual center, wild coast, and a storybook village on the Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos Small-Group Day Trip from Lisbon. Visit the Sanctuary of Fátima; gaze from Sítio da Nazaré toward the canyon that fuels 60–80 ft winter waves; then circle Óbidos’ medieval walls and sip a chocolate‑cup ginjinha.

Return to Lisbon for a seasonal, produce‑driven dinner at Prado (think charcoal‑kissed seafood, foraged greens, and Alentejo wines) or snag a table at Taberna da Rua das Flores—walk‑in only, so put your name down early and enjoy a nearby aperitif.

Day 7: Oceanário, Riverfront Walks, Gulbenkian, and Farewell

Morning: Brunch at Dear Breakfast (sourdough toasts, soft‑scrambled eggs) or Seagull Method Café (excellent pancakes). Head to Parque das Nações to visit the Oceanário—one of Europe’s best aquariums—then ride the telecabine cable car for river views.

Afternoon: Taxi or metro to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum for a jewel‑box collection from Egyptian artifacts to modern Portuguese art, then a last‑minute ceramic or cork accessory hunt at A Vida Portuguesa. Grab a final nata for the road and transfer to the airport for your afternoon departure.

Evening: If your flight is late, an early dinner at D’Bacalhau in Parque das Nações is perfect—four classic bacalhau preparations to compare before you go.

Local Eats & Sips (Daily Cheat Sheet)

• Breakfast/Coffee: Manteigaria (nata), Copenhagen Coffee Lab (Scandi roasts), Fabrica Coffee Roasters (single‑origin), Dear Breakfast (all‑day brunch).
• Lunch favorites: Casa da Índia (casual grills), O Trevo (bifanas on the square), Mercado de Campo de Ourique (varied stalls), Pão Pão Queijo Queijo (quick Belém bites).
• Seafood hits: Cervejaria Ramiro; Sea Me (modern); Marisqueira Azul (market location); Uma (seafood rice).
• Dinner to book: Prado; Alma or Belcanto for Michelin‑star splurge; Solar dos Presuntos for Lisbon tradition; Taberna da Rua das Flores for inventive petiscos.
• Bars & views: PARK Bar; Topo Martim Moniz (castle views); Red Frog Speakeasy; Pavilhão Chinês; sunset ferry to Cacilhas for riverside wine at Ponto Final or Atira‑te ao Rio.

Practical Tips: Lisbon’s sidewalks can be slick when wet—opt for grippy shoes. Taxis and ride‑hails are inexpensive for hills at night. Tram 28 is iconic but crowded; ride early or take it just for scenic segments, then walk.

In one week, you’ve traced Lisbon from Moorish alleys to modern riverside, tuned your ear to fado, and tasted the country through market stalls and Michelin plates. The city’s seven hills have a way of calling you back—next time, linger longer in Cascais or ride north for a weekend in Porto.