Lisbon has a way of catching the light—and keeping your heart. One of Europe’s oldest capitals, it rose from Phoenician roots and reinvented itself after the 1755 earthquake, becoming a gateway to the Atlantic during the Age of Discoveries. Today, pastel façades, azulejo tiles, and riverfront promenades make every walk a postcard.

Beyond the good looks, the city runs on flavor and sound: briny seafood, slow-simmered stews, and sweet pastéis de nata, all set to the melancholic pulse of Fado, recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. You’ll ride Tram 28, linger in miradouros (viewpoints), and taste your way through neighborhoods where locals still shop the markets.

Practical notes: Lisbon is hilly and cobbled—pack supportive shoes. The Viva Viagem card makes metro, tram, and bus travel easy; a 24-hour pass for Carris/Metro hovers around €6–7. Keep an eye on valuables in crowded trams, especially around Alfama and Baixa, and book headline sights like Jerónimos Monastery in advance to avoid queues.

Lisbon

Lisbon stretches along the Tagus River like a golden amphitheater of seven hills. Alfama whispers of Moorish lanes and Fado houses; Baixa-Chiado unfolds grand Pombaline boulevards; Belém tells seafaring stories in stone. Creative hubs like LX Factory and modern Parque das Nações round out the city’s old-new rhythm.

Top highlights include Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, São Jorge Castle, MAAT’s swooping riverside museum, and tile-clad churches. Add miradouros—Senhora do Monte, Santa Luzia, and São Pedro de Alcântara—for sunsets you’ll remember long after you’ve left.

Eat like a Lisboeta: start with a bica (espresso) and a warm pastel de nata, break for petiscos (Portuguese small plates), and end with a platter of grilled fish or a garlicky prego steak sandwich. Then find Fado—melancholy, magnetic, unforgettable.

Where to Stay

• Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon — Timeless service, park views, and an art-filled lobby; ideal for spa time between city days.
• Olissippo Lapa Palace Hotel — A 19th-century palace with terraces over the Tagus; serene gardens and a pool.
• Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites — Apartment-style suites in Chiado with family-friendly touches and kids’ club.
• Lisbon Destination Hostel — Budget-friendly in Rossio Station’s historic atrium; private rooms available.
• VRBO Lisbon stays — Browse river-view apartments in Alfama or modern lofts in Príncipe Real.
• Hotels.com Lisbon — Compare top hotels across Baixa, Chiado, and Avenida.

How to Get to/around Lisbon

• Flights (to/from Europe): check options via Omio flights. Typical flights: Madrid–Lisbon 1h20 (€40–120), Paris–Lisbon 2h30 (€70–180).
• Flights (from outside Europe): compare long-hauls to LIS with Trip.com flights.
• Trains within Portugal/Europe: Omio trains. Example: Porto–Lisbon 2h50–3h15 (€15–35), Faro–Lisbon 3–3h30 (€12–25). From Madrid, consider a 7–8h bus or 1h20 flight.
• Buses in Europe: Omio buses for budget routes (e.g., Seville–Lisbon ~6h, from ~€20–35).
• From LIS Airport: Metro Red Line to city center in ~35 minutes (~€1.80 + €0.50 card). Taxis/ride-hails are ~€12–22 to Baixa/Chiado depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrival, Baixa & Chiado First Tastes

Morning: In transit. If you arrive early, drop bags at your hotel and power up with a flat white at Fabrica Coffee Roasters (Rua das Portas de Santo Antão) or a croissant at Dear Breakfast (multiple locations), known for airy interiors and hearty eggs.

Afternoon: Start in Praça do Comércio, then wander Baixa’s grid to Rua Augusta Arch for river views. Pop into Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau for a hot codfish-cake-and-cheese bite, then ride or admire the wrought-iron Santa Justa Lift (queues can be long; nearby Carmo Convent’s roofless nave is a photogenic alternative).

Evening: Dinner at Solar dos Presuntos (shellfish rice, octopus salad, celebrity walls) or Zé da Mouraria (home-style grilled fish and pork in huge portions—arrive early). Cap with ginjinha (sour cherry liqueur) from a tiny stand near Rossio, or go rooftop at PARK Bar atop a car park for sunset over the 25 de Abril Bridge.

Day 2: Alfama Lanes, Castelo Views, and a Tuk-Tuk Spin

Morning: Fuel at Manteigaria with a pastel de nata straight from the oven (watch the pastry team at work). Wind through Alfama’s lanes to Sé Cathedral and the Miradouro de Santa Luzia tile panels. If hills are daunting, hop on a tuk-tuk for an orientation:

True 4Hour Private Tuk Tuk Tour: Discover Lisbon with a Local!

The guide weaves through Alfama, Graça, and Bairro Alto, hitting photogenic miradouros and sharing neighborhood lore—great early in the trip.

Afternoon: Walk up to Castelo de São Jorge (budget ~€15 and 60–90 minutes). Peacocks strut along ramparts with sweeping river views. Lunch on petiscos at Tasca do Chico (grilled chouriço, pica-pau) or O Velho Eurico (peppery pork secretos and garlicky clams when available).

Evening: Experience Fado in Alfama. Try Clube de Fado for classic, candlelit sets or A Baiuca for intimate sing-alongs (tiny; go early). Dine on caldo verde soup and grilled dourada, then take a quiet stroll down to the riverfront.

Day 3: Belém Monuments, MAAT Curves, and LX Factory Nights

Morning: Tram or train to Belém. Visit Jerónimos Monastery (allow 60–90 minutes; lines build) and step into the cloister’s lacework arches. Taste still-warm pastéis at Pastéis de Belém—sprinkle cinnamon and sugar; the recipe dates to the 1830s.

Afternoon: Walk the river to Belém Tower (16th-century defense, ~€8–9). Continue to MAAT for contemporary art and that photo-friendly rooftop ramp; across at CCB, explore MAC/CCB’s collection if time permits. Lunch at Os Jerónimos (grilled sardines in season) or O Frade (Alentejo cuisine, think pork-and-clam “carne de porco à alentejana”).

Evening: Head to LX Factory, a creative complex beneath the bridge. Browse Ler Devagar bookshop’s soaring stacks, sip at Wish (craft coffee, cakes), and dine at 1300 Taberna or a seafood-forward spot like Peixaria da Esquina pop-ups. Finish with a riverside drink near Docas.

Day 4: Sintra Palaces and the Seaside at Cascais (Full-Day Tour)

Swap city cobbles for fairytale hills. This full-day small-group tour covers off the essentials without ticket stress:

Sintra and Cascais Small-Group Day Trip from Lisbon

Expect Pena Palace’s candy colors, Quinta da Regaleira’s mysterious initiation well, windswept Cabo da Roca, and time to wander Cascais’s old town. Typical duration 8–9 hours; bring a light layer for hilltop breezes.

Day 5: Markets, Oceanarium, and a Lisbon Food Tour

Morning: Coffee at Copenhagen Coffee Lab (Príncipe Real) and a flaky cardamom bun. Explore Mercado de Campo de Ourique—sample queijo São Jorge, roasted pork sandwiches, and custard tarts from local bakers with fewer crowds than Time Out Market.

Afternoon: Metro to Parque das Nações for Lisbon Oceanarium (allow ~2 hours; one of Europe’s best, ~€25). Stroll along the cable-stayed Vasco da Gama Bridge views. Then meet your guide for a deep-dive tasting tour that’s generous and story-led:

Winner 2025 Undiscovered Lisbon Food & Wine Tour by Eating Europe

Four seated stops with more than “grab and go” bites—think queijo, cured meats, petiscos, and local wines along with street art and neighborhood history.

Evening: If you’re still peckish, graze at Time Out Market’s individual chefs: try O Prego da Peixaria (prego steak sandwich), Marlene Vieira (Portuguese classics), or Manteigaria Silva (cheeses and charcuterie). Nightcap at Foxtrot (vintage bar with a courtyard) or the speakeasy Red Frog (reservations recommended).

Day 6: Fátima, Nazaré, and Óbidos (Full-Day Excursion)

Broaden your Portugal picture with sanctuaries, giant waves, and a walled medieval village:

Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos Small-Group Day Trip from Lisbon

Visit the Sanctuary of Fátima, watch Atlantic rollers pound Nazaré’s Praia do Norte (home to record-breaking waves), and sip ginginha in chocolate cups in storybook Óbidos. Expect 9–10 hours with scenic drives and village time.

Day 7: Tiles, Gardens, and Souvenir Strolls

Morning: Coffee at Hello, Kristof (Scandi-style café, good granola and sourdough toasts). Head to the National Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo) to trace Portugal’s tile art from Moorish beginnings to modern pieces in a 16th-century convent (plan ~90 minutes).

Afternoon: Last lookouts: Miradouro da Senhora do Monte for a panoramic goodbye. Pick up sardine tins at Conserveira de Lisboa, cork accessories, or a bottle of aged tawny Port for the road. Departure in the afternoon—grab a bifana (garlicky pork sandwich) to go.

Evening: If your flight is later, linger in Jardim do Torel or Príncipe Real’s garden square. A final espresso at Manteigaria and a pastel de nata is a sweet Lisbon send-off.

Optional Alternatives and Tips

• DIY Sintra: Rossio–Sintra train ~40 minutes (~€2.30 each way) via Omio trains. Go early for Pena Palace and Regaleira; lines grow by mid-morning.
• Beaches near Lisbon: Carcavelos (25 minutes by train from Cais do Sodré), or Costa da Caparica (bus/ride-hail). Summer sunsets are spectacular.
• Tram 28 ride is scenic but crowded—ride early or late; mind pickpockets. Consider walking the route downhill, stopping at miradouros.

More Tours If You Want Them (Swap Into Any Day)

Private Lisbon Sightseeing Tuk-Tuk Tour: Alfama, Belém & More

(Alternate to Day 2 if you prefer a different route or pickup point.)

Lisbon rewards curiosity: turn down the quieter lane, climb the extra stair, order the unfamiliar dish. Across seven days, this itinerary balances must-see monuments with neighborhood flavor, day trips with downtime. You’ll leave with sea breeze in your hair, Fado in your ears, and a taste for one more pastel.