12 Best Things To Do in Lisbon

The capital of Portugal has something special and authentic that cannot be described in words. Lisbon is the rooftops of Alfama, the cafés of Chiado, the atmosphere of Barrio Alto, the façades of the historic centre, the gardens of Belem and the banks of the Tagus River.

The yellow wooden trams that criss-cross Lisbon are a tourist attraction in themselves, but they are also a perfect way to get around the city, taking you quickly and comfortably to the most remote points of interest in Lisbon's historic centre.

To ride the tram, you have two options: buy a regular ticket for a single trip, as you would for a bus, or book a tram route in Lisbon in advance.

You can also combine tram tickets with tourist bus tickets, so you can travel comfortably to all corners of the city. Here is my practical guide Lisbon Hop-On Hop-Off Buses and Trams to help you organise your trip more easily, and here are some of the options available:

• Savings pack: Tourist bus, tram and boat in Lisbon, from €47
• Tourist bus and tram in Lisbon, from €40
• 48-hour tourist bus in Lisbon, from €30
• Tourist bus with tickets to the Oceanarium in Lisbon, from €49
• 24-hour tourist bus in Lisbon, from €22
• Tourist tram in Lisbon, from €25
• Tickets for Hippotrip, amphibious bus experience in Lisbon, from €30

I will never tire of saying that the best way to get to know a city is to walk its streets and lose yourself in its corners. For this reason, my first recommendation if you are thinking of visiting this city is to check out the best tours and excursions from Lisbon.

Lisbon has many neighbourhoods, each with its own special character and personality. Therefore, if you have time, I recommend booking a guided tour of Lisbon to visit the different neighbourhoods of the Portuguese capital.

If, on the other hand, you have little time or want to get a general overview of the city, you can also find guided tours on foot, by bike, by Segway, etc. of the most important places in Lisbon. There are many different options:

• Tour of Lisbon, from €26
• Tour of the Belem neighbourhood, from €35
• Tour of the Alfama and São Jorge neighbourhoods, from €21
• Private 3-hour tour of Lisbon, from €89
• GoCar mini-car tour of Lisbon, from €32
• Tuk tuk tour of Lisbon, from €127
• Electric bike tour of Lisbon, from €28
• Segway tour of Lisbon with food tasting, from €79
• Bicycle tour of Lisbon, from €40
• Segway tour of Lisbon, from €51
• Express tuk tuk tour of Lisbon, from €18

To get to know a city is to get to know its culture and traditions, and in the case of Lisbon, that means discovering fado. Fado is a melancholic style of singing based on feelings that originated in the humble neighbourhoods of Lisbon and is still alive and well in the Portuguese capital today.

The best places to listen to fado in Lisbon are scattered throughout the city, some with dinner included and others without. You can also find different packages that combine a fado show with a sightseeing tour of Lisbon.

I recommend reading this article on the best options for dinner with fado in Lisbon to help you decide and book tickets for a fado show that suits your preferences.

If, after strolling around Lisbon, you think that nothing can match the beauty of the Portuguese capital, wait until you see everything there is to see in Sintra.

This town, considered a World Heritage Site, is full of beautiful palaces such as the Pena Palace and the National Palace of Sintra, with colourful façades.

Getting to Sintra from Lisbon is easy and takes just under an hour, but if you can, I recommend booking an excursion to Sintra. Below, you will find more information about organised excursions to Sintra from Lisbon, which will allow you to forget about the details of the journey and get to know the area with an expert guide. Here are some of the options available:

• Excursion to Sintra and Cascais, from €66
• Excursion to Sintra, Cascais, Pena Palace, Cabo da Roca and Regaleira, from €96
• Excursion to Sintra, Cascais and Cabo da Roca, from €94

One of the main attractions to see during a trip to Lisbon is not located in the Portuguese capital. It is the Pena Palace, located in Sintra. If the excursion to Sintra is a must, visiting the Pena Palace is another. Below is more information on how to visit the Pena Palace from Lisbon.

You can book tickets to the Pena Palace or take a guided tour of the palace, but the most important thing is to set aside at least one morning to see everything, as the palace also has enormous gardens that are well worth a visit.

If you are travelling to Lisbon with children, they will particularly love this plan, as the palace gardens will make them feel like they are in a fun fairy tale.

Are you really going to leave Portugal without trying its most typical dishes? Discover the 10 best food tours in Lisbon, an activity that any self-respecting traveller will find a delicious part of their trip and which will immerse you in the country's culinary culture.

As it is a large city, you will have a multitude of restaurants to choose from (I recommend booking in advance if you are interested in a specific one). But another option is to book a gastronomic tour of Lisbon so that a guide can show you the best flavours of the capital.

There are typical Lisbon specialities that you cannot miss, such as cod, green wine, ** francesinha** and the famous Belem pastries. I'll also leave you some information about the best wine tastings in Lisbon, which are also very typical of the Portuguese capital.

When you visit the Belém neighbourhood, you'll be struck by the structure of this building; don't hesitate to book tickets for the Jerónimos Monastery and, if you can, book a guided tour.

Completed in the 16th century in the Manueline style, the Jerónimos Monastery is considered a World Heritage Site.

It's not all about sightseeing, as those who have visited Lisbon in the summer know well. If you're staying near Barrio Alto, you'll be surprised by the crowds of people in the streets when you go out for dinner.

Music, partying, drinking, fun and smiles on every corner of the narrow, steep streets that run through this neighbourhood are the main features of Lisbon's nightlife.

With its bohemian atmosphere, Barrio Alto is the centre of Lisbon's nightlife, with a multitude of pubs and bars, many of which also offer fado music. And if you want something a little different, you can book a boat party in Lisbon.

It would have been a sin not to include Lisbon's wonderful viewpoints on the list. The Portuguese capital is known as the City of Seven Hills, and this nickname guarantees travellers extraordinary views from different parts of the city. Here are some of the viewpoints you shouldn't miss:

Yes, you read that right. Every afternoon, several sailboats leave the pier ready to sail the waters of the Tagus during sunset, allowing you to enjoy a spectacular sunset and a glass of wine while you're at it.

Honestly, for me it was one of the best things I did during my trip, and best of all, it doesn't cost a fortune, as you can book a cruise on the Tagus from around €36.

I'll tell you all about it in my article on the best cruises on the Tagus.

If you're going to be in Lisbon for four days or even extending your stay to five days, you'll probably want to explore other parts of Portugal. I recommend two places: Fátima and Porto.

Getting from Lisbon to Fátima or Porto is quite easy, and you can book an excursion to Fátima from Lisbon or Porto, for example:

• Excursion to Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos, from €86
• Excursion to Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos and Batalha, from €92
• Excursion to Porto, Nazaré and Óbidos, from €108

As for what you will see at each place, you should know that Fátima is mainly a religious destination that owes its fame to the apparition of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children. Porto is Lisbon's other major city, and many people even debate whether Porto or Lisbon is better. My recommendation, of course, is to visit both.

After a few days walking around the city, you will have noticed that many of its buildings were affected by the various earthquakes that have ravaged Lisbon throughout its history. This is the case of the Convento da Carmo, which once belonged to the Carmelite order and now has no roof.

However, this peculiarity makes it one of the favourite places for travellers. It is closed on Sundays, but the rest of the week you can visit it from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and I assure you that it is worth doing so, both for its structure and for its views.

The temperatures in the Portuguese capital make it possible to visit at any time of the year; in fact, many people visit Lisbon in winter, specifically at Christmas.

Although you will need to wrap up warm, the cold is perfectly bearable (more so than the heat in summer), which is why January, February, March, October, November and December are among the most popular months to visit Lisbon.

Finally, you're probably wondering how many days you need to see Lisbon. In my opinion, the ideal is to spend two or three days in Lisbon, but if you only have one day, you can still enjoy the most important sights of a city that is quite compact.

If you are only in Lisbon for one day, be sure to find out about transport from the airport to the centre of Lisbon in advance to save time and add to your hours of sightseeing in this beautiful city.

Another tip that you'll appreciate if you're someone who likes to make the most of your time when travelling is to get a tourist pass that will save you money.

For this destination, you can book the Lisboa Card, a pass available for 24, 48 or 72 hours that gives you access to numerous museums and monuments in the Portuguese capital, as well as unlimited transport.