Things To Do
Practical Travel Tips
-Lisboa Card: A tourist card that has unlimited use of Lisbon's public transportation system and offers free or discounted access to many attractions and museums. Great if you're going to lots of sights in a couple of days ( ~€25) The link is below -Transport Card: You can purchase a Viva Viagem card at ticket vending machines for unlimited travel on trams, buses, and the metro. Depending on how much you’re exploring it may be cheaper to do a day pass than using a credit card to pay each time you hop on public transit (credit card Euro conversion fees may also apply). We have never used this as we have not taken more than a small number of transit rides a day ( ~€7) -Footwear: Wear comfortable shoes for navigating Lisbon’s cobblestone streets and hills. -Weather: May weather is mild and sunny, so sunscreen and hats are recommended.
Food and Drink
Lisbon is a foodie's paradise: here is what Lisbon is known for: - Egg tarts (pastél de nata) - Lisbon's most famous snack, acceptable to eat any time of day - Fried cod (bacalhau) and it being prepared many different ways - Grilled sardines (sardinhas assadas) - Piri-piri chicken, like Nando's but better - Marinated pork sandwich (Bifana) a street food especially recommended to our pork-deprived friends in Dubai - Meat stew (cozido a Portuguesa) a hearty vegetable, potato, and mixed meat stew - Sweet cheese tarts (queijadas) - Puff pastries filled with almond cream (travesseiro) originally from Sintra - Portuguese tapas (petiscos) - Port wine (which hails from nearby Porto) - And if you're stuck for choice, try Time Out Market, perfect for sampling a variety of local dishes from the city's best vendors. And, it's in a fun part of town, so the perfect start or end to your evening.
Belém District
What to See: -Jerónimos Monastery: A UNESCO World Heritage site known for its ornate Manueline architecture. This was Katie’s favorite thing to see in Lisbon. The detailed architecture is incredible. There’s a park in front and short walk along the shore to see the other sights in the Belem District (~10€) -Belém Tower: A symbol of Portugal’s Age of Discovery (~6€). Cool to see from the outside though Phil and Katie have not been in. -Monument to the Discoveries: A towering tribute to Portuguese explorers alongside the river. (Free to see, for a view from the top ~5€) Pastéis de Belém: Try the original custard tarts in this iconic pastry shop. This is the dessert Portugal is famous for. You can get pastel de nata everywhere but this is allegedly the OG place for them. (~1.3€ per nata)
Alfama District
What to See: -São Jorge Castle: A historic fortress with wide views of Lisbon (~10€) -Miradouro de Santa Luzia: A picturesque viewpoint that is nice for photos (free) (while these are both recommended on travel sites, we have yet to see them ourselves)
Chiado and Baixa Districts
What to See: -Santa Justa Elevator: Enjoy panoramic views of Lisbon from this neo-Gothic lift (~5.3€ roundtrip). You can also skip the lift and take the stairs up instead with about a 5 minute walk away from the lift to get the same view. Follow google maps for that -Rua Augusta: A bustling pedestrian street with shops and cafes. -Praça do Comércio: A waterfront square with a large arch (nice to see during the day and it's beautifully lit in the evening) -Rossio Square: A lively plaza with lots of history -Carmo Archaeological Museum: Ruins of a huge 15th century convent turned museum (~7€). It's an impressive structure to view but note that getting to it can be an uphill trek depending if you are coming from the top or bottom of the hill that a 2- dimensional map doesn't show.
Sintra
North of Lisbon, Sintra is more mountainous, forested, with the aesthetic of being more of a town than a metropolis like Lisbon. What to See: -Pena Palace: A colorful hilltop palace with sweeping views (~15€) -Quinta da Regaleira: A gorgeous estate with gardens, grottoes, and the famous Initiation Well which is a spiralling walkable well. This place was a highlight of Sintra for us. The gardens are beautiful but get your tickets in advance as they can easily sell out the day of (link attached as scam websites for this abound). If staying in Sintra this can be walked to unless you’re adverse to walking up hills (~15€) Note that rental cars are not permitted to go to Pena Palace and a separate tour may need to be booked to see it.
Cascais
Cascais is a coastal city just west of Lisbon. It offers beaches and cliffs, scenic walking paths, and delicious food. What to See: -Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth): A dramatic cliff formation on the water (we have not seen it yet ourselves) -Town Center and Praça 5 de Outubro: Narrow cobblestone streets, market, shops and square near the harbor -Praia da Ribeira and Praia do Guincho: Public beaches -Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães: A historic mansion turned museum with gardens and art exhibits (~€4) -Cascais Marina: lots of waterfront restaurants here (meals ~€15–€30) Getting from Lisbon to Cascais -By Train (recommended) Walk or take a short ride to Cais do Sodré station in Lisbon. Take the direct train to Cascais. Trains run every 20 minutes and the journey takes ~40 minutes ( ~€5) -By Taxi or Ride-Share (Bolt/Uber) (~€30–€40 one way) -By Car (Rental) Drive via the A5 highway, which is a toll road. Travel time is ~30 minutes.
