12 Best Things To Do in Lisbon

Here is a list of my must-sees in Lisbon that will leave you wanting more and always wanting to return to the capital.

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

8 min read

12 Best Things To Do in Lisbon

©Claudio Schwarz

There is something special and authentic about Portugal's capital that cannot be described in words. Lisbon is the rooftops of Alfama, the cafés of Chiado, the atmosphere of the Bairro Alto, the facades of the historic centre, the gardens of Belem and the banks of the Tagus River.

1. Take a guided tour of the city

Walk the picturesque streets of Lisbon| © Nima Izadi
Walk the picturesque streets of Lisbon| © Nima Izadi

I will never tire of arguing that the best way to get to know a city is to wander through its streets and lose yourself in its nooks and crannies. For this reason, my first recommendation if you are thinking of going to Lisbon is to take a guided tour of the city.

Lisbon has many neighbourhoods and each one of them has a special character and personality. Therefore, if you have time, I recommend booking a guided tour of Lisbon through the different neighbourhoods of the Portuguese capital.

If, on the other hand, you are short on time or want to try the experience in a general way, you will also find guided walking tours of the most important places in Lisbon.

Book a guided tour of Lisbon

2. Go up and down the hills by tram

Tram on a hill in Lisbon| ©Lucy-Claire
Tram on a hill in Lisbon| ©Lucy-Claire

The yellow wooden trams that criss-cross Lisbon are a tourist attraction in their own right, but they are also a great way to get around the city, taking you quickly and comfortably to the more off-the-beaten-track sights of Lisbon's historic centre.

To ride the tram you have two options: you can either buy a single ticket for a single journey as if you were taking a regular bus or you can book a tram route in Lisbon in advance.

You can also combine the tram tickets with the tourist bus tickets, so that you can comfortably get around all the corners of the city. Here is my practical guide to Lisbon Hop on Hop off Bus Tours so that you can organise your trip more easily.

Book a place on Lisbon's tourist buses

3. Attend a Fado show

The art of Fado| ©Ricardo Santos
The art of Fado| ©Ricardo Santos

To know a city is also to know its culture and traditions and, in the case of Lisbon, this means discovering Fado. Fado is a melancholic song based on feelings that originated in the poor neighbourhoods of Lisbon and is still alive and well in the Portuguese capital today.

Scattered around the capital, there are different venues where you can enjoy a Fado show with or without dinner included and also different packages that combine a Fado show and a sightseeing tour of Lisbon.

I recommend you to check out this article about the best fado dinner options in Lisbon to make up your mind and book a ticket for a fado show that suits your preferences.

Book a Fado show ticket

4. Visit Sintra on an organised tour

Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra| ©Raja Sen
Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra| ©Raja Sen

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

This World Heritage Site is full of beautiful palaces such as the Palacio da Pena and the Sintra National Palace, with their colourful facades.

Getting to Sintra from Lisbon is easy and will only take you an hour's drive, but if you can, I recommend you book an excursion to Sintra. By taking an organised excursion to Sintra from Lisbon, you can forget about the details of the journey and get to know the area with an expert guide.

Book a tour to Sintra

5. Take a guided tour of the Pena Palace

Da Pena Palace, Sintra| ©Mark Lawson
Da Pena Palace, Sintra| ©Mark Lawson

One of the main sites to see during a visit to Lisbon is not in Lisbon. It is the Pena Palace and it is located in Sintra. If the excursion to Sintra is a "must", entering the Pena Palace is another one.

You can buy tickets to the Pena Palace or take a guided tour of the Pena Palace, but the most important thing is that you set aside at least one morning to see it all, as the Pena Palace also has huge gardens that are worth a visit.

If you go to Lisbon with children this plan will seduce them especially because in the gardens of the Palace they will feel like in a fun fairy tale.

Book tickets to the Pena Palace

6. Taste the Portuguese gastronomy

Enjoy the delicious pastries of Belém| ©André Luís
Enjoy the delicious pastries of Belém| ©André Luís

Are you going to leave Portugal without tasting its most typical dishes on a gastronomic tour of Lisbon? For any self-respecting traveller, trying different flavours and textures is part of the journey and in Lisbon you are spoilt for choice.

Being a big city, you'll have plenty of restaurants to choose from (I recommend you book in advance if you're interested in a particular one). 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 can't miss, such as cod, green wine, francesinha and the famous Belem cakes. On the other hand, you also have the possibility to go wine tasting in Lisbon or its surroundings, which is also very typical of the Portuguese capital.

Book a gastronomic tour in Lisbon

7. Visit the Jerónimos Monastery

Jerónimos Monastery| ©balavenise
Jerónimos Monastery| ©balavenise

When you visit the Belem neighbour hood you will be struck by the structure of the Jerónimos Monastery; don't hesitate to book tickets and, if you can, book a guided tour.

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

Book tickets to the Jeronimos Monastery

8. Party in the Barrio Alto

Enjoy Lisbon's nightlife in Bairro Alto| ©Senhor Estilo
Enjoy Lisbon's nightlife in Bairro Alto| ©Senhor Estilo

It's not all about tourism and those who have been to Lisbon in summer know this well. If you're staying near the Bairro Alto a crowd of people in the streets will surprise you when you go out for dinner.

Music, partying, drinking, joy and a smile on every corner of the narrow and steep streets that run through this neighbourhood are the main characteristics of the Lisbon party.

In the midst of a bohemian atmosphere, the Bairro Alto is the star of Lisbon's nightlife and is home to a multitude of pubs and bars, many of which also have Fado music. And if you want something a little different, you can book a boat party in Lisbon.

Book a boat party in Lisbon

9. See Lisbon's rooftops from the lookout points

Views of Lisbon from the Portas do Sol viewpoint| ©Shadowgate
Views of Lisbon from the Portas do Sol viewpoint| ©Shadowgate

It would have been a sin not to list the wonderful viewpoints that Lisbon has to offer. The Portuguese capital is known as The City of 7 Hills and this nickname ensures that travellers can enjoy extraordinary views from different parts of the city.

Here are some of the viewpoints you should not miss:

  • Portas do Sol viewpoint: my favourite because of the charm of the orange rooftops of the Alfama district. You can visit it when you book a tour of Alfama in Lisbon.
  • Mirador de San Pedro de Alcántara: located in the Barrio Alto and overlooking St. George's Castle.
  • St. George's Castle: from the tower of Ulysses you will be able to see a 360 degree panoramic view of the city.
  • Mirador de Gracia: located next to the church of the same name. Ideal for watching the sunset.

Book a tour of Alfama in Lisbon

10. Enjoy the best sunset on a cruise along the Tagus River

Views of Lisbon's harbour
Views of Lisbon's harbour

Yes, you read that right. Every evening several sailboats leave from the dock ready to sail the waters of the Tagus during sunset, allowing you to enjoy a spectacular sunset and a glass of wine in the meantime.

The truth is that for me it was one of the best plans I could make during the trip and the best thing about it is that the budget you need is not excessive, as you can book a cruise on the Tagus from around 36 €.

I tell you all the details in my article about the best Tagus cruises.

Book a Tagus cruise

11. Take a trip to Fatima or Porto

Views of Porto
Views of Porto

If you are going to be in Lisbon for 4 days or even if you are going to extend your stay in Lisbon for 5 days, you will probably want to see other parts of Portugal. I recommend two: Fatima and Porto.

Getting from Lisbon to Fatima and from Lisbon to Porto is quite easy and you can book an excursion to Fatima from Lisbon or Porto.

As for what you will see in each place, you should know that Fatima is a mainly religious destination that owes its fame to the apparition of the Virgin Mary to three little shepherds. As for Oporto, it is the other big city of Lisbon and even many people have doubts as to whether Oporto or Lisbon is better. My recommendation, of course, is to visit both.

Book a trip to Fátima from Lisbon

12. Visit the Convento da Carmo

Roof of the Convento da Carmo| ©grassrootsgroundswell
Roof of the Convento da Carmo| ©grassrootsgroundswell

After a few days strolling around the city you will have already 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 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 10am to 6pm and I assure you that it is worth it for both its structure and its views.

Choose the best date to visit Lisbon

Plane at Lisbon airport
Plane at Lisbon airport

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 and especially Lisbon at Christmas.

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

Finally, you are probably wondering how many days you need to visit Lisbon. In my opinion, the ideal is to spend two days in Lisbon or three days in Lisbon, but if you go to Lisbon for just one day you will also be able to enjoy the most important points of a city that is quite manageable.

Tips for visiting Lisbon

If you are only in Lisbon for one day, make sure you book your transfer from the airport to the centre of Lisbon in advance to save time and add it to the hours of sightseeing in this beautiful city.

Another tip you may appreciate if you are one of those who prefer to make the most of your travels is to get a tourist pass that will save you money.

For this destination you can book the Lisbon Card, a pass available for 24, 48 or 72 hours with which you have access to numerous museums and monuments of the Portuguese capital, as well as unlimited transport.

Book the Lisbon Card