15 of the best things to do in Lisbon

Jan 23, 2024

5 min read

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a vibrant city that we are lucky to spend a lot of time in as Slaney's family live there. The city is known for its historic neighbourhoods, culinary scene, art and culture, scenic views and music. There is absolutely no shortage of activities to do in Lisbon. Finding the best things to do in Lisbon is the hard part but let us help you.

Access our pinned for you Map of lisbon here.

DISCOVER THE CITY ON FOOT

Much of Lisbon’s charm is not in the big sites or main arteries but hidden behind narrow windy streets and in small atmospheric squares. Tuk Tuks are popular but can only scratch the surface. Walking off the beaten track or between one area and another will often be more interesting than the final destination. All of the significant sites and neighborhoods in downtown/historic center of Lisbon are within walking distance.

“FREE” WALKING TOURS

We always recommend doing a walking tour of Lisbon when you first arrive. It allows you to get your bearings and discover the areas you want to explore more. They leave regularly from Praça de Luís de Camões and Rossio Square. We personally love the tours focusing on the oldest part of the city surrounding the castle: Alfama, Mouraria, Castello and Graça. We higky recommend doing this as a first activity when you touch down in Lisbon so you can get your bearings, absorb the history and explore the streets. Tips are appreciated by the guides, it is how they make their living.

28 TRAM

Lots of people don’t like it due to tourist volume but it is still a great way to see the city if you can handle the crowds. A full trip takes about 50 minutes to an hour.

Planning your trip? Check out our Ultimate 3 day Lisbon itinerary

FEIRA DE LADRA FLEA MARKET

Saturdays and Tuesdays mornings until 2 pm max. Lisbon’s most famous flea market with some great vintage, craft and second-hand items. Vendors are chilled, not pushy. Better go before lunch, they start to clear out in the afternoon.

VIEWING POINTS - MIRADOURO

Lisbon is built on hills so there are many vantage points from which you get fantastic vistas of the city, known as “Miradouro ''. Don't miss the Miradouro Nossa Senhora do Monte Belvedere, the highest point in the city, which is a short walk from Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen known as Miradouro De Graça, very popular spot for drinks/sunset, but great during the day and night. Short walk from the house is Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, another must see Miradouro.

All viewing points are pinned for you on our map of Lisbon

ELEVADOR (lift) SANTA JUSTA

Known as Carmo Lift, many people queue at the bottom to ride the elevator to the platform. I would suggest not queueing and instead walk to the lovely square Largo do Carmo, walk around the roofless church Carmo Convent, cross the bridge at the back, pay one euro, take a few steps to the top of the viewing point.

CITY GARDENS

There are many small and medium-sized squares and gardens dotted all over the city. All have small kiosks where you can have simple food offerings, coffee or drinks. Some notables are Jardim Da Estrela, Jardim Principe Real (both a short walk from the house), and Campo dos Martires da Patria where we love to sit out under the trees or by the ponds eating ice cream from Gelateria Mu. If you are visiting Campo Martires it’s also worth checking Jardim do Torel, beautiful views over the city, with lovely light in the afternoon. Don't miss the small but charming Praça das Flores about 5 minutes walk from the house.

LX FACTORY

A converted factory with design, creative, shared office and other commercial spaces. Favorite thing for me here is to have a drink on the roof top platform in bar Rio Maravilha, with great views onto the bridge and across the river. Although still popular the space has lost some luster in recent times, plans for a residential development are probably the main contributor.

DISCOVER THE BEST BARS

Lisbon is not short of bars. There are all kinds of bars to suit everyones preferences from rooftop bars, beach bars, natural wine bars, eclectic bars, fado bars and more.

Read our full guide to Lisbon's best bars here.

FIND THE BEST RESTAURANTS

Like the bars, Lisbon's food scene is one to be admired. There are new places popping up constantly, lucky we visit frequently and have family living there so we can stay ontop of the best Lisbon restaurants. View our full guide to Lisbons best restaurants here. We break it down into traditional, not traditional & of course, sweet options.

BELÉM

Belem is home to many popular tourist attractions like the Discoveries Monument, Belem Tower, Maritime Museum, Jeronimos Monastery, Maat Museum, Cultural Centre Belem (CCB) and Coach Museum to name a few. The Olive Garden in the CCB is one of our favorite places to relax in Belem. An activity we enjoy is to cycle from Cais do Sodre to Belem along the river. There are bike rental shops in Cais Sodre (BikeIberia for example). Drop into the LX factory on the way to or back. Otherwise, you can take the train from Cais do Sodre train station, about 30 minutes.

SINTRA

As the first centre of European romantic architecture, Sintra is what we would describe as a magical land. Known for its beautiful castles, palaces and nature it really is a place like no other and certainly worth a trip. A train to Sintra takes approx 50 minutes and worth it if you have a few days exploring not only Lisbon but it's wonderful surroundings.

WALK THE PIER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER

Walk the pier and view the sunset from the other side of the Tagus river. Take the boat from Cais do Sodre station across the river to Cacilhas and walk to your right along the semi-abandoned promenade towards the Cristo Rei statue and the bridge. There are 2 restaurants where you can grab a bite or drinks (Atira-te ao rio and Ponto Final), and enjoy amazing views over the city and the river. We highly recommend Ponto Final for their 12.15pm sitting but book in advance by phone or email. If you keep walking after the last restaurant, there are great grassy areas to relax, can also walk to the Cristo Rei statue or take the glass elevator for 1 euro up to Old Almada, for even more expansive views of historic Lisbon.

CASCAIS

Cascais is an old fishing village, turned into a wealthy suburb. The town center is charming with some nice beaches and a marina. Train from Lisbon (Cais do Sodré) takes about 40 minutes if you get out at the stop before Cascais - Monte Estoril, you can take a nice walk along the promenade to Cascais.

FADO MUSIC

Portugal’s defining traditional music genre. There are many fado establishments in the city; Clube Do Fado (Alfama), A Tasca Do Chico (Bairro Alto), Tasca Do Jaime (Graça). A lovely experience for me is good food and fado, but the two rarely come together. Two of the best for that are Senhor Vinho (Lapa) and Parreirinha de Alfama. The first is noted for a very high caliber of fado and the second is a lovely small intimate venue. While not exactly Fado, Bar Tejo is definitely one of the most local and intimate live music venues; an eclectic mix, where a wider Range of musicians (fado, Jazz, Bossa Nova) come to jam and play.