Lisbon City Guide :: A 3-Day Itinerary

Lisbon, Portugal. The City of Seven Hills, sunshine and gorgeous miradouros. Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and is beautiful spot to explore. Because the city is so large and full of wonderful spots to visit / see, I’ve (finally) decided to share our Lisbon itinerary. Honestly, the amount of STUFF I packed into our “ideal” schedule was a tad unrealistic BUT we crossed off all of our “must see” items.

WHERE WE STAYED // RENTAL CAR SITUATION

We opted to stay in an AirB&B plus for Lisbon ($40 off your first booking, HERE). We chose to stay in the Alfama neighborhood, and I would do it over again 1,000 times. Alfama is the cutest neighborhood, filled with winding streets, colorful houses (the outside of our building was painted a bright blue), and gorgeous views (at this particular Portuguese neighborhood is situated on top of a hill). Some of the prettiest lookouts can be found in this neighborhood! (I would 10/10 NOT recommend driving a car in this area of town - we didn’t book a rental car until we left the city - it’s easy to get around in Lisbon using public transportation, walking, and/or Uber.

I divided our 3 days in Lisbon by area / neighborhood. Each spot has it’s own personality, and I would suggest exploring all of them! Thankfully, Lisbon is fairly walkable or a cheap Uber to your next destination.

ALFAMA

Castelo Sao Jorge (~9 Euro Ticket). In my opinion, this castle had the BEST views in Lisbon. We arrived before the ticket office opened to purchase our tickets (A MUST), so we were some of the first people inside. The Castle has 360 views of the city (there’s a photo op at every turn) and you could see lemon trees growing in the courtyards below. I imagine if I were building a castle, I’d do it on top of a hill. They have a flock of peacocks patrolling the courtyards, so be on the lookout! PRO TIP: If you’re walking to the castle, allow some time to get lost (the signs weren’t very clearly marked). ALSO. To avoid a GIGANTIC line to purchase tickets, get to the ticket office EARLY. There was a small coffee shop close by where we grabbed an espresso and waited for the gates to open.

Miradouro das Portas do Sol // Miradouro de Santa Louiza. Alfama is FULL of great view points, but these were particularly pretty. There are a number of cafes along the lookout spot and you’ll often hear live music!

Se Catedral (Lisbon’s Cathedral - the patron of Lisbon’s was buried here). And a short walk DOWNHILL from the Castle!

FOOD TOUR! We booked a history / food tour via an AirBnb Experience and LOVED it. We hit three local restaurants, had plenty to eat and drink (thank goodness we walked a bit), and our tour guide left us at the LX Factory to continue the night. I would highly recommend, as it was a great way to get off the beaten path and try a couple of traditional food items that we might not have ventured to order on our own.

DAY TWO

WEST LISBON

We dedicated our second day in Lisbon to exploring WEST Lisbon, or Belem. Our group caught a tram / bus to this area (it’s a bit of a journey from Alfama).

Belem Tower (No entrance fee on Sunday mornings). The tower is a classified UNESCO Heritage site - it used to protect the city from naval threats. We didn’t opt to go inside as the outside of the tower was gorgeous! It was a bit blustery when we visited - almost wished for a sweater!

Jerónimos Monastery (Sunday AM no entrance fee for the cathedral in between masses). Either purchase tickets in advance or arrive early enough to beat the lines! (We chose not to wait in line, but we were able to see the inside of the Cathedral - it opened in 1495 - magnificent architecture).

Pasteis de Belem (sweet treat stop - around the corner from the Monastery). PRO TIP: There will be a line out the door and down the block. You can skip the “takeout” line by entering the restaurant and heading to the back. The back room is huge and holds a number of tables - the line moves fast! It also makes for a great lunch spot.

Padrao Dos Descobrimentos (old harbor where most Portuguese voyages began). Just a gorgeous place to sit and imagine all of the journeys which started in that very place!

MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture & Technology). We walked from Belem to the MAAT and ended at LX. The MAAT building is gorgeous, and you can climb to the top of the building for great views of the water!

LX Factory (an old warehouse district full of eateries, shops, bars and an outdoor market). Highlights:

Rio Maravilha (Gastro Pub, voted a best bar in Lisbon + most instagrammable)
Landeau Chocolate (famous for their chocolate cake)
Ler Devagar Bookstore (books stacked from floor to ceiling)!

DAY THREE

DOWNTOWN LISBON

Downtown Lisbon is very easy to wander. Every corner is a new surprise and something beautiful to behold! BUT - beware as some places tend to get VERY crowded (i.e. Elevador de Santa Justa - I would recommend skipping).

Take a stroll down Avienda da Liberdade (full of upscale shops, cafes, etc.)

Rossio (Historical Square - grab a traditional Portuguese cherry drink at A Ginjinha)

Convento do Carmo. I loved this spot. The old convent lost it’s roof during the famous Lisbon earthquake in 1755 and has never been repaired. We popped in to take a gander while an art class was sketching the ruins (beautiful place to create art).

Manteigaria (Pastel de Nata snack break - these pastries had more of a slight cinnamon flavor - delish).

Rua Augusta Arch (Acrco da Rua Augusta). This arch stands over what used to be a marketplace! Sailors and tradesmen would dock their boats bringing goods from across the world.

Dinner at O Pratinho Feio. The food was FANTASTIC and the service incredible. Our group was shocked at the quality of food we received at the price! We spent 3 hours over dinner and our waiter sang Fado to the guests. It’s a smaller restaurant, so the experience felt like I was over to dinner at an old friend’s house.

OVERVIEW

Sunny Lisbon is an absolute dream. It’s full of history, charm, friendly people and good food. Although Portugal has gained popularity in the last 2 years or so as a destination, it’s not quite overrun with tourists (i.e. Paris & Rome). Bring your WALKING SHOES and layers (warm during the way and chilly at night). My favorite moments were spent with friends admiring the miradouro views. TCHIN TCHIN!

The famous trolley coming up the side of Se Cathedral

One of the best views in Lisbon - Castelo Sao Jorge

Lisbon City Guide :: A 3-Day Itinerary

Living & Local