Haven’t experienced Portugal’s hilly capital that is Lisbon? Sit back as I walk your through my 3 days Lisbon itinerary that will have you exploring this beautiful city, from one end to the other.
Checking out Unesco world heritage sites, São Jorge Castle, Jeronimos Monastery, Santa Justa Lift, Rua Augusta Arch and many more of Lisbon sights in this 3-day travel guide to Lisbon, Portugal.
You will take in the best views from Lisbon Miradors (viewpoints), explore the riverside from Park of Nations to the Belem Tower, and check out Lisbon’s cool neighbourhoods the likes of Bairro Alto, Alfama, and Belem and listen to some “Fado” as you take on the historical streets of Lisbon.
If visiting Lisbon hasn’t been on your radar, now is the time to go, but don’t forget to factor in some time for Sintra and Porto.
To start you off I recently introduced you to Lisbon’s Belem district with a travel guide of the area covering the best sights in Belem, including details of entry prices and how to get to them in addition to a couple of watering holes to give you a break from the exploring.
In this post, I showcase things to see in Lisbon in 3 days with a sample itinerary for 3 days in Lisbon which can easily be combined with many of the Lisbon Tours in the city and beyond.
From the pastel-colored buildings to the Tagus Estuary and Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge, viewed from the gorgeous MAAT viewpoint.
If you only have 2 days in Lisbon enough of that time can be used to cover off some of the popular places in the city.
CONTENTS
3 Days Lisbon Itinerary At A Glance
So, what are the best things to do and see during a 3-day visit to Lisbon? Below is a glance of an itinerary covering things to do in Lisbon including. All the best attractions to include on your visit. If you are short on time I also have a one-day itinerary for Lisbon, in addition to the best cafes in Lisbon.
- Day 1
- Barrio Alto
- Rossio Square, Santa Justa Lift, Carmo Convent
- Augustus Arch and Lunch At Time Out Market
- Pink Street and Nightlife
- Day 2
- Roam freely in Alfama District
- Explore Belem District, MAAT, Belem Tower, 25 Abril Bridge
- Sample nightlife in Barrio Alto
- Day 3
- Options: Explore more of Lisbon or day trip to Sintra
- Or Swap Day 2 and 3 around and explore Alfama before leaving
3 Days In Lisbon Itinerary
To get the most of your 3 days in Lisbon, I would highly recommend staying central in the city to make exploring a lot easier.
During our visit as we were arriving at different times, I chose to stay in Bairro Alto, while my friends were in Old Town and Alfama. Both of these places are great with plenty to see and do nearby.
We shall be checking these places out along the way in the 3 day Lisbon itinerary but for more details on where to stay in Lisbon check out my post on where to Stay in Lisbon here and my guide to the best hotels in Lisbon here, covering budget mid-range and luxury.
Day 1 – Lisbon Rua da Bica, Barrio Alto, Rossio Square, Santa Justa Lift and Pink Street Nightlife
There are plenty of flights to Lisbon, I recommend a flight that arrives in the early evening so you can settle in and starts exploring the next morning.
Failing that get in early to maximise time in the capital. Below are what to see in Lisbon in 3 days but if you only have 2 days in Lisbon. You can skip the day trip and still be able to the below.
The first part of this itinerary covers what to do in Lisbon for 2 days with an option for a day trip to Sintra on day 3.
10am Breakfast and Rua da Bica
Grab a quick breakfast and head out on tram 28 to Rua da Bica 1. This is your first top on Lisbon’s cool and Instgrammable spots in Lisbon.
I would recommend walking down and then taking the tram back up to the top. Street art in Lisbon is plenty so if you will lover of this colourful art then you will love this place.
11.30 Barrio Alto
Walk back to Barrio Alto’s Mirador. Here you will have some of the best views this side of the city.
From here to get a partial view of Alfama’s beautiful monastery, River Tagus, the castle and if you are lucky there is someone play some Fado music as you check out the views. I also forgot to mention the beautiful tiered gardens you can find here.
From here just a few meters from the Mirador you have an elevador(tram) going down to Rossio or you can walk down.
You really only need 30 minutes here unless. Barrio Alto is better to check out in the evenings as its a lot quieter in the day.
12pm Rossio Square, Santa Justa Lift, Carmo Convent
Head to Rossio Square also known as Pedro IV Square (Portuguese: Praça de D. Pedro IV). This beautifully tiled square is a meeting point for both locals and tourist and has been for centuries.
Some of the cafés shops surrounding the square date back from the 18th century, like the Café Nicola, where poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage used to meet friends.
Other traditional shops include the Pastelaria Suíça and the Ginjinha, where the typical Lisbon spirit (Ginjinha) can be tasted.
While you are here there are a couple of shops and cafes too where you can buy the famous cans of sardines.
If you dont manage to you can also check one of the best sardine shops in Lisbon, the Conserveira de Lisboa, known as one of the best souvenirs shops in Lisbon.
Grab a couple of shots and check out a couple of the shops before walking to Santa Justa Lift aka Elevador de Santa Justa.
Take in the views from the viewing deck for a few minutes but don’t head to far as another hidden gem is a walk across the bride of Santa Justa viewpoint to Carmo Convent church ruins.
I also share shots of this beautiful church in my recent post. If you have a Lisboa Card you can get free access to many of Lisbon’s tourist sights apart from a couple where you get a discount.
With the Lisboa card you get 30% off entrance to Carmo Convent.
From Carmo Convent take the lif back down to the street level and walk through the street to Augustus Arch.
Augustus Arch also has a viewing deck but having just come back form Santa Justa I would recommend coming back to Ausgustus viewpoint next day if you must otherwise the views aren’t too different from Santa Justa other than being right by River Tagus.
Entry cost for Santa Justa Lift/Elevador de Santa Justa: €5 or €1.45 with the Lisboa Card
Entry cost for Carmo Convent: €3.50 and €2.80 with the Lisboa card.
Tip: Grab a quick snack at any cafe on Rossio Square(very small snack because lunch is at 2pm!)
You may also have noticed Rossio Station nearby as this is where trains to Sintra leave from.
2pm Augustus Arch and Lunch At Time Out Market
By now its probably 2 or after 2 and you are most likely hungry. Resist the urge to grab food here unless you are super hungry.
Quickly check out the views from Augustus Arch, a monument that offers access to a vantage point with a 360º view of the city, then take a tram and head to Time Out Market in Mercado da Ribeira.
Time Out Market Lisboa is a food hall located in the Mercado da Ribeira at Cais do Sodre in Lisbon, Portugal.
Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, there is something for everyone! The Lisbon market has 35 kiosks selling regional specialties, such as Azeitão sheep’s cheese, Alentejo ham, custard tarts from cafe Aloma, sardines, wines and chocolates.
You can also find five top chefs restaurants here. The original fish, fruit and vegetable market stalls occupy the other half of the landmark building.
Cost of tickets for Augustus Arch: Free with Lisboa Card.
4 pm Free Roaming
Explore the Cais do Sodré area as there are markets, shops and you also have riverside views from here.
6pm Pink Street and Nightlife
Head out to Pink Street another Instagram gem which also doubles as a cool spot for nightlife in Lison. My favorite was Pensão Amor which is featured in my post on Pink Street on the blog. Here you will find bars, cafes and nightclubs.
If you want to experience the nightlife in the Portuguese capital, this is a great place to start. For those with an interest to its history, this was where Sailors used to head to for a little “joy ride” after months away at sea with no female company.
You now have the evening free to roam Lisbon at your leisure.
Day 2 Alfama District, Belem District – MAAT, Belem Tower and The Bridge
10am Alfama District
Alfama is one of Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods and was founded by the Arabs who gave it the name “Al-hama” meaning ‘source of hot water, good water’. A visit to Lisbon is not complete without exploring Alfama District.
I have deliberately not set out a timed agenda for Alfama in this part of your Lisbon Itinerary. Day 2 in Lisbon’s Alfama is all about getting lost in the little alley’s and hidden paths to discover the charms of the neighborhood that are considered the heart of the city.
Exploring Alfama feels like you have totally left Lisbon miles avail as it feels like you are exploring small villages but like much of Lisbon, here you also have plenty of little Miradurors to take in views of Lisbon.
Listen to Fado music echoing through the alley from cafes or viewpoints. One thing to note if visiting Lisbon with kids prams is just how hilly it is so be prepared for that.
Tourist sights to check out in Alfama include: São Vicente de Fora Church, the National Pantheon, and the d’elRei Fountain – the first public fountain in Lisbon.
3 pm – Belem District, MAAT, Belem Tower, 25 Abril Bridge
Using public transport in Lisbon is fairly easy. From around 2.30pm take a tram from the city center to Belem. Belem has plenty to see and do that it could easily take up a whole day but we will only explore for half of the day.
For a more detailed view of places to see in Belem check out my post on Belem district here. Places to see in Belem include Belem Tour, Monument of Discoveries, 25 Abril Bridge, MAAT, Palaces and Gardens and Jerónimos Monastery.
Suggest route to explore Belem. Start with the Jeronimos Monastery, pick between Palace and Belem to save time. I suggest the palace and then head to Belem after as you can see it from the outside. From Belem Tower walk to the monument of Discoveries and continue on to MAAT.
Walking is right by the river as most of the sights are within walking distance to each other so no need to get on a tram or bus. MAAT is absolutely beautiful just before sunset and then catch the twinkle of 25 Abril Bridge at night.
- Cost of tickets for Belem Tower: €6.00 and free for children under 14.
- Cost of tickets for MAAT: €5 or €9 for a combined ticket.
- Cost of tickets for Jeronimos Monastery: €12.00.
Tip: If you have the Lisboa Card majority of the sights in Belem are free in addition to a discount for the others.
7 pm Food and Nightlife
The evening is all yours but my suggests are grab a bit at the nearby marina next to 25 Abril Bridge or take the tram back to Lisbon Central and experience the nightlife in Barrio Alto. There is music, clubs and lively restaurants in this area.
Day 3 Sintra Day Trip From Lisbon
If you have a full day available to you I would highly recommend a day trip to Sintra. You can catch the train to Sintra from Lisbon from Rossio station which you may have spotted on day one in Lisbon itinerary above.
If you don’t have a full day then either re-trace your steps back to any of the places above that you didn’t get much time to see or head over to explore Principe Real More details below on how to get to Sintra.
If you opt for a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon, I would recommend starting with Pena Palace as it is right at the top. We actually took a taxi from the train station as we arrived super early in Sintra. Note that its a bit of a distance to the sights and now walking distance.
There is a bus stop right outside Sintra station but as we weren’t sure of bus times and the taxis are not that expensive. We took one to drop us off outside Pena Palace. We waited a couple of minutes for it to open. Also, note that your Lisboa card doesn’t allow you free entry to Pena Palace but you do get a discount.
If you haven’t already bought your ticket I would suggest you get to the ticket booth as the lines here form from nowhere!
From Pena Palace, you can then walk to Quinta de la Regaleira. And then pick a place between Moors castle and the other castle as a Day in Sintra is simply not enough but seeing Pena Palace and Quinta de la Regaleira are a start.
I would suggest 2 days if you can stay overnight in Sintra otherwise bear in mind train times back to Lisbon.
I will be sharing more pictorials of Pena Palace and Quinta de la Regaleira shortly.
In addition to Sintra, there are many beautiful beach towns in Portugal worth check out if you have additional time in Portugal.
Staying Longer? 4 or 5 days in Lisbon
If you are staying longer in Lisbon say doing a Lisbon itinerary of 5 days then I would recommend a couple of options.
You can use the do 2 days for Lisbon, day 3 and 4 in Sintra or one day in Sintra then day 4 to explore Principe Real district of Lisbon if not retrace some of the places you enjoyed from above.
You can also do 2 days in Lisbon, one in Sintra and one day in Caison to get a taste of Lisbon’s Atlantic beaches.
If you have more time then doing a Lisbon itinerary of 7 days means that you can really pace your visit the cool districts of the Portuguese capital.
Lisbon is so beautiful with plenty to see that you may actually opt to revisit one or two of the miradors or tourist sights and just chill to some Fado music and a drink on the side.
If you have more time, you might also want to check out the beaches in Lisbon and surrounding areas.
How To Get Around In Lisbon & Getting From The Airport to City Centre
- From Airport to Lisbon City Centre: Portela Airport is the main airport in Lisbon and is about 7km from the city centre. The Red Line on the metro is the fastest way to get from the airport to Lisbon city centre as its a 20-minute connection to and from the airport/Saldana. There are also regular buses from the airport to city centre- mainly to bus stations Sete Rios and Entrecampos. Buses are usually 3.50 Euros and metro is 1.50 Euros for a single journey and 6 Euros for a 24-hour ticket. Metro runs from 6.30am to 1am.
- Getting Around Lisbon: Lisbon has the Via Viagem Card which is a contactless/electronic card. It is also reloadable. Once you get the card there are automatic ticket machines and ticket offices in metro stations. You can top it up wth a single ticket or a 24 hour ticket for the bus and metro. You can also use the Via Viagem Card on the trams as well. While exploring Lisbon one of the best ways to get around as well as see most of the sights in Lisbon is by way of Tram 28! This tram offers a charming way to quickly visit a few of the sights above as it rambles through Lisbon’s prettiest and most historic streets. Tram 28 starts in Barrio Alto, and goes through the shopping district of Baixa and Chiado before passing through the churches and cobbled hills of Alfama and Graca neighbourhoods. Tram 28 departs every 15 minutes.
- Getting From Lisbon to Sintra: Trains to Sintra from Lisbon leave from Rossio Station and depart every 20 minutes. The journey time from Lisbon to Sintra is 40 minutes and tickets cost 2.10 Euros for one way.
- For a detailed post on how to get around Lisbon, check out my recent post.
What to Pack For Lisbon
Lisbon has a subtropical-Mediterranean climate which means the city has very short and mild winters and really warm summers.
The hottest months are between June, July, August and September when the weather is above 20 degrees.
The rest of the months its between 14 and 21 degrees. For tips on what to pack for Lisbon, check out my post on what to pack for Europe.
Where To Stay In Lisbon
Lisbon is simply stunning with amazing views to boot. For a guide to the best areas to stay in Lisbon then my guide on where to stay in Lisbon is right up your alley.
It features an area guide to help you choose the best location to stay in Lisbon whether you want to experience the nightlife, culture or the best luxury the city has to offer it includes tips on budget accommodation too if you are on a frugal budget.
If you can’t find what you are looking for there then I highly recommend booking.com for some of the best hotel deals in Lisbon.
Trip Essentials & Recommended Reading
For more on Lisbon’s hidden gems and a map consider taking with you a guide book. There are plenty of Lisbon guidebooks on Amazon
Love Lisbon? Also Read:
- The Best Breakfast In Lisbon
- Sunset At Lisbon’s Beautiful MAAT Viewpoint
- Best Souvenirs To Buy In Lisbon
- Guide To Vintage Shopping In Lisbon
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Hi Bee, we have a short stay in Portugal and wanted to ask if you think. Is 2 days in Lisbon enough to explore the major tourist sights in Lisbon? I don’t think we manage to do a day trip to Sintra in that can we?
Hi Greg, yes adding Sintra in that would be too much for 2 days in Lisbon. But yes you can certainly come a good portion of the city in two days. Hopefully, you at least have two full days in the city. You can take one day in Lisbon to do Alfama, Baixa Chiado, Rossio and, covering some of the places to visit in Lisbon highlighted in the Lisbon itinerary for 3 days above. The second day you can then look to do Belem and some of the places I highlighted there but I also have a separate post on places to see in Belem so check that out as well to help you plan how to make the most of your two days in Lisbon.
I am heading to Portugal in December and have for days. I have been looking for a Lisbon itinerary for 3 days to combine with a day trip from Lisbon to Sintra. Definitely, some cool places to visit in Lisbon. This post has got me so excited. Will definitely check out your other posts on Sintra.
If you have a couple of days in Portugal then definitely make the most of your visit with this Lisbon itinerary 3 days and add Sintra to the mix and if you have more time for Porto, even better.
Some really great ideas, I will definitely be checking out some of the stuff you mentioned. The Belem District in Lisbon really caught my eye so that’s a must do for me!
Lisbon is such a beautiful city and one that I hope to return to soon.
Nice overview of the Lisbon experience, indeed its a beautiful place from your pictures. I will be in Lisbon for a business before the end of the year and would just have a day to spare. Would like to know the most preferred places that can be toured within a day?
Wow, one can really cover a lot of interesting places within 3 days in Lisbon. I have visited Lisbon and stayed more than 3 days, interestingly there are places in this article that I haven’t visited. When next I visit Lisbon, I will be using this post as a template for my second visit to Lisbon. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Hope it won’t be a bad idea to incorporate nearby cities like Porto on my four-day tour?
Yeah why not, you could easily do 2 days in Lisbon and 2 days in Porto. Or spend 2 days in Lisbon and head to Porto on the third and come back later in the evening so that you can have a relaxing 4th day in Lisbon. So many options… 😀
We have about 2 weeks in Portugal and are looking to do a Lisbon Porto Algarve itinerary and maybe if there is time adding Sintra. I love your Lisbon itinerary 3 days plans, just wanted to check if you have any tips for Porto?
Hi Coby, I am afraid I only visited Sintra and Lisbon. Would love to visit Porto soon as well.
We are heading to Portugal and want to do Lisbon in 3 days before heading out to Porto or Sintra. We have another 4 days. Do you think that is enough time to do both or should we just pick between Sintra and Port after doing a couple of places on your Lisbon itinerary?
Hi Toni, you can easily do Lisbon in 3 days and then do one day in Sintra and do 3 days in Porto. So you definitely have plenty of time to see all of them.
We are looking to buy the Lisbon metro 3-day pass. Your Lisbon 3 days itinerary sounds like the perfect compliment to our Lisboa card. Thanks!
Great idea. The Lisboa card was definitely handy when we visited Lisbon.
I am visiting Lisbon with my sisters and I am not only in charge of our itinerary but booking hotels too. Haha. You blog made it easy for me to sound like an expert when I take my sisters exploring!
Haha that is too cute. I would love your sisters to join my readership so please do share the blog with them 😀 of course after you show them just want an expert travel guide you are for Lisbon 😀
Hi Bee. I just wanted to say I love your blog. I came across your post on Pink Street in Lisbon when I saw a link to your 3 days in Lisbon itinerary. Would love to check out as many of these places as possible when I visit.
That made my day. Thank you and have an amazing trip to Lisbon.
The city is so beautiful! I am visiting Lisbon for 3 days in March. So much detail. Definitely inspired to visit all of these places you have mentioned. This will be my first time visiting Lisbon solo.
Thats awesome. I love a solo trip now and then. Enjoy your visit to Lisbon.
This is such an amazing itinerary for Lisbon. I am heading to Lisbon in March and looking for ideas on things to do in Lisbon the I didn’t get to do on my last visit. I can’t believe I missed out on Belem. Keen to explore that part of the city when I am in Lisbon. Great post BTW
Amazing site. I am looking for a Lisbon weekend itinerary as I only have a short stay in the city. Do you think I would be able to do the majority of the places you have listed in say Lisbon itinerary 2 days of exploring?
Hi Cole, yes, you can definitely use the 3 day itinerary Lisbon above and just skip over some places depending on how much time you have to explore before leaving.
I have been dying to visit Lisbon for a long time now. Your Lisbon itinerary 3 days looks perfect. I have been looking for a Lisbon travel itinerary that is as comprehensive as this. This means less work me. Just need to figure out where to stay in Lisbon.
Glad to help. I have a post on where to stay in Lisbon on the blog if you need additional help.
This is such an incredible post! I just want to leave a comment to show my gratitude to you for making all of these amazing articles. Each one is so specific and great! I’ve never been to Lisbon but would love to check it out.
Aww Thank you!