Two days in Lisbon
Since Lisbon has become one of the most popular destinations in Europe and is a perfect city to discover during a long weekend, we have created this 48-hour itinerary of Portugal’s capital city.
The evening you arrive: Baixa
If you land in Lisbon relatively early in the afternoon save time traveling from the airport and book a transfer right to your hotel.
Once you're settled in, and you have the rest of the afternoon free, we recommend you start exploring the Baixa district. Take the Metro or a bus to Restauradores Square (Praça dos Restauradores), where you’ll find the magnificent Hotel Edén. Lisbon’s main avenue, Avenida da Liberdade, starts from the square and stretches straight towards Marquis of Pombal Square (Praça do Marquês de Pombal), where modern Lisbon starts.
Near Praça dos Restauradores is Rossio Square, now called Praça de D. Pedro IV. This lively square houses the National Theatre Maria II and one of the city’s most famous coffee houses called Café Nicola. From here, head to Figueira Square, with its sloping-roofed picturesque houses. You’ll get a beautiful view of São Jorge Castle on the summit of São Jorge Hill, the city’s tallest ridge.
These three squares are very close to one another, barely one hundred steps away. The elegant pedestrian street, Rua Augusta, extends from Figueira Square, through Rua Augusta Arch until it reaches Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square).
When purchasing your ticket to the Rua Augusta Arch, you can enjoy unparalleled views from this privileged vantage point.
If you’re tired, you can take tram nº 12 and discover the neighborhood while it makes its journey through Lisbon.
Then again, you can always tour the city via a combined mode of transport tour, for example, by purchasing combo tickets that offer access to the bus, train, and tourist boats of Lisbon.
The neighborhood is very lively and offers many restaurants where you'll easily be able to find a spot for dinner or a quick coffee, even a cocktail before tucking in for the night.
Baixa is a district full of life and activity with plenty of restaurants, cafés and bars to stop and have dinner and then a drink before turning in for the night.
Morning day 1: São Jorge Castle, Alfama and Park of the Nations
Before heading to any of the city’s attractions, we suggest purchasing a one-day travel card, since it's quite cheap and you’ll get more than your money’s worth. Even if you’ve traveled to Lisbon by car, we recommend you leave it parked and take public transport or walk around the city.
Day one begins in Figueira Square. From here, take tram nº 28 to the top of São Jorge Hill, to one of Lisbon’s most impressive landmarks, São Jorge Castle. The area is called Largo das Portas do Sol and offers some of the most beautiful views of Lisbon and the Tagus River. Mouraria and Alfama are two of the oldest and most picturesque districts located at the foot of São Jorge Hill. Alfama is an old fishing neighbourhood with narrow and cobbled streets, and you can wander around discovering this authentic parish.
The Tajo River is the soul of Lisbon and an absolute must see via a tranquil boat ride that offers breathtaking views of the city from a different perspective. Below you'll find our favorite activities to do along the Tajo River:
If you’ve already visited the Castle and it’s getting late, you can stop and have lunch in one of Alfama’s modest and genuine restaurants. Some even include live Fado music.
Additionally, you can take advantage of the evening and enjoy a Fado tour + dinner.
Then, take a bus to Parque das Nações (Park of the Nations). This area is one of the most modern in Lisbon. It was designed for the 1998 Expo and is now an area full of restaurants, bars, shopping centres and other top attractions, like the Oceanário de Lisboa.
You can purchase your tickets to the Oceanarium in Lisbon here.
Evening day 1: Chiado and Bairro Alto
During the evening, head to Chiado and Bairro Alto, two of the most striking neighbourhoods in Lisbon. The best way to get to them is either to take tram nº 28, the Santa Justa Lift or the Elevador da Gloria (Gloria Lift) from Restauradores Square.
Chiado was rebuilt after parts of it were destroyed by a fire that took place in 1998. The main streets of the district are called Rua do Carmo, where the ruins of Carmo Church are fruit of the 1755 great earthquake. The other important street is called Rua da Garrett. Chiado is famous for being an elegant and bohemian neighbourhood, frequently referred to as the “Montmartre” of Lisbon.
Chiado houses the popular café called A Brasileira, where the Portuguese writer and poet Fernando Pessoa would spend much of his time. On the roof terrace of the coffee shop sits a bronze statue of the writer.
If you follow the Rua da Misericórdia you’ll get to the Bairro Alto. This parish is packed with cafés, bars and restaurants, as well as several stores and antique shops. Bairro Alto, along with Alfama is probably one of the best neighbourhoods to listen to Portugal’s famous Fado music.
After dinner, you’ll find numerous bars where you can have a drink or a cocktail. If you want to discover the city’s nightlife, we recommend you head to the reconverted industrial area called Doca Santo Amaro in Alcântara, where there are many nightclubs and good watering houses or Santos district.
Morning day 2: Belém
Belém is the most fabulous parish in Lisbon, as it houses two of the city’s most impressive landmarks: the Jerónimos Monastery, especially its Church and Cloister are must-see sights, and Belém Tower, a fortified tower at the mouth of Tagus River.
You can get to Belém from Praça do Comércio with the tram nº 15, or you can buy tickets for the Lisbon tourist tramway for its enchanting route.
You’ll also find the 25 April Bridge, the Monument to the Discoveries and the National Coach Museum in Belém, not to mention its renowned pastéis de Belém.
As you approach 25 April Bridge, you can challenge yourself to reach new heights by climbing up to the bridge's impressive 80-meter (262-foot) high viewpoint. You can purchase your tickets here.
Surely by this point, in just 48 short hours, you'll have seen enough of Lisbon to know you'll have to come back again!
If you want to enjoy every minute of your stay in the Portuguese capital, a great way to see all of Lisbon's monuments and landmarks is the Lisbon Tourist bus. You can buy your tickets at the following lin:
In Lisbon for over 2 days?
If, during your visit to Lisbon, you want to indulge in a unique experience, check out this Lisbon Walking Tour + Cruise + Helicopter Ride for the ultimate tour.
But, if you find yourself with more than 2 days to spend in Lisbon, make sure to check out popular day trips that leave from the capital city. For example, below you'll find some of our favorite places to go:
