Portugal
1
Ride Tram 28 through the old city
Experience· Graça–Estrela
The yellow tram rattles up Alfama’s hills past every postcard view, board early at the terminus for a seat.
Time1 hr
Cost€3
Best atEarly AM
TipStart at terminus
Country
Portugal
Video guide · 4:42:38
▶ Watch the guideTop 10 Things To Do in Lisbon
Country
Best months
Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
Population
545K · 2.9M metro
Language
Portuguese
Budget / day
$90–150
Quick answer
The best things to do in Lisbon are riding Tram 28, the monuments and pastéis of Belém, fado in Alfama and a sunset miradouro. Give it 3 days, visit in spring or autumn, and wear shoes for the hills.
Lisbon on Foot, Hills, Trams & Tarts
▶ Video guideOpen the film page (4:42:38) →Lisbon tumbles down seven hills to the river in a wash of pastel tiles, rattling trams and melancholy song. Below are the ten experiences worth your time, mapped, with a Wimup video guide.
The 10 best things to do in Lisbon
2
See Belém’s monuments & pastéis
Landmark· Belém
The Jerónimos Monastery and riverside tower, then the original warm pastéis de nata from Pastéis de Belém.
TimeHalf day
Cost€10
Best atMorning
TipEat the nata warm
3
Get lost in Alfama
Neighborhood· Alfama
Lisbon’s oldest quarter, a tangle of stairways, washing lines and fado drifting from tiny taverns.
TimeHalf day
CostFree
Best atAfternoon
TipWear flat shoes
4
Climb to Castelo de São Jorge
Landmark· Castelo
A Moorish hilltop castle with peacocks and the best panorama over the red roofs and the Tejo.
Time1–2 hrs
Cost€15
Best atLate PM
TipSunset views
5
6
Hear live fado in Alfama
Culture· Alfama
Portugal’s soulful, melancholic song over dinner in a tiny tavern, book ahead and hush for the singer.
TimeEvening
Cost€€€
Best atAfter 9pm
TipReserve ahead
7
Browse LX Factory
Shopping· Alcântara
A converted industrial complex of bookshops, design stores and brunch under the 25 de Abril bridge.
Time2 hrs
CostFree
Best atWeekday
TipSunday market
8
Catch sunset at a miradouro
Viewpoint· Bairro Alto
Lisbon’s terraced viewpoints come with a kiosk bar, grab a drink and watch the light go gold.
Time1 hr
CostFree
Best atSunset
TipBring small change
9
Day-trip to Sintra’s palaces
Day trip· 40 min · train
A misty hill town of fairy-tale palaces, the candy-coloured Pena Palace and the eerie Quinta da Regaleira.
TimeFull day
Cost€€
Best atEarly
TipTrain from Rossio
10
All 10, mapped
Lisbon · 10 spots
AllLandmarksMuseumsFoodFree
Lisbon travel FAQ
How many days do you need in Lisbon?+
Three days covers the centre, Belém and Alfama, plus a Sintra day trip.
What is the best time to visit Lisbon?+
April–June and September–October, warm, sunny and less crowded than peak summer.
Is Lisbon expensive?+
One of Western Europe’s better-value capitals, budget $90–150 per person per day.
Where should I stay for the first time?+
Baixa/Chiado for flat and central, Alfama for charm, Bairro Alto for nightlife.
What should you skip in Lisbon?+
The tourist tuk-tuks and the touts on Rua Augusta, walk one street back.
Where to eat
Best restaurants in Lisbon (2026)
From tile-lined tascas to two-star tables, where locals actually book.
Tasca
AlfamaRiverside
CacilhasAfter dark
Best bars & nightlife in Lisbon
Rooftop sundowners, Cais do Sodré dens and a thimble of ginjinha.
Rooftop
Bairro AltoBar
Cais do SodréClassic
Príncipe RealInstitution
RossioA Ginjinha
The 19th-century hole-in-the-wall that pours the city’s cherry liqueur. One euro, standing.
Art & culture
Best museums & galleries in Lisbon
Tiles, Gulbenkian’s hoard and Belém’s riverside art machine.
Museum
XabregasMuseu Nacional do Azulejo
Five centuries of Portuguese tilework in a convent, ending in a 23-metre panorama of pre-quake Lisbon.
Museum
Avenidas NovasModern
BelémMAAT
The wave-roofed riverside museum of art, architecture and technology; walk its roof at sunset.
Museum
BelémShopping & markets
Best shopping in Lisbon
Flea-market Tuesdays, palace boutiques and Portugal’s old brands.
Flea market
GraçaFeira da Ladra
The “thieves’ market” behind the pantheon: azulejos, vinyl and gloriously random junk.
Heritage
ChiadoConcept
Príncipe RealDesigner
AvenidaFamily travel
Best things to do in Lisbon with kids
A world-class aquarium, hands-on science and a cable car over the river.
Aquarium
Parque das NaçõesScience
Parque das NaçõesZoo
Sete Rios
Cable car
Parque das NaçõesWhere to stay
Compare hotels →Best neighborhoods in Lisbon
The areas to base yourself, and who each one suits.
Neighborhood
Alfama
Neighborhood
BaixaNeighborhood
Bairro AltoNeighborhood
Príncipe RealNearby
More in Portugal →Best day trips from Lisbon
Beach trains, walled towns and Alentejo marble, all within two hours.
Seaside
Lisbon coast
Nature
SetúbalArrábida & Sesimbra
Turquoise coves under green cliffs, and Sesimbra’s fish grills; best with a car.
Walled town
Oeste
UNESCO
AlentejoWhat's on
Festivals & annual events in Lisbon (2026)
Time your trip around the city's biggest dates.
Mar
Lisbon Half Marathon
The only day you can run across the 25 de Abril bridge.
12–13 Jun
Santo António
The city's patron saint: sardines, paper lanterns and all-night marchas in Alfama.
Jun
Rock in Rio Lisboa
The biennial mega-festival in Parque da Bela Vista, even-numbered summers.
Aug
Jazz em Agosto
Adventurous jazz in the Gulbenkian's open-air amphitheatre.
Late Sep
Santa Casa Alfama
A fado festival spread across the neighbourhood that invented it.
Oct
Lisbon Marathon
A flat, fast course along the river from Cascais to Praça do Comércio.
Nov
Web Summit
Europe's biggest tech conference takes over the city for a week; book beds early.
31 Dec
New Year at Praça do Comércio
Fireworks over the Tagus from the city's front square.
Getting around
Lisbon transport & airports
How to arrive and move around the city.
LIS
Humberto Delgado
Right in the city, 7km N. The red metro line reaches the centre in ~20 min.
TRAM
Trams & lifts
Historic yellow trams and funiculars climb the hills; tap a Viva Viagem card.
Traditional food
Must-try dishes in Lisbon, Portugal
The classics to order before you leave.
Pastel de nata
Warm custard tart with a flaky shell and cinnamon.
Bacalhau
Salt cod, done (they say) a different way every day.
Bifana
A garlicky marinated pork sandwich.
Caldo verde
Kale-and-potato soup with a slice of chouriço.
Ginjinha
Sour-cherry liqueur, sipped from a chocolate cup.
Sardinhas
Charcoal-grilled sardines, summer’s smell of Lisbon.
Lisbon fact sheet
Lisbon at a glance
The essentials worth knowing before you go.
Region
Lisboa
Population
545K · 2.9M metro
Founded
1200 BC
Nickname
City of Seven Hills
Language
Portuguese
Currency
Euro (€)
Time zone
WET · UTC+0
Calling code
+351
Airports
LIS
Power
230V · Type C/F
Emergency
112
Ideal length
3 days
Getting around
Trams & walking
Tourism board
Interesting facts
- Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe, older than Rome.
- A 1755 earthquake destroyed much of the city, which was rebuilt on a grid.
- The city is built across seven hills, hence the trams and funiculars.
- Pastéis de Belém still bakes to a secret recipe from 1837.
- Fado was added to UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in 2011.
Keep going
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