Things to do in Lisbon, Portugal

Last update : 06/09/2023

We had always dreamed of visiting Lisbon thoroughly, of not missing out on any of the things to do in Lisbon, and now we have! We visited Lisbon in 4 days and discovered all its wonderful neighborhoods. It’s an excellent destination for spending a few days in sunny Europe. The winter weather is very mild and offers exceptional conditions for discovering the Portuguese capital.

We’ve really fallen in love with Portugal since our stay in the Algarve in the autumn. We had already discovered Porto and Aveiro and this visit to the Portuguese capital confirmed our crush on the country.

On our travel blog, we give you our top tips for accommodation in Lisbon, our favorite restaurants and must-see neighborhoods during your stay in Lisbon. We’ll take you on our Portuguese adventure to discover the pretty views over the orange rooftops, the mythical yellow streetcars, the Belem Tower… And even, if you have time, a day in Sintra to discover its incredible parks, palaces and castles!

Summary

Visiting Lisbon in 4 days, where to sleep?

The Lumiares Hotel & Spa

To visit Lisbon in 4 days, we chose The Lumiares Hotel & Spa. Located right in the heart of the city, in the lively Bairro Alto district, you’ll be close to the city’s best bars and restaurants. Designed and tastefully decorated, the entire hotel is very comfortable and welcoming. The attentive staff will make you feel at home from the moment you arrive. We stayed in the Gloria Suite, which has a bedroom, kitchen and small living room: everything you need for a pleasant stay.

As an extra, a view of Lisbon’s mythical yellow tramway. We also loved the breakfast, served on the 5th floor, at the Lumi Rooftop. From sweet to savory, from local specialties to trendy avocado toast, everything is excellent. You can also enjoy lunch, dinner or a drink. In short, a great address for your next stay in Lisbon!

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If you’d like to discover more great places to stay, we recommend taking a look at our dedicated article on the best hotels in Lisbon.

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Visit Lisbon in 4 days: day 1, the city center

Chiado district and Bairro Alto

The Chiado district is particularly lively and commercial during the day. A stroll through Chiado is a must to discover the beautiful monuments that can be found here: the Jardim de Sao Pedro de Alcantara, the Praça Luis de Camoes… You can also discover the many theaters and shops in the district. It’s the ideal place to do a little shopping. The Bairro Alto district is best discovered after dark. It’s in these lively streets that you’ll discover the best bars and restaurants for a memorable evening.

Where to buy beautiful Portuguese ceramics in Lisbon

Cerâmicas na Linha : this boutique in the heart of the city offers a wide choice of ceramic tableware and vases at affordable prices. There’s something for every taste.

Where to eat and drink in the Bairro Alto district?

Bairro do Avillez : a collection of 4 restaurants created by chef José Avillez, a traditional Portuguese cuisine restaurant, a pizzeria and a bar.
Mini Bar : this hidden bar is a Speakeasy, at the far end of the Bairro do Avillez. Go through the library to get there. This vaulted-roof bar offers delicious gourmet tapas and a great music atmosphere. We went there for a live music concert on Thursday evening, a must-do on your visit to Lisbon, although the prices are supported.

Take the streetcar or funicular

Direction “Bica” stop or “Gloria “stop

If you too dream of getting a photo of Lisbon’s iconic yellow Tramway, two places are just right: the “Bica” stop or the “Gloria” stop. They both have a very steep pedestrian street that will give a great perspective to your photo and show off the funicular well!

The Santa Justa lift

This 45-metre-high wrought-iron monument is also emblematic of the city of Lisbon! You can find it at the intersection of Santa Justa and Aurea streets. You can climb to the top to experience this elevator, created in 1902, and get a view of the Portuguese capital’s rooftops.

Casa do Alentejo

This restaurant is very close to the Santa Justa elevator. We went there, not for lunch, but to take a photo of the restaurant’s lobby, which is accessible without consuming. Its Moroccan palace style won us over!

Where to eat in the Chiado and Bairro Alto districts?

Nicolau Lisboa : this restaurant offers a delicious brunch! We discovered this restaurant as a takeaway, but its premises are hot too. We loved the mix of culinary inspirations found in the dishes, which makes this brunch very original! Our favorites: the chicken curry burger. 😋
Fauna & Flora : a design and tasty brunch address. We loved the little box with several desserts: brownies, cookies and tarts.

Where to have a drink in the Chiado and Bairro district?

Lumi Rooftop : we recommended The Lumiares hotel earlier in the article, now it’s its restaurant we’re going to tell you about. This ultra-design and soothing address offers healthy, contemporary and quality cuisine. You’ll have access to the superb rooftop terrace, which offers a beautiful view of the city’s rooftops! We recommend this address for a late-morning brunch.

Terraço Editorial : this rooftop bar / restaurant has a top view of the city’s buildings. The food is pretty good, but we found the cocktails disappointing. Instead, go there for a morning coffee or a glass of wine at sunset.

Time Out Market

The famous Time Out Market is well worth the detour to discover the array of stalls with different cuisines to sample on large tables shared for a lively atmosphere.

Visit Lisbon without missing its Pink Street

This pretty street is on the list of Instagrammable Lisbon photos! It’s so called for the color of its floor, painted pink. You’ll find plenty of bars here, making it a very lively street at night.

Place du Commerce and Arc de Triomphe de la rua Augusta

Cross the lively shopping street Augusta, then pass under the Arc de Triomphe and discover Lisbon’s huge and famous square. Place du Commerce, located in the Baixa district, is surrounded by yellow buildings, with a statue of King Joseph 1st at its center. You’ll find plenty of terraces and a view of the Tagus River.

Where to eat in the neighborhood?

Can the Can : we chose this address for its sunny terrace, we admit! The food was pretty good, although not the best in Lisbon. Still, the location and atmosphere make it a nice address.

See Lisbon in 4 days: day 2, the Belem district and Lx Factory

Tour of Belem

It’s impossible to visit Lisbon in 4 days without visiting this must-see! The Belem Tower, known in Portuguese as Torre de Belém, was built in the 16th century. At the time, it was used to control entry into Lisbon. Located on the banks of the Tagus River, the Belem Tower is a must-see. You can climb to the top of the Tower for a pretty view by paying the entrance fee of €6 per adult.

Walk along the riverbanks

After discovering the Belem Tower, stroll along the riverbanks towards the April 25 Bridge. If, like us, you’re lucky enough to have exceptional weather, it’s a very pleasant walk. We even rented electric scooters on the BOLT app. On the way, pass by the famous Padrão dos Descobrimentos. This huge monument was created as a tribute to the Portuguese navigators of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Hieronymites Monastery

The huge Monastery built in the 16th century was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. You can visit it for €10 per person. We only admired its facade before heading off for a Pasteis de Belem… Oops 🙈

Coffee break at the famous “Pasteis de Belem”

The adorable rue de Belem really appealed to us, and in particular it’s the perfect place to sample one of the best Pasteis de Belem.

LX Factory

This industrial zone is a former Portuguese fabric factory that has been rehabilitated. Today, this incredible place boasts 50 bars and restaurants, designer boutiques, concept stores… It’s also the perfect place to admire street art and soak up the highly creative atmosphere. We loved this address, which we returned to twice. We almost felt as if we were in the USA or London! As you can see, for us it’s impossible to visit Lisbon without stopping in for a visit!

Where to eat at Lisbon’s LX Factory?

The Burger Factory : a great burger address, you’ll enjoy good cocktails and burgers in a very pleasant atmosphere.

April 25 bridge

The immense Golden Gate-style bridge was inaugurated in 1966. 3km long, it crosses the Tagus River. You can reach it by car or by ferry. We crossed the bridge in the direction of Almada to admire the view over Lisbon and the Bridge.

Cristo Rei and a breathtaking view of Lisbon and the bridge

From the Almada side, you can admire the immense silhouette of the 110-metre-high Cristo Rei up close. It has been visible from all over Lisbon since 1959. With its hint of Rio, Lisbon is definitely a cosmopolitan city!

Where to eat in Lisbon near Almada?

Restaurante Ponte Final : If there’s one address you should keep in mind during your 4 days in Lisbon it’s this one! We chose this address for the incredible setting it offers. It’s the one with the best view of the Bridge! We only had an aperitif here, as it was chilly in January. But in other seasons, it must be very pleasant to spend the whole evening there.
Atira te ao Rio : the neighbor of the first restaurant, a little less placed but apparently offering delicious dishes. Worth a try then. 😊

Visit Lisbon in 4 days: day 3, the historic district

Alfama

The Alfama district is Lisbon’s most typical, with its cobbled streets, its 28E Tramway, the washing in the windows…. We really enjoyed getting lost in the narrow streets and admiring the streets from the belvederes. A must-see during your stay in Lisbon!

Château de Saint George (Castelo de San Jorge)

The Castelo de San Jorge is one of Lisbon’s highest monuments. If you wish to visit it, we recommend you go early in the morning. The tour lasts between 1 and 2 hours and costs €10 per person.

Miradouro de Santa Luzia

This belvedere is one of the most beautiful in Lisbon for admiring the sunset. The setting is magnificent, with its bougainvillea and charismatic architecture. It’s impossible to visit Lisbon without admiring a sunset here! 😍

Visit Lisbon in 4 days: day 4, Sintra

We decided to take a trip to Sintra, a town located 1 hour by train from Lisbon or 30 minutes by car. Sintra is known for its beautiful parks and numerous castles and palaces.

Palais de Peña

This palace is the highest in the town of Sintra. We loved this palace for its typical 19th-century Romantic architecture and bright colors. We were lucky enough to discover it without any tourists (in Covid-19 period) but it seems to be really crowded in normal times. Its enchanting appearance will make you feel like you’re at Disneyland! We therefore advise you to go there very early in the morning to enjoy it in peace and quiet. We chose to take the “Park and exteriors” ticket because we wanted to discover the outdoor parts and the many alleys of the Park without visiting the interior of the Palais.

Parc de Peña

Peña Park is unbelievable! We were impressed by the size of this verdant park, you have enough to walk around for hours, or even a whole day. You can walk up to the Cruz Alta, a cross at the highest point of the mountain, at 540 meters. From this cross, you’ll have a great view of the Peña Palace.

Quintra da Regaleira

The Quintra da Regaleira is a large architectural park that can be visited in just a few hours, and is well worth the detour for its hidden caves and huge, photogenic well. We’d heard a lot about this place, but we didn’t quite fall in love with it. Perhaps also because we’d just had our fill of it in Peña Park.

Visiting Lisbon, how to plan your trip well?

How to find the best tickets to discover Lisbon?

To find the best mode of transport (plane, train, bus) to get to your destination, we advise you to always look on the OMIO comparator. This will give you an overview of all the modes of transport available for your destination, and allow you to compare prices very easily.

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How to rent a rental car at the best price in Lisbon

If you’re looking to rent a car during your trip, we recommend you take a look at the RentalCars website. This will enable you to find the best prices and conditions for your rental.

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How to find the best hotels to discover Lisbon

In order to find the best hotels and benefit from the best conditions (security, cancellation…) we go almost exclusively through Booking.com for our trips. We recommend that you take a look at the available hotels and filter them according to their ratings. The customer reviews are very numerous and recent, which helps to avoid unpleasant surprises when traveling!

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How to find ideas for vacation activities

If you want to get ideas for activities to do on your vacation and want to book in advance, we also recommend taking a look at the GetYourGuide site. This will give you an overview of the activities on offer in your destination, so you don’t have to wait until you get there to book your places.

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Visit Lisbon in 4 days, practical information on our travel blog

When to visit Lisbon

Lisbon is a very interesting destination, especially for French tourists, as it remains very affordable and easy to get to (2 hours by plane from Paris). We advise you (as usual) to discover this destination out of season, to avoid the large number of tourists. The city is particularly pleasant in May/June or September/October.

For our part, we set off to celebrate New Year’s Eve there and explore the city in the first week of January. Although it was a little chilly, we were able to enjoy good conditions with some very nice sunny spells throughout our stay. Lisbon is, in our opinion, one of the few pleasant destinations to visit all year round!

Visiting Lisbon in the New Year

We made the choice to go celebrate New Year’s Eve with friends in Lisbon. We were looking for an address where to spend the first part of the evening. During our research (mainly on The Fork), we found that the prices charged for this evening were really excessive. Hard to find a nice address for less than 200€ per person…

We finally dined at Terraço Editorial, a rooftop restaurant with a large outdoor terrace. We dined there very well for a very fair price (less than 200€ for 4 people) and the atmosphere was pleasant. On the other hand, we wouldn’t recommend the cocktails, which weren’t exceptional.

There are also (outside the Covid-19 period) many New Year’s Eve celebrations in Lisbon, such as boat dinners on the Tagus to admire the many fireworks.

Like us, you’ll no doubt be surprised to discover that at midnight on December 31st, the Portuguese launch a huge number of fireworks themselves! The result: a sky lit up on all sides and a joyous concert to admire from your windows.

How to get around to visit Lisbon

When we arrived in Lisbon, we bought an unlimited metro card for €6 for 24 hours. The metro is very fluid and in good condition. But then we started looking at VTC prices on apps like Uber and Bolt and realized that prices were very low! Expect to pay between €2.50 and €4 for a 15-minute ride… So we used this means of transport for the rest of our stay in Lisbon. It’s really ideal for connecting fairly distant points, like the Belem Tower for example. Also worth bearing in mind, the city is very hilly! Taking a VTC for a short but very hilly distance is therefore a perfect solution to save time and energy during your stay in Lisbon.