CargandoCargandoLisbon goes up and down constantly, and that matters more than distance on a map. Two neighbourhoods that look adjacent can have a fifteen-minute climb between them, and by mid-afternoon that adds up. This is grouped by area and by day, with Sintra kept separate: it's a full day out, not an afternoon, and squeezing it into a city day is the most common mistake.
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Lisbon in one day, up highOne neighbourhood, and the right one: you climb into Alfama and don't come back down. São Jorge castle in the morning, with the whole city at your feet; then getting lost in the lanes, one of the few parts of Lisbon unchanged since the 1755 earthquake; and ending at the Senhora do Monte viewpoint, the highest of them all, at dusk.1 day· 3 stops
Lisbon in three daysBelém in the morning, viewpoints at sunset and Alfama without a map. Three days of hills, with the tricks that stop you losing half the trip to queues.3 days· 6 stops
Lisbon in a weekThe city taken slowly, plus Sintra and the Cascais coast. Seven days so you do not miss what almost nobody sees for rushing.7 days· 12 stops
Praça do Comércio and the Baixa Pombalina
Tram 28
Carmo Convent
Pastéis de Belém
Cristo Rei and the ferry to Cacilhas
Elevador da Bica and Bairro Alto
Cascais and the coast
Sintra: Pena and Quinta da Regaleira
Castelo de São Jorge
Feira da Ladra
National Tile MuseumJerónimos MonasteryAlfama
LX Factory
Time Out MarketBelém Tower
Miradouro da Senhora do Monte💡There's beach half an hour away on the local train
The line from Cais do Sodré to Cascais runs along the water the whole way and stops at several beaches. It's covered by the transport pass and is one of the loveliest rides you can take on an ordinary city ticket.
💡The bread and olives on the table are not free
It's called couvert and it arrives unasked: bread, butter, cheese, olives. If you touch it, it goes on the bill. It isn't a scam and it's perfectly legal, but you can simply send it back if you don't want it.
💡Sintra is a full day, with tickets bought beforehand
Plenty of people squeeze it into a morning and end up seeing half a palace in a hurry. It is 40 minutes by train, plus a bus or taxi up into the hills, and tickets for Pena and Regaleira sell out in season. Book the first slot of the day and come back at sunset.
💡Portuguese calçada is lethal in the rain
Lisbon's pavements are polished stone, on a slope. Dry they are already treacherous; wet they are an ice rink. When it rains, walk down the middle of the street or on the textured bits, and forget smooth soles.
💡Tram 28 is transport, not an attraction
It runs packed, it's where most of the city's pickpockets work, and at peak times you won't even see out of the window. If you want the ride, board at the start of the line first thing. If you just want to get up a hill, the funiculars do the same without the queue.
💡The funiculars are included in the transport pass
The Bica, Glória and Lavra funiculars have an eye-watering single fare, but they're covered by the day pass. With the rechargeable card you can ride up the hills as often as you like for the price of a day's metro.
💡At Pastéis de Belém, go inside instead of queueing
The queue in the street is for the takeaway counter. Inside there are several rooms with tables and you usually get in sooner, with the advantage that they come out freshly made. Cinnamon and icing sugar are on the table: you add them yourself, they do not come on top.
💡The viewpoints are free and they're half the city
Santa Luzia, Portas do Sol, Senhora do Monte, São Pedro de Alcântara: they cost nothing, they're always open and several have a kiosk with tables. In Lisbon the afternoon plan is stringing two or three together, and it beats any ticket.
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