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Lisbon travel guide · 77 tours compared

The best things to do in Lisbon

Sintra's palaces, fado in Alfama, a pastel de nata still warm from the oven, sunset on the Tagus: here is what to do in Lisbon, with honest advice on getting past the queues, picking the right tour and what each one really costs.

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A yellow Lisbon tram climbing a narrow cobbled street between pale old houses in Alfama

Short answer The best things to do in Lisbon are a day trip to Sintra's palaces, a walk through Alfama with a guide, the monuments of Belém, a food tour, a fado night and a sunset on the Tagus. Below is our top 10, each with the tour we would book, the price it started at on GetYourGuide and a full guide to the alternatives.

Our top 10

Top 10 things to do in Lisbon

Ranked by what most visitors come for, with the tour we would book for each and a guide that compares the alternatives.

  1. Pena Palace in Sintra with its yellow tower and red battlements against a blue sky

    Spend a day among Sintra's palaces

    Pena Palace, the Initiation Well at Quinta da Regaleira and the cliffs of Cabo da Roca, about 40 minutes from Lisbon.

    Our pick: Sintra, Pena, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca and Cascais, from €24 per person

  2. Alfama's terracotta rooftops and church domes with the Tagus river beyond, seen from a Lisbon miradouro

    Walk Alfama with a guide who knows its stories

    The old quarter's stairways, viewpoints and squares make sense once someone tells you what happened there.

    Our pick: History, stories and lifestyle walking tour, from €25 per person

  3. Belém Tower in Lisbon, white limestone against a clear blue sky beside the Tagus

    See the monuments of Belém

    The Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, a short ride west of the centre, with the original pastéis de nata nearby.

    Our pick: Jerónimos Monastery entry ticket, from €18 per person

  4. Rustic table with a blue checked cloth set with cured meats, bread and a bottle of wine

    Eat your way through the city on a food tour

    Petiscos, cured ham, cheese, wine and ginjinha in small family places you would walk straight past.

    Our pick: Food and wine small-group walking tour, from €70 per person

  5. A hand tuning a Portuguese guitar, the instrument of fado, in warm low light

    Hear fado live in Alfama

    Portugal's soul music, sung up close in a small room, with a glass of wine.

    Our pick: Fado show with wine, from €15 per person

  6. Tall ship silhouetted on the Tagus under the 25 de Abril Bridge in an orange Lisbon sunset

    Watch the sunset from the Tagus

    Belém, the bridge and the city turning gold, from a sailboat or a party boat.

    Our pick: Sailing tour on the Tagus, from €25 per person

  7. A white and maroon tuk-tuk parked on a Lisbon street beside a historic stone building

    Ride the hills in a tuk tuk

    The hills and viewpoints without the climbing: the quickest way to see a lot in a few hours.

    Our pick: Private city tour by tuk tuk, from €11 per person

  8. Close-up of freshly baked pastéis de nata with caramelised tops, packed on a baking tray

    Bake your own pastel de nata

    Learn the pastry and the custard in a two-hour class, then eat what you made.

    Our pick: Pastel de nata baking class, from €55 per person

  9. The tall white basilica tower of the Sanctuary of Fátima framed by curved colonnades

    Take a day trip to Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos

    A sanctuary, a surf town famous for giant waves and a walled medieval village in one guided day.

    Our pick: Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos and Batalha full day, from €31 per person

  10. Cascais bay with a small sandy beach, rocks and boats moored on the blue water

    Swap the city for the coast in Cascais

    Beaches, a marina and the Boca do Inferno cliffs, about 40 minutes from Lisbon by train.

    Our pick: Sintra, Boca do Inferno and Cascais day trip, from €19 per person

The Lisbon experiences people book most

These eight were the most-booked of the 77 tours we compared on 19 October 2026. Three of them are tickets you can use on your own; the rest come with a guide.

Lisbon's most-booked tours compared

Lisbon's most-booked tours compared
Tour From Duration Group size Pickup Free cancellation Who it suits Why we picked it
Pena Palace and Park entry ticket 4.3 (21,966) €12
per person		 Valid 1 day Not stated Meet on site No Independent travellers going to Sintra by train The single most-booked experience in our comparison, and the ticket that sells out first.
Sintra, Pena, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca and Cascais in one day 4.8 (12,174) €24
per person		 9 hours Private group available Pickup available Yes, up to 24 hours in advance First-timers who want Sintra without planning the logistics Rated 4.8 by over 12,000 travellers at the lowest full-day price; palace tickets are an add-on.
Fátima, Nazaré, Óbidos and Batalha in one day 4.8 (2,133) €31
per person		 10 hours Private group available Pickup available Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Travellers who want to see more of Portugal in a single day Four places for a low from-price, with pickup and a 4.8 rating from over 2,000 reviews.
Quinta da Regaleira entry with audio guide 4.3 (5,289) €27
per person		 80 minutes Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Do-it-yourself Sintra visitors The second ticket most Sintra visitors need, with the stories included.
Fado show with wine in the old town 4.8 (7,345) €15
per person		 50 minutes Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Anyone curious about fado who doesn't want a long dinner Rated 4.8 by over 7,000 people, and short enough to fit before dinner.
Sintra, Regaleira and the Cascais coast from Rossio 4.7 (24,598) €24
per person		 9.5 - 10 hours Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Budget travellers staying near Rossio The most reviewed Sintra tour on GetYourGuide, at over 24,000 reviews.
Tagus river cruise with a welcome drink 4.3 (6,530) €15
per person		 1.5 hours Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance A relaxed first look at the city from the water The cheapest way onto the river, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Sunset boat party with DJ and open bar 4.5 (14,245) €25
per person		 2 - 4 hours Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Groups of friends and anyone in a party mood Over 14,000 reviews at 4.5: the most popular evening on the river by far.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 19 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Things to do and see in Lisbon, area by area

Lisbon is compact: most sights sit in five areas along the river, and you can walk between the first three. Here is what to do and see in each.

Baixa and Chiado

The flat, grand centre: Praça do Comércio on the river, the Rua Augusta arch, Rossio square and the cafés and bookshops of Chiado. Most walking tours and food tours start here.

Alfama and the castle

The oldest quarter, climbing to São Jorge Castle: stairways, viewpoints, tram 28 and the fado houses. Best early in the morning or in the evening.

Belém

West along the river: the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries, plus the bakery that made pastéis de nata famous. Tickets in our Lisboa Card and tickets guide.

Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real

Hilltop streets of small bars, restaurants and design shops, with the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint at the edge.

Parque das Nações

The modern riverside district in the east, home to the Oceanário aquarium and long riverside promenades.

Must-do things in Lisbon if you only have a day or two

With two days, put one day into the city (Alfama, the castle, Baixa, a sunset viewpoint and a fado night) and the other into Belém in the morning and a food tour in the evening. Add Sintra only if you have a third day: it needs a full day to be worth it. Our Lisbon itinerary lays out 1 to 5 days.

Unique things to do in Lisbon

Beyond the classics, these are the experiences that make a Lisbon trip your own:

Fun things to do in Lisbon

For a lighter day: an e-bike ride up the hills to the viewpoints, a sunset boat party on the Tagus, the stadium tour at the Estádio da Luz, or a day at the beach in Cascais, about 40 minutes west of the city by train.

Get past the queues, pick the right tour, know the real cost

  1. Book timed tickets ahead

    Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and the Jerónimos Monastery have the longest lines. Book online, and be early: Pena's palace slots have no delay tolerance.

  2. Read what the price includes

    Low-priced Sintra day trips usually list palace tickets as an option, and many tuk tuk tours are priced per group, not per person.

  3. Choose the group size

    Big-coach tours are cheapest; small-group and private tours cost more but move faster and give you time with the guide.

  4. Check the cancellation terms

    Most tours here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before. Some attraction tickets, such as the Pena ticket, cannot.

  5. Know where you meet

    Day trips often meet at Rossio or offer hotel pickup. If you stay outside the centre, pickup saves an early taxi.

  6. What things really cost

    From-prices on 19 October 2026: river cruise €15, fado show €15, Sintra day trip €24 plus tickets, food tour about €70, cooking class €55–85.

Questions people ask about Lisbon

What are the best things to do in lisbon?

A day trip to Sintra, a guided walk through Alfama and up to São Jorge Castle, the monuments of Belém, a food tour, a fado show and a sunset on the Tagus. Our top 10 above links to a guide for each.

What are the main attractions in the city center of Lisbon?

Praça do Comércio and the Rua Augusta arch, Rossio square, Chiado, Lisbon Cathedral, São Jorge Castle and the Alfama viewpoints, all within walking distance of each other.

Is Lisbon a walkable city?

Yes, but it is hilly. The centre is compact and the Baixa is flat, while Alfama, the castle and Bairro Alto mean steep streets and stairs. The polished stone pavements get slippery when wet, so wear shoes with grip. Trams, tuk tuks and e-bikes take the effort out of the hills.

What to do in Lisbon, Portugal in 3 days?

Day 1: Baixa, Alfama and the castle, then fado. Day 2: Belém in the morning, a food tour or sunset cruise in the evening. Day 3: a day trip to Sintra. Our itinerary has the details.

What is Lisbon famous for?

Its hills and viewpoints, yellow trams, blue-and-white azulejo tiles, fado music, pastéis de nata, and the monuments of Portugal's age of discovery in Belém.

Do and don'ts in Lisbon?

Do book Sintra and Belém tickets ahead, wear shoes with grip, and try petiscos and a ginjinha. Don't board tram 28 at the busiest stops in the middle of the day, don't leave valuables in back pockets in crowded places, and don't try to fit Sintra into half a day on your own.

Is $1000 enough for a week in Portugal?

For activities, easily: the experiences on this page start between €12 and €90 per person, so three or four paid tours in a week cost roughly €100–250. Whether the whole week fits in $1000 depends mostly on where you sleep and when; check live hotel prices for your dates on our where to stay page.

What should you not miss in Lisbon, Portugal?

A sunset from a miradouro (viewpoint) or the river, a fado night, a pastel de nata in Belém and, if you have the time, a day in Sintra.

More things to do in Lisbon, live from GetYourGuide

More Lisbon experiences with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

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