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Plan your days in Lisbon

The best Lisbon itinerary for 1 to 5 days

Alfama and the castle, the monuments of Belém, the palaces of Sintra, a fado night and a sunset on the Tagus: here is how to plan your days in Lisbon, with honest advice on how many days you need, what to book ahead and how much walking.

By the Things to Do in Lisbon editorial team 6 tours compared Prices checked 19 October 2026

See our 6 picks
Praça do Comércio in Lisbon with the Rua Augusta Arch and yellow arcades, seen from the river

Short answer Plan three to four days for Lisbon. Two days cover the city and Belém; the third goes to Sintra, which needs a full day; the fourth adds a day trip such as Cascais or Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos. Book the Sintra palace tickets and any evening fado show or sunset cruise before you arrive.

The 6 bookings this itinerary is built around

Most of a Lisbon trip is walking, eating and looking. These are the six things worth booking ahead, in the order they come up in the plans below.

The itinerary's bookings compared

The itinerary's bookings compared
Tour From Duration Group size Pickup Free cancellation Who it suits Why we picked it
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 Anyone who wants Sintra without planning trains and buses Rated 4.8 by over 12,000 travellers, with a pickup option and free cancellation; palace tickets are an add-on.
Pena Palace and Park entry ticket 4.3 (21,966) €12
per person		 Valid 1 day Not stated Meet on site No Independent travellers doing Sintra by train The most-booked of all 77 tours we compared; book the first slot of the day.
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 Your first evening, before a late dinner Rated 4.8 by over 7,000 people and short enough to fit any evening of the plan.
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 Friends and couples who want a lively evening Over 14,000 reviews at 4.5, and it turns the sunset into the evening's plan.
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 in Baixa The most reviewed Sintra tour on GetYourGuide (over 24,000 reviews, 4.7), at the same from-price as our top pick.
Sintra and Cascais day tour with free time by the sea 4.5 (4,229) €23
per person		 9 hours Not stated Pickup available Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Travellers who want an unhurried hour in Cascais The cheapest guided Sintra day here, with hotel pickup and free cancellation.

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.

Lisbon one day itinerary

With one day, or on a day trip to Lisbon from a cruise ship, Porto or the Algarve, stay in the old centre and let the hills do the work for you.

  • Morning: start at Praça do Comércio, walk up Rua Augusta to Rossio, then take tram 28 or a tuk tuk up to Alfama and São Jorge Castle.
  • Lunch: petiscos (small plates) in Alfama, or a food tour that doubles as lunch.
  • Afternoon: the viewpoints of Santa Luzia and Portas do Sol, the cathedral, then down through Baixa to Chiado.
  • Evening: sunset from the river on a boat tour or from a viewpoint, then a fado show.

2 day Lisbon itinerary

Day 1 as above. On day 2, go west to Belém: the Jerónimos Monastery when it opens, Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries and a pastel de nata from the bakery that made them famous. Book the monuments ahead on our tickets page; both are closed on Mondays.

Spend the afternoon in LX Factory or Príncipe Real, and end with a food tour or the sunset cruise. Two days are enough for the city itself; Sintra needs a third.

Lisbon 3 day itinerary

Days 1 and 2 as above. Day 3 is Sintra: either a guided Sintra day trip that also covers Cabo da Roca and Cascais, or the train from Rossio with a timed Pena ticket for the first slot. Back in Lisbon, the evening is for a late dinner in Bairro Alto.

If Sintra doesn't appeal, use day 3 for an e-bike or walking tour of the hills from our Lisbon tours guide and a pastel de nata class.

Lisbon 4-day itinerary

Add a second day out of the city on day 4. The choice depends on what you want to see:

  • Cascais for a slower beach day, about 40 minutes by train from Cais do Sodré.
  • Fátima, Nazaré and Óbidos for a sanctuary, a surf town and a medieval village in one guided day.
  • A wine tour to the Setúbal peninsula or the Arrábida coast.

5 day Lisbon itinerary

With five days, add the experiences that make the trip yours: a cooking class, dolphin watching or sailing on the Tagus, a street-art tour by tuk tuk, or a long day trip to the Algarve. Leave one afternoon unplanned; Lisbon rewards wandering. All day trips are compared on our day trips page.

How many days, what to book ahead, how much walking

  1. Three to four days is the sweet spot

    Two days for the city and Belém, one for Sintra, one for the coast or a day trip. Fewer than three and you choose between Sintra and Belém.

  2. Book Sintra and Belém first

    Pena Palace and the Belém monuments use timed entry. Book a morning slot before you arrive; they are the bookings that sell out.

  3. Book evenings early in summer

    Fado shows and sunset cruises have limited seats. Most can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, so there is little risk in booking early.

  4. Expect a lot of uphill walking

    Lisbon is walkable but hilly. Plan downhill routes, wear shoes with grip on the polished stone, and use trams, tuk tuks or e-bikes for the climbs.

  5. Don't plan Belém on a Monday

    The Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower are closed on Mondays.

  6. Ride tram 28 from the end of the line

    Board at Martim Moniz early in the morning for a seat; in the middle of the day the central stops are crowded.

Questions people ask

How many days do you need in Lisbon?

Three to four days: two for the city and Belém, one for Sintra and one for Cascais or another day trip. Five days leave room for a cooking class, a boat trip or the Algarve.

Why is Tram 28 famous in Lisbon?

Its old yellow trams squeeze through the narrow, steep streets of Graça, Alfama and Chiado, past the cathedral and close to the castle, so a single ride shows you much of old Lisbon. It is also a working public tram, which is why it gets so crowded.

Is Lisbon a walkable city?

Yes, the centre is compact, but it is hilly: Baixa is flat while Alfama, the castle and Bairro Alto mean steep streets and stairs. Trams, tuk tuks and e-bikes help with the climbs.

What to see in Lisbon, Portugal in 1 day?

Praça do Comércio, Rossio, Alfama and São Jorge Castle, the Santa Luzia viewpoint, Chiado, and a sunset from the river or a viewpoint, ending with fado. See the one-day plan above.

What should you not miss in Lisbon, Portugal?

Alfama and the castle, the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, a pastel de nata, a fado night, a sunset on the Tagus and, with a third day, Sintra.

Is $1000 enough for a week in Portugal?

For activities, yes: the bookings on this page start between €12 and €25 per person, and even with a food tour or cooking class (about €55–85) a week of four or five paid experiences stays around €100–250. Whether the whole week fits depends mostly on your hotel and the season; check live prices on our where to stay page.

Is 2 days enough in Lisbon, Portugal?

Two days are enough for the city and Belém, but not for Sintra as well. If Sintra is on your list, plan three days.

Should you go to Porto or Lisbon first?

Either works: the fastest trains between the two take under three hours. Many visitors fly into Lisbon and out of Porto (or the other way round) to avoid travelling back. Start in Lisbon if you want Sintra and the coast early in the trip.

More Lisbon experiences with live availability

More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

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Facts checked on 19 October 2026 against: Lisboa Card reseller: train times to Sintra and Cascais · Everyrail: Porto to Lisbon by train.

Written by the Things to Do in Lisbon editorial team. How we pick tours.