We had such a lovely time on our weekend getaway to Lisbon, I thought I’d write a little blog to help inspire you if you’re looking for a city adventure!

I’m going to be talking about the highlights of our trip, itinerary ideas and my Lisbon travel tips for a 3 night trip:

Our Lisbon long weekend itinerary:

This trip was actually booked and planned as a surprise for my husband’s 40^th birthday. I like to think I know him pretty well, so I didn’t book many activities and meals in advance; I knew we’d want to have flexibility once we arrived. He didn’t find out our destination until we got to the gate at London Gatwick; I think he was pretty happy!

We spent 4 days/3 nights (Thursday – Sunday) in early July ’24 exploring Lisbon.  We stayed at Iberostar Selection Lisboa. The hotel was lovely for an urban break, with a great breakfast and an outdoor swimming pool. It was easily walkable to and from the centre of town/coast, and the metro station was nearby too.

My Lisbon Travel Tips!

• Airport connections in Lisbon: If staying in Lisbon itself (as we did), then I’d recommend taking the metro from the airport into the city. There are only 4 metro lines in Lisbon, and the system is really well signposted and easy to understand. It took us 1 change and 25minutes to get from the airport to the metro station nearest our hotel. It is also very cost-effective at €1.47 per journey with a Navegante card (see below!)
• Public transport in Lisbon: Public transport is generally reliable, cheap and can actually be fun (trams!). You can scan your bank card on the metro and trains, but I recommend getting yourself a Navegante card from one of the machines at the airport metro station. They cost €0.50 and can be topped up at any train or metro station in the area. A single fare in zone 1 (which covers the airport and all of the main city areas) is €1.80, or just €1.47 with a Navegante card; you’ve made back the cost of the card in just 2 trips. Navegante cards can also be used in Zone 2, including trains out to Cascais and Sintra. These journeys (roughly 40minutes) will cost you just €2.40 each way using your Navegante card. It’s worth noting that some tram journeys are more expensive than others, so be sure to check your balance every now and then. Note: most buses and trams can’t take bank card payments, so the Navegante also removes the need to pay cash/get change on buses and trains.  TIP: This is a great way to have a more sustainable city break too!
• What to pack for a trip to Lisbon: The pavements in Lisbon are traditionally made from small, mosaic-like squares. They are very pretty and really add to the charm of the city, but aren’t the most practical when combined with some of the steeper streets. I’d leave the stilettos at home!
• What to do outside of Lisbon: There is plenty to do in the city centre, however the train network allows you to easily visit other towns and sites in the nearby area. I can highly recommend a day trip (or even a couple of days) to Cascais. This seaside town is only a 45 minute picturesque train journey along the coast from Lisbon’s Cais do Sodre train station. We had been invited to visit a travel friend for lunch at her hotel (Farol hotel), and I’m so glad we went as the resort is so lovely. Featuring small bays for sunbathing and water sports, pretty streets with little shops for exploring and plenty of restaurants to choose from. We said we’d love to take our children back with us one day. We had an absolutely lovely lunch at Farol Hotel, and spent some time relaxing by the pool – views to die for! I can highly recommend this hotel for a relaxing break with easy access into Lisbon.

We also visited the beautiful mountain town of Sintra. You may have heard of its natural beauty, mixed with stunning architecture and a UNESCO world heritage area. Another direct train (this time from the Rossio station in Lisbon) takes you up to a central point, from which you can walk, take a taxi or a tuktuk. We nipped into the tourist information office, which is right next to the station and bought tickets from the kiosk for Quinta da Regaleira. We opted to walk. It was a nice 30 min amble with 1 steeper section of steps, which allowed us to take in the views and get our bearings. There are longer hikes in the hills here, so bring your walking shoes. Again, we’d happily have based ourselves here for a couple of days to explore it more. The famous Initiation well, situated within the gardens, is well worth the queue to go in. I’ll let you discover more for yourselves!

TRAVEL TIP: Did I mention that the train tickets are only €2.40 per adult, each way?! Great Value, and you can use the Navegante card. Make sure your card is loaded with enough credit, and you’ll be able to skip the long queues that form at the stations at peak times.

• What food to eat in Lisbon: If you thinking of a city break, this is probably one of your main reasons for choosing Lisbon, I know it was for me! Pastéis de nata, Sardines and Vinho Verde…yum! We found all of this and more. We had pre-booked dinner on our first evening at Grapes and Bites, which was recommended by a client of mine. It was absolutely fabulous and the Vinho Verde paired with our various dishes (we went tapas style) was delicious. One thing we were surprised about is the proliferation of pizza restaurants – they are everywhere! There are lots of little streets to explore and bars to stop at. We didn’t book any other restaurant, and didn’t have a problem finding places for lunch and dinner. TIP: If you can’t agree on what you want to eat, go and check out the Time Out Market! This is a huge indoor marketplace with various food outlets all around the edge. In the middle is lots of seating and a really fun atmosphere (it was the world cup during out visit and they had large screens showing the games).
• Other things to consider… If you are planning to visit some of the more well-known landmarks, like the Belem tower or Castelo de Sao Jorge – think about going earlier in the morning, especially in the Summer months. It’s hot and the queues can get quite large. We went for a walk up to Castelo de Sao Jorge, in the Alfalma district one morning, and by 11am the queue was huge! We didn’t go in and decided to wander the little streets around the castle. We happened upon a little church tower/brewery (yes, brewery!) called Torre Da Igreja, which was €5pp to climb up the 50 steps to the top and had fabulous views of Lisbon. No queue and well worth it. Also Included in your €5 ticket is a drink, which you can have in a tiny stone courtyard. It was only 11.30am, but we were given 2 glasses of Rose!
• Take some time to have a walk along the beachfront. There is a station from which you can take boat trips and you can dip your toes in the Atlantic! For those looking to relax for a day, there are numerous beach clubs on the other side of the river estuary (Costa Da Caparica), and also along the coast down to Cascais – perfect for chilling out.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my Lisbon Blog! You can see more pictures and catch up on my latest trips on my Instagram account: Adventures.By.Emma