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Lisbon
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Top attractions in Lisbon

See all tours & things to do in Lisbon

Top 10 things to do in Lisbon

Portugal's capital city offers an unpretentious culture coupled with a splendid, historic cityscape. As one of Europe's oldest cities, it's also one of the most fascinating to explore! Here are some top tips to get you started.

Jeronimos Monastery

Jeronimos Monastery

The magnificent Jeronimos Monastery near the shoreline of Belém was once home to the Hieronymite monks – Catholic hermits whose primary role it was to pray for the King's soul!

Bairro Alto

Bairro Alto

The loosely translated Upper Neighborhood is Lisbon's most historically opulent quarter. Bairro Alto is a great place to wander, its preserved romantic ambiance boasts some of the city's top attractions!

Lisbon Cathedral

Lisbon Cathedral

Built in 1147 and subsequently developed over time, the Lisbon Cathedral is a bold mix of architectural styles, yet maintains the imposing authority of its Medieval incarnation.

Rossio Square

Rossio Square

Once the scene of celebrations, bullfights, executions, and uprisings, Lisbon's historic Rossio Square is the meeting point of choice for locals and tourists alike.

Alfama

Alfama

The city's oldest district can be found between the São Jorge Castle and the Tagus River. Alfama is the place to be for Lisbon's best restaurants and Fado bars!

Tagus River

Tagus River

Whether cycling along its bank or cruising its waters, be sure to explore Lisbon's pulse. Tagus River's estuary is a haven for fish, crustaceans, and birds, including flamingos!

Commerce Square

Commerce Square

Called Praça do Comércio in Portuguese, this vast town square is also known as Palace Square (Terreiro do Paço). The Royal Palace stood here before being flattened by the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake!

Belém Tower

Belém Tower

Not only did his 16th-century harbor fortress defend the municipality of Lisbon from coastal attack, but Belém Tower was also crucial to Portugal's role in the era's Age of Discovery!

Chiado Square
Photo: PortoBay Hotels & Resorts@ flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Chiado Square

Chiado's subsequent recovery after a devastating fire in 1988 has made it perhaps the wealthiest corner of the city. It's now Lisbon's most famous shopping district!

Santa Justa Lift

Santa Justa Lift

With the advent of electric power, Lisbon built two elevators to improve access between its hilly streets. This peculiar feat of engineering is a true relic!

Planning Your Lisbon Visit

Best time to visit?

Lisbon is lucky enough to have the warmest winters in Europe without the disadvantage of suffering from intense summer heat. Nevertheless, the subtropic coastal climate is prone to sudden bursts of rain even on its clearest days, so be warned! Going in late spring or early autumn generally means cheaper hotel prices and more manageable crowds.

How many days?

The heart of Lisbon makes a great choice for a long weekend, but many of its top attractions lie within the city's greater subregion. Top day trips include Belém, Sintra, Fátima, and Cascais, with many more besides. Each will need at least an entire day to see, if not two.

How to get from Lisbon airport to the city?

Though Lisbon is cheap by the standards of most European capitals, getting one of the cabs waiting outside the airport can be expensive. If you're traveling somewhere central without much luggage, it's undoubtedly cheaper and easier to take the metro. It should only take about 25 minutes to the city center.

Good to know

  • Language
    Portuguese
  • Currency
    Euro (€)
  • Time Zone
    UTC (+00:00)
  • Country Code
    +351
  • Best time to visit
    Spring or autumn

Things to Do in Lisbon

  1. 1Tours
  2. 2Sightseeing Tours
  3. 3Theme Tours
  4. 4Culture & History
  5. 5In 1 week
  6. 6History & Heritage
  7. 7In 6 days
  8. 8In 5 days
  9. 9In 4 days
  10. 10Activities

Top Attractions in Lisbon

  1. 1Belem
  2. 2Tagus River
  3. 3Alfama
  4. 4Jerónimos Monastery
  5. 5Belem Tower
  6. 6Chiado Square

Cities in Portugal

  1. 1Fátima
  2. 2Sintra
  3. 3Cascais
  4. 4Porto
  5. 5Obidos
  6. 6Evora
  7. 7Funchal
  8. 8Albufeira
  9. 9Faro
  10. 10Tavira

Other Sightseeing Options in Lisbon

Want to discover all there is to do in Lisbon? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Lisbon

A must see with slight improvement of the service

It was fascinating what we saw during the tour. Sintra is beautiful small town with narrow streets and nice shops. Castles are beautiful, especially Quinta de Regaleira with all its surrounding. Capo da Roca is magic, you can see the power of the ocean, and beautiful lighthouse. Cascais is nice Mediterranian town. All in all this tour is a must if you are in Portugal or Lisbon. The only thing that I didn't like is that it was said that the tour will be in English, but the gentleman who was our guide was a driver at same time, speaking in Italian (because a couple from Italy) and English (for the rest of us, five people). The gentleman, that was our guide, is a great guy, but it is not possible to be fully dedicated to tourists if you are thinking where to park a mini-van, to get out of a traffic jam or so. Additionaly, we could hear more about places we visited if the tour was in one language, as it was stated in the reservation.

Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais Full-Day Tour Reviewed by Goran, 10/13/2019

Ticket did not deliver what it promised.

We purchased a fast track, skip the line ticket online. However, the admission process gave us no advantage over those who needed to buy tickets. The lines, those with tickets and those without tickets, alternated. We waited a long time wow people without tickets were admitted. Our skip the line tickets should have given us and advantage. Those who were buying tickets should have returned to take their place in our line. Rather, they had immediate access upon purchase of their tickets at the tower ticket window.

Belém Tower Fast Track Entrance Ticket Reviewed by James, 10/21/2019

Amazing experience with an excellent guide!

Alex was a great guide! Her approach is very personable. She spent enough time with us To explain the history behind all of the places we got to see without being overbearing. We had enough time on our own to explore and enjoy the sights. Her general knowledge of the area was great and insightful. Looking forward to doing more tours with her!

Sintra UNESCO World Heritage Site Tour Reviewed by Steven, 10/19/2019

Paulo was a great and made sure we had an amazing outing!

The outing was great. It was good to get out of Lisbon and visit some different places. Paulo was a wonderful guide, getting the group to the various locations before the crowds and providing interesting/helpful information throughout the tour.

Pena Palace & Park Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket Reviewed by DENNIS, 10/20/2019

An excellent trip: Portuguese history, coast and excellent ice cream!

This was a great trip combining interesting Portuguese history with beautiful coastline and excellent food at recommended restaurant in Sintra and ice cream in Cascais!

Sintra, Pena Palace, Cape Roca & Cascais Tour from Lisbon Reviewed by Karin, 10/14/2019
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