3 days in Lisbon

Day by day

1. Day 1: Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower

   Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower and MAAT and the Tejo Power Station, then Fado evening in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Jerónimos Monastery

      Begun in 1501 and paid for by the spice trade, this monastery is the masterpiece of the Manueline style, with stone carved into ropes, sea creatures and armillary spheres.

   2. Late morning

      Belém Tower

      The exterior and setting are the highlight; walk the riverside path from the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and decide on the interior when you see the queue.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Custard tart

      Pastéis de Belém next to the Jerónimos Monastery, and specialist nata bakeries in Chiado and the Baixa that bake throughout the day.

   4. Afternoon

      MAAT and the Tejo Power Station

      The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology occupies a curving white building by Amanda Levete, opened in 2016, and the red-brick Tejo Power Station next door.

   5. Evening

      Fado evening

      Smaller tascas with fado vadio (amateur fado) are cheaper and more intimate than dinner shows; stay quiet during performances.

2. Day 2: São Jorge Castle and Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia

   São Jorge Castle, Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia and Tram 28, then Bairro Alto in the evening.

   1. Morning

      São Jorge Castle

      Go late afternoon for the light on the city, and take bus 737 or a taxi up if the climb through Alfama is too steep.

   2. Late morning

      Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia

      A walk down from the castle passes the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, with its tiled walls and bougainvillea, and the Portas do Sol terrace, then descends through stairways and alleys to the fortress-like Sé, Lisbon's 12th-century cathedral.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bacalhau à Brás

      Traditional tascas and restaurants across the Baixa, Bairro Alto and Alfama.

   4. Afternoon

      Tram 28

      Board at the Martim Moniz or Campo de Ourique terminus early in the morning for a seat, and keep valuables zipped away: the route is notorious for pickpockets.

   5. Evening

      Bairro Alto

      Dozens of small bars with cheap drinks, where most people stand in the streets; busiest from about 11pm.

3. Day 3: Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch and Santa Justa Lift

   Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch, Santa Justa Lift and Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, then Cais do Sodré in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch

      The royal palace stood here until the 1755 earthquake; its replacement is a vast arcaded square opening onto the Tagus, with the equestrian statue of King José I and the Cais das Colunas steps leading into the river.

   2. Late morning

      Santa Justa Lift

      If the queue is long, walk up to Largo do Carmo through Chiado and reach the top-level walkway from there.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Grilled sardines

      Street grills in Alfama and Graça during the June Santo António festivals, and tascas with outdoor grills through the summer.

   4. Afternoon

      Miradouro da Senhora do Monte

      The highest of Lisbon's central viewpoints looks across the castle, the Baixa and the river to the 25 de Abril Bridge, under pine trees beside a small chapel.

   5. Evening

      Cais do Sodré

      The pink-painted Rua Nova do Carvalho and surrounding streets have late bars and music venues near the river.

Before you go

• Jerónimos Monastery: Ticket queues for the cloister are long in summer; buy online or with a Lisboa Card and arrive at opening time.
• Fado evening: Popular fado houses fill up at weekends; reserve a table for dinner a day or two ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Calouste Gulbenkian Museum (Avenidas Novas): Bring a picnic for the garden, one of the calmest spaces in Lisbon, which is free to enter.
• Swap in Lisbon Oceanarium (Parque das Nações): Book online for a timed slot and combine it with the riverside cable car and the Pavilhão do Conhecimento science centre nearby.
• Swap in National Tile Museum (Xabregas): It is east of the centre and away from the metro; take a bus or taxi and stay for lunch in the museum café's tiled courtyard.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Baixa and Chiado keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Alfama ($$$) suits couples, culture and first-timers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–17 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.5 hours in December to 14.9 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Lisbon
• 2 days in Lisbon
• 4 days in Lisbon
• 5 days in Lisbon
• 7 days in Lisbon

Questions travellers ask