Here are great reasons to start planning your trip to Lisbon along with first-hand recommendations and our favorite experiences.
This is a completely updated post as we just left Portugal a couple of days ago (this was our third trip there). The following are highlights that you can bookmark or add to your Pinterest travel board.
Planning Your Trip To Lisbon
Travel Tips
Communication: It’s worth noting that everyone speaks English in Lisbon almost like a second language and many signs are in English, too. We still learned a few Portuguese words, of course, like “bom dia” (good day/morning), hola (hello), and “obrigado” (thank you). If you are female you say “obrigada.”
It’s better to speak English rather than Spanish as many Portuguese find that offensive that you would assume everyone speaks Spanish.
Comfortable Shoes: The city reminds me of San Francisco with the hills and bay/river (so wear comfortable, sturdy shoes). They even have a similar bridge to the Golden Gate!
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1. The Architecture
The beautiful tiles adorning buildings everywhere are amazing!
Most of the sidewalks and squares have beautifully patterned cobblestones.
TukTuk Tour Get all the history along with the architecture and views with a TukTuk tour. Our guide, Marco gave us a knowledgeable tour around the hilly city. You can buy your tour on Get Your Guide.
2. The Prices
We found the prices for food and drinks to be very reasonable for a big city…a pleasant surprise!
3. The Food
Fabrica de Nata makes delicious custard tarts (pasteis de nata) in the top right photo.
Pica-Pau delicious traditional Portuguese dishes with friendly service on a pretty outdoor patio. Prado has a warm, modern interior with excellent seafood.
We enjoyed the fine Italian food at Osteria Piazza Sicilia. Make a reservation.
Prado has contemporary Portugese cuisine in a soaring industrial building.
The Timeout Market Lisboa is a food court featuring lots of the city’s restaurants.
For a really special treat ($$$), go to the Belcanto for a “two Michelin-starred” experience. (Make a reservation).
Cocktails: Head up to the Skybar for a cocktail and a view of the city. Or check out the beautiful bar in the Rocco Restaurant.
4. Pleasant Accommodations
On our first night in Lisbon, before the rest of our friends came, we stayed in the centrally located, well-priced Hotel Alegria. It’s a relatively small hotel. The building is from 1865 and was renovated but has a lot of the old charm and vintage furniture.
When our friends joined us, two other couples, we moved over to a 3 bedroom/3 bath apartment rental with a huge terrace and beautiful views. You can rent it through VRBO (managed by a company called The Lovely Stay).
5. The Sao Jorge Castle
Speaking of views…this is worth the hike up the cobblestone streets to see the Castelo de São Jorge. You can have a glass of wine up there and enjoy the view and surroundings of this 11th-century fortress.
6. The Weather
The weather is fairly temperate, in the 60’s to 80’s all year round.
Clothing: When we were there in October, we brought light jackets/coats. This time, in July we just needed a light sweater for early morning.
7. The Shopping
Embaixada houses several Portuguese boutiques in a beautiful old Palace/former Embassy (just the palace is worth seeing and the shops are fun, too) • Luvaria Ulisses is a tiny store with beautifully made leather gloves.
My favorite store (there are four of them now) with awesome Portuguese goods is A Vida Portuguesa. You will love textiles, skincare, and ceramics. There is the original charming one in the Chiada neighborhood, Indendente (a large one in an old tile factory), DEPOZITO (the newest one in partnership with Portugal Manual, where traditional handicraft products are sold alongside the work of new artisans). My friends and I loved them all. There is also a pop-up store in the Mercado da Ribeira.
If you want traditional Portuguese dishes like the famous ones from Bordallo Pinheiro head to Luza Portugal (also in the Chiada district). They sell my pumpkin bowls there that I got in Paris 25 years ago.
A Daytrip To Sintra And Cascais When Planning Your Trip To Lisbon
We hired a great driver from Get Your Guide to take us to not-too-far-away Sintra and Cascais for the day. He also took us to a delicious, non-touristy restaurant mid-day.
Sintra has the Pena Palace…the summer royal palace with lots of interesting architecture.
Cascais is the perfect beach town with a relaxed environment. We were saying it would be fun to rent a home there (and you can understand why people want to retire in Cascais).
Nearby and worth stopping for is the view of the Atlantic Ocean and the rocky Boca do Inferno…
If you haven’t already, this should help you to start planning your trip to Lisbon (or perhaps your trip back). If I left any of your favorites off, please let me know in the comments for next time!
Thanks for visiting!
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Thank you so much for this timely post and the lovely pictures! My husband and I are traveling throughout northern Portugal (Lisbon + north) in September. Would you say that the one-day trip including Sintra and Cascais was sufficient time to enjoy both places? I’m looking at your guide link.
I think we could have spent more time in each place but it would have cut into our time in Lisbon and Porto so we didn’t this trip.
That was kind of my thinking, too. Ok, thanks!
Lisboa is one of my favorite European destinations. It’s beautiful, affordable and very tourist friendly, taking the cable car to Miradouro de São Pedro will give you the best panoramic views of the city, another of my favorites is visiting the LX factory ( an old textile factory complex turned into an art district) great for shopping and a quick lunch. Transports you to the modern day Portugal’s pop culture. There is so much to do and so much to see, that you’ll need planned time comfy clothes and a great pair walking shoes
Hi Mary Ann,
I loved following you on your journey through Portugal!
My husband and I are traveling with another couple to Lisbon and Porto next year. Will you be writing about your experience taking the train to Porto, and where you stayed and what you did? Would LOVE to hear about it!
Thanks you!!
Lori
yes, I was going to write about Porto the week after next. The food isn’t great on the train so you may want to bring a picnic!
Another wonderful trip to Portugal. Your photos make me want to get on a plane tomorrow and head right there. Love all the tile on the buildings and the beautiful architecture. Such a fantastic memory to add to your worldly travel journal.
Thanks, Gail. It was an amazing trip!
Such a timely article as we will be in Lisbon mid to late October. Great suggestions all round. Any tips for clothes packing for me for that time of year? Not sure whether to stick with summer clothes plus light rain jacket or go more fall – long sleeves etc. Thank you so much in advance.
Our very favorite town in Portugal by far is Evora!
Oh, we need to go there!
We went to Lisbon in September 2022 before doing a Douro River cruise. We loved that the city was so walkable and clean. Our highlight was a Taste of Lisbon culinary tour since we learned so much about Lisbon’s multicultural population and got to sample amazing food!
That sounds like so much fun, Linda!
Planning a trip in May to Portugal. Do you have any hotel recommendations?
Thank You!
I don’t but this is Beth’s comment:
(And hotel suggestion) Lisbon is really fabulous. As you said, so reasonable compared with other major European cities. I have been there many times and there is so much to see and do – I always seem to have a list of things to do next time. We have stayed in a few hotels, but feel that the Hotel Avenida Palace is really great. Beautiful old hotel, centrally located, easy to walk everywhere, very nice staff, gorgeous salon area off the lobby which is a great place to sit and read if some downtime is needed, a terrific small bar and bar menu (you can also be served in the salon as well). And, at 7:00 each and every evening, there is an hour-long music concert in the salon – classical piano, jazz piano, Mediterranean guitar…..changes each evening. All feature local professional musicians. Wonderful to slip in and do before heading out for dinner. I was just over there a few weeks ago, and your wonderful post this morning is making me want to return soon! Oh, the Gulbenkian Museum….one of the finest small museums in the world. Amazing. All collected by Mr Gulbenkian and left to the city of Lisbon. A must.”
Hi Cindy,
I have been to Lisbon many times and although we have tried a few assorted hotels through the years, we always seem to return to the Avenida Palace. FABULOUS location. Be sure to duck into the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum – small, but oh so impressive to see this man’s incredible collection. An amazing example of someone with unlimited wealth also having unlimited good taste. Have fun
Thanks for the tips, Beth!
What a great recap of your trip. Sounds so inviting. Thanks. I think it is a place I would enjoy.
I want to go! I have head many say how much they love Portugal. It looks amazing! Well now back to the real world! What a great little guide for anyone planning a trip!
Beautiful post Mary Ann! Everyone I know that’s been to Portugal has nothing but raves to say about it and from your beautiful photos, I can see why! The gorgeous sky, colorful buildings and that wonderful Portuguese tile, I’d love to go there. It sounds like a perfect vacation spot if you want to go someplace abroad. Your trip must be coming to an end, so safe travels home. XO
It was beautiful, Gail. And yes we are back in the USA…in Florida but headed home soon.
This comes at the perfect time, my husband and I are moving to Portugal later this month and I have been thinking about outfitting our new home!
That’s exciting!
Looks beautiful, thanks for taking us along Mary Ann! Makes us want to go visit. Glad Chief is having fun in LA. too. That picture at the farmers market cracked me up. 😂
I miss that little guy. Will see him on Monday!
(And hotel suggestion) Lisbon is really fabulous. As you said, so reasonable compared with other major European cities. I have been there many times and there is so much to see and do – I always seem to have a list of things to do next time. We have stayed in a few hotels, but feel that the Hotel Avenida Palace is really great. Beautiful old hotel, centrally located, easy to walk everywhere, very nice staff, gorgeous salon area off the lobby which is a great place to sit and read if some downtime is needed, a terrific small bar and bar menu (you can also be served in the salon as well). And, at 7:00 each and every evening, there is an hour-long music concert in the salon – classical piano, jazz piano, Mediterranean guitar…..changes each evening. All feature local professional musicians. Wonderful to slip in and do before heading out for dinner. I was just over there a few weeks ago, and your wonderful post this morning is making me want to return soon! Oh, the Gulbenkian Museum….one of the finest small museums in the world. Amazing. All collected by Mr Gulbenkian and left to the city of Lisbon. A must….
Excellent advice, Beth…THANKS so much!! Now I know where to stay next time…Hotel Avenida Palace!
Mary Ann
We’re planning a cruise next year that start in Lisbon. Thought we’d get there a couple of days early. Can you recommend a place to stay?
That’s a great idea. Our hotel was just ok, so I hestitate to recommend it. Tripadvisor is a good place to start.
Thank you so much for the tour of Lisbon this morning. I definitely need to add this beautiful city to my bucket list. Happy Tuesday, Mary Ann!
Thanks! You will love it.