30 best things TO do in LISBON, PORTUGAL (City trips & traveler Spots)

The capital of and the largest city in Portugal, Lisbon is loaded with traveler attractions. The historic center alone is stuffed with noteworthy monuments and historic landmarks, and can easily fill any itinerary.

The transportation system within the city is comprehensive and efficient so getting from one attraction to another is easy peasy. It is also well-connected to other parts of the country and other major cities in Europe.

If you are planning to visit Lisbon in the future, here are some of the things to do and places to visit. We included trips and links from Klook in case you are thinking of purchasing tickets online or joining a guided tour.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

LISBON GUIDED TOURS1. walking trip (Lisbon Highlights)
2. Tramcar Tour
3. Lisbon Food Tour
4. Lisbon mystery Tour
5. Lisbon Cemeteries Tour
6. gardens Tour
7. Lisbon Churches Tour
8. music Scene Tour
9. street Art Tour
10. LGBT night Tour

PLACES TO visit IN LISBON11. Alfama
12. Lisbon’s Jewish Neighborhood
13. Sintra
14. Torre de Belem
15. Jeronimos Monastery
16. St. George’s Castle
17. Mercado da Ribeira
18. Rossio
19. Lisbon story Center
20. Ponte 25 de Abril
21. palace of the Marquises of Fronteira
22. museum of ancient Art
23. museum da Oriente
24. Padrão dos Descobrimentos
25. Lisbon Cathedral
26. Praça do Comércio

OTHER things TO do in LISBON27. view a Fado.
28. Shopping
29. Pasteis de Belem
30. Tram 28

Top Lisbon hotels & ApartmentsSearch for much more Lisbon Hotels!

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LISBON GUIDED TOURS

1. walking trip (Lisbon Highlights)

As one of the oldest capital cities in Europe, Lisbon is criss-crossed with medieval streets that are lined with age-old buildings and punctuated by historical monuments. If you have limited time or you want an appetizer of what Lisbon’s travel buffet has to offer, you can go on a sightseeing trip on your own. The city’s transportation system is efficient, making it easy for tourists to breeze their way from one attraction to the next.

But if you want to understand the sites better, you can join a guided tour. There are plenty of trip agencies providing walking trips that cover the city’s essential attractions.

As in any major European city, there are totally free walking trips in Lisbon. the most widely available is simply called “Lisbon Tour”, which will take you around the historic center: Bairro Alto, Chiado, and Baixa. but there are a few much more covering Alfama and Belem. As always, these trips are only totally free in theory. but in practice, you’re expected to offer a suggestion at the end.

Praça de Luís de Camões (Luis de Camoes Square) and Praça Dom Pedro IV (aka Rossio Square) are typical meet-up points for totally free walking tours.
If you’d rather pay or you’re a fan of Klook, they’re also providing both half-day and full-day packages. These include the historic center and the Alfama district in the itinerary. You may check the inclusions and the schedule on the links below.

✅ book LISBON HALF-DAY walking trip HERE!

✅ book LISBON FULL-DAY walking trip HERE!

2. Tramcar Tour

The trams have been operating in the city because 1901. It has become one of the main modes of transportation for locals and tourists alike. In fact, the tram has become an attraction in itself!

Image through Klook
If you want to explore Lisbon by tram, you can also book a tramcar tour. Klook is also providing this with other options such as combining it with Hop-on Hop-off bus and/or hop-on hop-off boat. These provides also cover Santa Justa Lift, Lisbon Funicular, and discount book for museums, monuments, and other activities.

✅ check options OR book HERE!

3. Lisbon Food Tour

If you are craving a “tasteful” way of immersing yourself in Lisbon culture, a food trip is certainly a great choice. There’s so much history in food and you might be amazed when you hear about the origin of some of the signature Portuguese dishes.

Image through Klook
Joining a guided food trip will give you much more insights about the culinary traditions of Portugal while in Lisbon. Your well-informed local guide will lead you to the best food places in the city. delight in the peculiar flavors as you hop from one restaurant to the next. Klook’s package includes transportation between food places, insurance, a local guide, and 14 food samplings from five food stops.

✅ book THIS trip HERE!

4. Lisbon mystery Tour

If you are into solving puzzles and decoding riddles, the mystery trip is an offbeat form of getting around and exploring the city’s historical landmarks and hidden wonders. uncover the clues and put your deductive reasoning to test to get from one traveler spot to the next.

Image through Klook
This self-guided discovery game is provided by Klook. You will receive an e-mail offering the link to the web app game. good luck, Sherlock!

✅ book THIS discovery game HERE!

5. LisbonCemeteries Tour

Are you the type of traveler who digs dark and spooky experiences when going to a place? Unearth ghost stories, urban legends, and dark mysteries as you march your way through various tombs and mausoleums with your guide.

Image through Klook
Klook’s offer is a three-hour trip that will take you to these places: Bairro Alto, Non-Catholic Cemeteries, and Prazeres Cemetry.

✅ join THIS trip HERE!

6. gardens Tour

The western portion of the city nestles the Monsanto forest Park. but that’s not all. The urban landscape of Lisbon is dotted with green spaces like gardens and parks. In fact, there are trips that accommodate those who would like to embark on a unwinding and refreshing trip of Lisbon’s green spaces — both popular and less frequented ones.

Image through Klook
If you are a fan of Klook, you can book its three-hour guided walking trip that will direct you to some of the city’s gardens and parks. Your guide will water your curiosity with info about the places that you will visit.

✅ book THIS trip HERE!

7. Lisbon Churches Tour

The missionaries during the Reconquista period played an essential role in expanding Portugal’s power in that era. Consequently, Lisbon, as an essential political and economic center, is home to a good number of religious monuments and churches.

Klook has curated the three-hour secret Churches trip that tackles both the renowned and the offbeat churches in Lisbon. learn from the well-informed guide the history of the churches and why some of them are not available to the public. discover religious relics and secret consecrated places. The trip inclusions are entrance fees, insurance, and a multilingual guide.

✅ book THIS trip HERE!

8. music Scene Tour

Lisbon prides itself on producing Portugal’s distinctly melancholic Fado music, which developed in the 1820s. It is carried out by a black-clad lone singer with the accompaniment of the classical Portuguese guitar.

Image through Klook
There are several bars and restaurants that feature Fado performances. other areas, especially the nightlife districts, are stirring with lively and springy Brazilian and African music, both have a huge influence in Lisbon’s music style.

If you are interested in learning much more about the city’s music scene, you can join Klook’s three-hour music Scene trip that will take you to Fado-related spots and other popular music venues.

✅ book THIS trip HERE!

9. street Art Tour

Lisbon is adorned with huge murals, street art paintings, and creative installations. The walls, buildings, and other blank spaces have been turned into canvases by very dynamic Portugal artists. These public pieces have made art much more available to the public.

Image through Klook
These street art pieces have also become attractions in themselves as much more tourists find them as ideal backdrops for their travel photos. For those who love hunting murals and street arts, you can join Klook’s three-hour street Art Tour.

✅ book THIS trip HERE!

10. LGBT night Tour

Lisbon’s annual Gay & Lesbian film Festival, the Grand Lisboa, is a testament that the LGBT community has a voice through this platform. If you want to know where gay pride happenings are, you can join an exclusive guided trip and shimmy your way through the best LGBT bars and night clubs in the city.

Photo through Klook
There’s a package provided by Klook that has Bairro Alto and Principe real neighborhoods in the itinerary. This tour’s inclusions are welcome drinks, an LGBT city map, a professional guide, and insurance.

✅ book THIS trip HERE!

PLACES TO visit IN LISBON

11. Alfama

Encompassing the area between Saint George Castle and the Tagus River, Alfama is characterized by narrow winding medieval streets, old churches, small squares, and houses with red roofs. The neighborhood’s map is dotted with essential historical landmarks and cultural heritage sites.

There are also a good number of Fado restaurants and bars. some of the noteworthy attractions are Saint George Castle, Lisbon Cathedral, Sao Vicente de Fora Church, national Pantheon, The Tile Museum, and Fado Museum.

Getting There: Alfama is widely connected to other parts of Lisbon (and even beyond the city) by tram, bus, metro, and trains. The nearest tram or bus stop depends on the attraction you want to visit. The nearest metro stations are Terreiro do Paco, Rossio, and Martim Moniz. The nearest train stations are Lisboa Santa Apolonia and Rossio-Lisboa.

Alfama is best experienced on foot that it is not unexpected why photo walkers flock to the district and walking trips abound in the area.

If you want to gather much more information about the essential attractions here, you can join a guided walking tour. Klook is providing one with skip-the-line access to Saint George Castle, a bottle of water, and a shot of ginjinha, a conventional sweet cherry liquor. You can take either the morning (1OAM) or the afternoon (3PM) schedule. The trip duration is about three hours.✅ book THIS trip HERE!

12. Lisbon’s Jewish Neighborhood

Lisbon has the largest Jewish settlement in Portugal. There are four Jewish quarters in Lisbon: the most popular and oldest is found in Alfama district; the most significant number of Jewish residents is in Baixa district. There’s also one near the Largo do Carmo Square in the Bairro Alto — Judiaria da Pedreira.

The settlement in Alfama dates back to the 13th century. It is located close to Lisbon Cathedral and can be easily accessed from there. two significant Jewish-related sites are Largo de Sao Domingos (a Jewish Memorial) and Shaaré Tikvá (first synagogue in Lisbon).

Locations: Alfama, Baixa, and Bairro Alto

Strolling around the Jewish quarters knowing only a few things or nothing whatsoever about its history could render the exploration a bit bland. If you want to save your energy locating these essential Jewish sites in Lisbon and to make the trip much more meaningful or enlightening, you might want to consider joining a trip with a well-informed guide and a fixed itinerary. Klook is providing a three-hour walking trip titled Jewish neighborhood Tour.

✅ RESERVE A SLOT HERE!

13. Sintra

Sintra is a town in the greater Lisbon region. It is a favorite weekend and holiday destination for locals and an incredibly popular day trip stop for tourists. It is located west of Lisbon, less than an hour’s drive from the city center.

Characterized by luxury resorts, villas, and restaurants, it is one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. It was a favorite getaway spot for the nobility and the upper class back in the day.

The municipality is peppered with majestic castles, palaces, gardens, and villas. some of the most noteworthy attractions are Vila de Sintra, Pena national Palace, Sintra national Palace, Castle of the Moors, and Sintra-Cascais Nature Park.

Getting There: From Rossio station in Baixa District, take the direct train route to Sintra Station. The travel time is about 40 minutes.

You can get to Sintra by train from Lisbon. You can check Klook’s offer if you want to join a guided trip that includes entrance tickets, transportation, and a guide. aside from Sintra, the schedule also includes Cascais and Estoril.

✅ book THIS trip HERE!

14. Torre de Belem

Completed in 1519, Torre de Belem, also known as Tower of Saint Vincent, is still standing proudly on the northern bank of Tagus River in the Belem district. It has undergone restoration that lasted less than a year, from February 1997 to January 1998. It not only served as a defensive tower but also the historical gateway for the Portuguese explorers.

Its architecture reflects the Portuguese Manueline style. It is included in the list of the seven Wonders of Portugal in 2007 and the UNESCO world Heritage site in 1983.

Nearest Tram Station: Largo da Princesa station (Tram 15E)
Nearest Bus Stop: Largo da Princesa stop (Bus 729, 79B)
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM (Summer), 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Winter)
Entrance Fee: €8.50 (Adults), totally free (14 y/o and below). This is the rate if you want to enter the tower, but if you are only seeing it from the outside, it’s free.

15. Jeronimos Monastery

Jeronimos Monastery is also located in the Belem district, northeast of Torre de Belem, across the street. The construction of the existing monastery and church started in 1501 and took a hundred years to finish. It also follows the Portuguese Manueline style of architecture.

In 1883, the monastery was secularized and underwent continuous restoration. The monastery’s main church, the Church of Santa Maria de Belem, is well-known for its ornate exterior and interior design. It also houses the royal tombs and the tomb of the well-known Portuguese navigator, Vasco de Gama.

Together with Torre de Belem, the monastery is noted in the UNESCO world Heritage site because 1983.

Nearest Tram Station: Mosteiro dos Jeronimos station (Tram 15E, 18E)
Nearest Bus Stop: Mosteiro dos Jeronimos stop (Bus 751, 728, 729, 79B)
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Summer), 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Winter)
Entrance Fee: €10 (Adults), totally free