3 Days in Lisbon: The Perfect First-Time Itinerary

Three days is the sweet spot for a first visit to Lisbon: enough time for the old town, Belém and a day trip to Sintra, without rushing. This is the plan we’d give a friend, built around the questions that come up most in our groups.

The plan: Day 1 is the old town (Baixa, Alfama, the castle). Day 2 is Belém and the riverside. Day 3 is a day trip to Sintra. Book the timed tickets for Pena Palace and Belém before you go.

Before you start

• Get a navegante card (€0.50) and load it with “zapping” credit. It covers metro, buses, trams and ferries. See our Lisbon transport guide.
• Book ahead: Pena Palace in Sintra and the Belém monuments now use timed entry slots, which can sell out in busy months.
• Wear proper shoes. Lisbon’s polished stone pavements are slippery and the hills are real.

Day 1: Baixa, Alfama and the castle

Morning

• Start at Praça do Comércio, the huge riverside square, then walk up Rua Augusta through the arch to Rossio.
• Grab a pastel de nata and a bica (espresso) standing at a café counter like a local.

Afternoon

• Head up to Alfama. Walk it, or save your legs with a tuk tuk (see our tuk tuk tours guide or book a 3-hour tuk tuk tour).
• Visit São Jorge Castle for views over the whole city, then wander down past the Lisbon Cathedral (Sé).
• Stop at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Portas do Sol viewpoints.

Evening

• Dinner with fado in Alfama. Small, family-run places are the most atmospheric. Book ahead at weekends.

Tram 28 tip: the famous yellow tram is lovely but often packed and a pickpocket favourite. Ride it early in the morning, or take a quieter route like tram 12 or 24.

Day 2: Belém and the riverside

Morning

• Take tram 15 or the Cascais-line train to Belém.
• Visit the Jerónimos Monastery, then Belém Tower, which reopened in 2026 after restoration with timed entry and a daily visitor cap. Book both in advance.
• Queue (it moves fast) for the original pastéis de Belém.

Afternoon

• Walk along the river past the Monument to the Discoveries to the MAAT museum, or head to LX Factory for shops, street art and lunch.

Evening

• Sunset at Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara or Senhora do Monte, then dinner in Chiado or Príncipe Real.
• Night out? Bairro Alto or Pink Street in Cais do Sodré.

Day 3: Sintra

Sintra’s fairy-tale palaces are 40 minutes away by train from Rossio station. Go early. By late morning the queues and the roads up to the palaces get busy.

• Pena Palace (book a timed ticket) and the Moorish Castle are next to each other on the hilltop.
• Quinta da Regaleira and its famous initiation well are in town. Book tickets here.
• Don’t want the hassle? A day tour covering Pena, Cabo da Roca and Cascais takes care of transport and timing.

Our 20 essential Sintra tips and best Sintra tours cover everything else.

Got an extra day?

• Cascais for beaches and a seaside lunch (40 minutes by train from Cais do Sodré).
• Óbidos, the walled medieval town. See our Óbidos guide.
• More ideas in our best day trips from Lisbon.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Baixa or Chiado puts you within walking distance of Day 1, with easy transport for Days 2 and 3. Compare areas in our where to stay in Lisbon guide.

Want more ideas? Browse tours and tickets in Lisbon.

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