One of the most beautiful yet affordable European countries is Portugal. If you are traveling from the US like me, Portugal is also close, having one of the shortest flights to Europe, other than London, Reykjavik, or Paris. A great place to visit, or start your trip off, is Portugal’s capital city of Lisbon. Lisbon is stunning, filled with tiled buildings with red roofs, stores with colorful products to buy, and hills that will leave you in better shape than you camp. There are so many things to do in Lisbon, but some genuinely cannot be missed! Here’s my list for you to sort through, of the best things to do in Lisbon, Portugal.
Try both of the iconic Pastel de Nata stores
Portugal is famous for a delicious sweet treat, Pastel de Natas. They are small custard cups topped with cinnamon that are addictive! There are two very famous shops that sell these desserts, and people argue over which is the best. Pastéis de Belém and Manteigaria are the two locations. During my two trips to Lisbon, neither time have I gotten around to visiting the Belem location! But I’ve visited the Manteigaria in Barrio Alto and in Time Out Market, and thoroughly enjoyed my pastels there.
Go to TimeOut Market and try some new foods
If you want to try a variety of local foods, visit TimeOut Market! It’s a large food hall filled around the room with tons of small restaurants and lots of seating in the middle. The restaurants have all kinds of food, so you can find a type of Portuguese food most appealing to you to test out! There are also different kinds of shops like burger places, pasta places, and sushi available, so there is something for everyone here. If you aren’t staying super long and you’re a foodie, this is one of the best things to do in Lisbon, Portugal! You get to try basically any and every local food you want, all in one place.
Visit LX Factory
LX Factory is a historical industrial complex turned cultural hub! These stores are incredibly fun to wander through. LX Factory is filled with unique restaurants, record and book shops, and products made by local artists. If you are looking to shop or find a cool souvenir for yourself or a friend, definitely stop here.
Check out some miradouros
Miradouros is the Portuguese word for viewpoints. Since Lisbon is quite hilly, there are certain spots higher up that have beautiful views! These viewpoints are normally terraces that you can look out at over the city and to the water. My tour guide told me that there is a whole culture around miradouros for the locals. They gather with friends and a bottle of wine at their local miradouro and watch the sunset together. Sounds like a great idea if you ask me!
See the famous trams in action
Since Lisbon is full of hills, they invested in trams as their main form of public transportation to get locals up and down hills on their ways to and from work. These yellow trams can take you anywhere around town if you choose to ride them. I personally took an Uber everywhere since they are super affordable! Also, the trams are used mainly by locals, so I didn’t want to take space away from them. But choose which is better for you! For me, these trams are full of culture and history, so I think they’re great to learn about, and also a great photo opp!
Check out Belem and the Tower de Belem
The Tower of Belem is one of Portugal’s many UNESCO World Heritage sites not too far from central Lisbon. The tower is situated right on a small beach, so with its monumental height, it’s an impressive sight. This is a great photo opp and is nearby the Pastéis de Belém shop as well as a beautiful monastery to visit. If you are looking to explore different parts of Lisbon, take a few hours and visit this beautiful area.
Climb up to Lisbon’s Castle
The staggering castle that overlooks Lisbon is São Jorge Castle. This castle is ancient and was occupied by the Pheonecians, Carthaginians, the Romans, and the Moors before the Portuguese! São Jorge Castle has been utilized by humans since at least the 8th century BCE. If you are willing to climb up the many stairs to this castle, you will see a splendid view of the city and get to explore this magnificent structure.
Go on a free walking tour and learn the history of the city
One of my most favorite things I did while in Lisbon, was going on a free walking tour through my hostel. The tour would go over the history of the city, as well as take us to well known sites that most tourists want to visit. I think the impact is immeasurable when it comes to learning the history as you explore. When we visited the oldest part of Lisbon, all of the door frames and houses were much smaller than anywhere else in the city. We learned that this oldest neighborhood was the only one to survive an earthquake that destroyed the rest of the city. Back then, people were shorter, which is why the area is scaled so differently from elsewhere. If you enjoy learning as you travel, this will be one of the best things to do in Lisbon, Portugal!
Take a day trip to Sintra
Sintra is one of the most beautiful parts of Portugal as it is a town filled with castles! Getting from Lisbon to Sintra is not difficult – you can take the train or an Uber very affordably. Sintra is an adorable medieval town that is filled with fairytale looking castles. My favorite that I visited was Quinta da Regaleira, but all of them were extremely impressive in their own right. They all are a slightly different style, so there is one to fit the vibe of every person on your trip. There are FIVE massive and stunning castles you can visit. If you need help deciding which to visit, check out this Sintra castle guide!
Go on a surfing day trip
Portugal holds the record for having the biggest wave in history! Not that you need to go to that beach exactly, but Portugal has some great waves for you to try out surfing. While in Lisbon, you can book a surf camp experience. They can pick you up, bring you to the beach, teach you a lesson, then bring you back all in one day. If you are looking for a one of a time experience, add this to your itinerary!
The best things to do in Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon was my first solo travel trip and definitely where the travel bug bit me! I was fortunate to move abroad to teach English thanks to an amazing program! If the travel bug has bit you too, check out this post about ways to move abroad, or this post to see the program I did. Have a fantastic time exploring this beautiful city and the rest of Portugal. Hopefully this list helped craft your to-do list with the best things to do in Lisbon, Portugal!
