Lisbon, Portugal
A stroll through the streets of Lisbon is a revelation of incredible urban beauty… Brightly painted 18th-century buildings, many adorned with Lisbon’s trademark hand-painted tiles and ornately wrought iron balconies, line steep stone-laden streets complemented by decorative granite sidewalks… A crisscross of wires overhead gives power to the electric streetcar system that has been in service since 1901… Hilltop parks offer magnificent vistas of city and seaport. Enormous monuments contrast with incredible street art, giving the entire city the feel of an open-air museum…
Let’s visit Lisbon
Get lost and wander through unique neighborhoods incredibly rich with history. While visiting Lisbon make sure to try all the amazing seafood and take the time to admire the city’s beautiful architecture. Here are a few of our favorite places in Lisbon:
Visit Lisbon: Explore The Castle in the Sky – Sao Jorge Castle
One thing you absolutely cannot miss while visiting Lisbon is the 11th-century Sao Jorge Castle. Literally, because you can see it from every vantage point in town. Leave it to the Moors to build this mammoth architectural masterpiece overlooking Lisbon and the Tagus River. Admire from afar from Principe Real in the Bairro Alto neighborhood, or take a hike and explore inside the castle walls for just 7 euros.
Visit Lisbon: Spend Time by the River at Praça do Comércio
This ‘Commerce Square’ on the banks of the Tagus river was completely destroyed by the Earthquake of 1755. Today, Praça do Comércio is a busy pedestrian plaza complete with a beautiful pier leading into the river, a huge bronze statue of King Jose I, and the magnificent Rua Augusta triumphal arch. Make sure to take the elevator (and a few stairs) to the arch top for amazing views of downtown Lisbon stretching out below.
Visit Lisbon: Explore The Neighborhoods
Each neighborhood is a study of architecture, with building facades painted in every color, many of which are covered in decorative tiles, known as Azulejos. Lisbon is also home to some amazing street art, with stunning graffiti pieces that cover entire buildings! And don’t let those hills intimidate you, hop on a tram or funicular which are as historical and colorful as the neighborhoods themselves.
Visit Lisbon: Eat Seafood All Day, Every Day
Lisbon does not disappoint when it comes to a wide array of delicious sea creatures. From sardines to shrimp, oysters to razor clams, and crab to salmon, a lucky location on the corner of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea provides Lisbon restaurants with some of the best seafood in the world. Check out our favorites!
Visit Lisbon: Don’t Miss Belem Tower or the Monastery of the Hieronymites
When in Lisbon, make sure to check out these UNESCO World Heritage sites, both located southwest of the city center near the entrance to Lisbon Harbor. These structures are stunning examples of Lisbon’s late gothic architecture.
Visit Lisbon: Bonus!
Super Bonus! We’ve teamed up with GPSmyCity and converted our Lisbon travel guide into a downloadable application that comes complete with a GPS map of our recommendations and operates offline without any need of data plan or Internet connection. You can check it out here.
Getting to Lisbon
Getting to Lisbon: FLY
If planned in advance you can find reasonable direct flights to Lisbon from most major European airports. Paris for $22, London for $29, Berlin for $30, or Barcelona for $39 with our favorite flight search site, Skyscanner.
Lisbon Flight Deals
Getting to Lisbon: TRAIN
Trains throughout Portugal are a great option. You’ll avoid lines at the airport, enjoy beautiful scenery, and they can be very comfortable. The trip from Porto, Portugal is 2 hours 40 minutes and just $23. Fares & Schedules
Getting to Lisbon: BUS
Buses are not our favorite mode of travel.. The seats are generally cramped, the ride is bumpy, and departure/arrival times can be unpredictable. This said, bus travel is generally the least expensive. While a bus ride from Madrid is only $40, it takes over 9 hours.
Lisbon Portela Airport to Lisbon City Center
Fly into Lisbon Portela Airport(LIS) AKA Humberto Delgado Airport and head towards Lisbon’s city center, about 6 miles away. How will you get there?
Metro
The Metro is easily the least expensive way to get from Lisbon Airport to the city center. Find the Aeropuerto station just to the right when exiting the Arrivals area. Purchase tickets from the station vending machines towards São Sebastião for 1.45EUR + .50 for a reusable Viva Viagem card. The ride to the Saldanha station in the city center takes about 20 minutes.
Bus
Another option is the Aerobus, which is operated by Carris/Yellowtours. Purchase tickets for 3.50EUR from the Aerobus ticket window or from the bus driver, or purchase discounted tickets online. Every 20 minutes the #91 Aerobus departs from a platform just outside of the Arrivals area, with several stops in the Lisbon city center.
Taxi/UBER
Find the taxi stand just outside of arrivals, and expect to pay about 20 Euros for the 15-20 minute ride to the city center. UBER is also available from Lisbon Airport and generally runs slightly cheaper than taxis, just be aware that drivers will only meet you at the specific UBER pickup point. When leaving arrivals, do not go outside, but take the escalator to the upper level. Look for your UBER driver in the parking lot just outside the upper level.
Getting around in Lisbon
Public Transport
The Lisbon public transportation system consists of the four Metro lines, seven main bus lines connecting the city center (#’s 5, 25, 28, 44, 708, 750, 759, 782 and 794), five main tram lines(many of which us vintage street cars), and four funiculers that climb some of Lisbon’s steep hills. Purchase Single Metro Tickets from station vending machines for 1.40EUR (+ .50EUR for reusable Viva Viagem card), Single Bus Tickets onboard for 1.80EUR, and Single Tram and Funicular Tickets for 2.85EUR. To make things easy, you might consider purchasing a 1 Day Ticket Network 24hr Pass. For just 6.15EUR for 24 hours, the pass gives unlimited public transportation throughout the city. Tickets can be purchased at any Carris ticket office or station vending machine.
Taxi/UBER
Lisbon taxis are easy to find and the daytime fare is 3.42EUR plus .47EUR for each kilometer. At night, between 9pm and 6am, expect a 20% surcharge. UBER is readily available throughout Lisbon as well, and is generally slightly cheaper than a taxi.
Walk
Night or day, Lisbon is a wonderfully beautiful city to explore by foot. Walkscore.com gives Lisbon a score of 99, calling it a “Walker’s Paradise”.
Where To Stay in Lisbon:
Where To Stay in Lisbon: HOTELS
Lisbon offers a wide range of hotels. Options range from high-end hotels like Valverde Hotel and the Bairro Alto Hotel for $300 a night, to reasonably-priced hotels like TURIM Restauradores Hotel or Lisbon City Hotel for $75 a night. When it comes to hotels, we recommend shopping Agoda.com, far and away the most competitive resource when searching for hotels in Lisbon.
Lisbon Hotel Deals
Where To Stay in Lisbon: HOSTELS
With over 150 hostel options in Lisbon you’re sure to find one that fits all of your needs. Prices generally range from $20-$25 a night for a dorm room, while private rooms run around $60-$70 per night. Hostelworld is our recommended resource when searching for hostels in Lisbon.
Lisbon Hostel Deals
Where To Stay in Lisbon: AIRBNB
We love Airbnb! From private rooms to entire homes, there are plenty of choices when visiting Lisbon. If you’re a first-timer with Airbnb, use this coupon and enjoy $35 off of your stay.
Where To Stay in Lisbon: NEIGHBORHOODS
Choosing a neighborhood is an important part of trip planning that should not be overlooked! Here are some neighborhoods worth considering when deciding where to stay in Lisbon.
Belem
Located west of the city center, this area is known as the monument neighborhood. Here you’ll find the Belem Palace and Tower, the Discoveries Monument, the Jeronimos Monastery, and many museums.
Baixa
Known as the business district, this elegant neighborhood was completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. Here you’ll find the magnificent Praça do Comércio, Lisbon’s grandest plaza.
Alfama
This neighborhood is the old medieval quarter of Lisbon, known for narrow streets and steep hills. Here you’ll find Lisbon castle and the Se Cathedral.
Bairro Alto
Known as a quiet bohemian neighborhood by day, this is the place to party at night. Head up the hill to Principe Real at the neighborhood’s northern edge for some of the best views of Lisbon.
Chiado
This sophisticated neighborhood is the place to go for the best shopping in Lisbon.
Lisbon Travel Tips
Lisbon travel tips: Tipping
A general rule for tipping in Portugal is to only tip for exceptional service. At restaurants, check to see if they’ve already included a service charge. If not, a tip would be expected only in touristy areas. Don’t worry about tipping your taxi driver, but you can round up the fare if you’d like.
Lisbon travel tips: Money
Portugal’s national currency is the Euro, and is currently exchanging at 0.85EUR to $1USD. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM machines are readily available.
Lisbon travel tips: Insurance
Traveling through Lisbon is exciting and safe, but you never know when some good travel insurance could come in handy. World Nomads offers the best coverage in the business, is affordable, and is quick to act should something go wrong. For more info, check out our recent World Nomads blog post.