A Perfect One Day in Lisbon Itinerary
Last Updated on 17th February 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.
With centuries of fascinating history, beautiful streets and delicious food, there are tonnes of fun things to add to your Lisbon itinerary. You could spend weeks here and not get bored, but if you only have one day in Lisbon, we’ve put together a full guide and itinerary to make the most of 24 hours in Portugal’s capital city!
Contents
Is one day enough time to visit Lisbon?
As the capital of Portugal, Lisbon is a large city with plenty of attractions and even more to see. As such, you won’t be able to cover everything that there is to do in Lisbon over the course of 24 hours.
With that being said, if one day is all the time you can allocate to visiting Lisbon, then it’s better to go and get a taste for the city than forgo it altogether. The ideal amount of time to explore Lisbon is three to five days.
One day in Lisbon itinerary
Miradouro de Santa Luzia
Miradouros are famous throughout Lisbon. They’re lookouts over the beautiful cityscape, with oranges, yellows and pinks sprawling out beneath you. Indeed, one of the best things to do in Lisbon is to go on a search for the best viewpoint in Lisbon.
Begin your time in Lisbon (yes, even before breakfast!) by exploring one of the most popular viewpoints in the city. The Miradouro de Santa Luzia is higher than some of the other viewpoints in the neighbourhood that you’ll be exploring during your morning in Lisbon and so it only makes sense to begin your time in the city by being dropped off around here.
Breakfast at Dear Breakfast Lisbon
Dear Breakfast Lisbon is one of the most popular breakfast spots in the city and they have several locations across the Portuguese capital. Whether you want avocado on toast, fruit bowls or French toast, they have plenty of classic breakfast staples here!
The best spot in the city if you want to start your day the right way is to reserve a table in the Alfama district. This popular neighbourhood is one of the most popular places to visit in Lisbon, and for good reason- it’s just so picturesque!
Or, if you don’t fancy sitting down for breakfast, there are lots of cafes where you can grab a coffee and pastel de nata, such as the ever-popular Fabrica de Nata.
The pastel de nata is one of the most famous pastries from Portugal and is a Portuguese egg custard which is sometimes dusted with cinnamon. If you’re looking for a Portuguese souvenir, consider bringing home a box of these sweet treats (though bear in mind that they have to be purchased quite fast after purchase).
Visit the Cathedral
Close by to the Alfama Dear Breakfast, you’ll find the Cathedral of Lisbon. Overlooking the rest of the neighbourhood, this beautiful building is simply known as Sé locally and has been rebuilt a number of times due to several different earthquakes over the decades. Today, you can enter the cathedral for a fee.
Santa Justa Lift
After exploring centuries worth of history in the cathedral, you can walk through the Alfama neighbourhood (be sure to bring your camera along as it is incredibly picturesque) and head to the Santa Justa lift.
This elevator is also known as the Carmo Lift and connects the lower streets to the higher ones above. The view from the top is incredibly beautiful and offers unparalleled view of the Saõ Jorge castle!
Carmo Convent
Directly next to the lift, the Carmo Convent is the haunting ruins of a church which lost its roof during one of the great earthquakes to rock the city. The former convent’s full name is the Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the ecclesiastical complex finds its roots in the 14th-century. Today, the former church can be visited for a fee, though note that it is closed on a Sunday.
Livraria Bertrand
The oldest bookstore in the world is a beautifully appointed store in the Chiado district of Lisbon, Portugal. A stone’s throw away from world-famous attractions such as Lisbon Cathedral and the Carmo Convent, the Livraia Bertrand is a must-see while in Lisbon.
This Lisboa bookstore dates all the way back to the first half of the 18th-century, firmly placing it in the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘Oldest Operating Bookshop’, as a plaque proudly indicates at the entrance to the shop.
Lunch in the Chiado Neighbourhood
As one of the more popular neighbourhoods of the city, Chiado has no shortage of food options. Some of the top vegetarian options in the are Organi Chiado and The Green Affair. A historic café which is incredibly popular (with inflated prices to match) is Brasileira do Chiado.
This historic café is something of an institution in the neighbourhood thanks to its strong links with famous writers of times gone by. There is even a life-sized statue of Fernando Pessoa, the famous 20th century Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publisher, and philosopher.
Miradouro de Nossa Senhora do Monte
After exploring some of the more popular neighbourhoods in Lisbon, take a taxi to the other side of the city. The Miradouro de Nossa Senhora do Monte is particularly special as it’s the highest point in Lisbon! From your vantage point here, look for Lisbon’s top landmarks.
Castelo de Sao Jorge
From Miradouro de Nossa Senhora do Monte, it’s about a 15 minute walk to the Castelo de Sao Jorge (or you can jump on the 28E tram!).
This castle has a fascinating history spanning back nearly 1000 years, which saw it go from being a Muslim fortification to an Iberian military base! It’s a fantastic place to visit to get to know Lisbon’s history as a whole. Purchase your Sao Jorge Castle Skip-the-Line Ticket with Escort in advance.
Museo do Fado
Museo do Fado is about a 10 minute (downhill!) walk from Castelo de Sao Jorge. There isn’t any public transport, but if you can’t or don’t want to walk Uber and Bolt are both available throughout Lisbon.
Fado is the type of music that characterises Portugal, and it has its roots in this very neighbourhood (Alfama). So, visiting a museum all about Fado is a must-do while you’re here! If music isn’t your thing, then it’s worth noting that there are plenty of other museums in the area.
Try your hand at making money in the money museum, learn the history of the lesser-known Portuguese dictatorship from 1926-74 at the Museudo al Jube or browse some of Portugal’s best paintings at the National Museum of Contemporary Art.
Belem Tower
Belem is a suburb of Lisbon and is the perfect place to finish your day in the capital. It’s a 1 hour 20 minute walk, but you can also take the 720 bus down to the waterfront and then change to any bus serving Belem or Cascais. Alternatively, a taxi will take about 15 minutes!
The UNESCO listed Belem Tower was where Portuguese maritime culture was administered for centuries, and you can explore the inside, learning a little about the country’s connection with the Atlantic Ocean on the way.
It closes at 5:30 pm in the winter and 6:30 pm in the summer; if you’re visiting at the right time of year, you can enjoy a wonderful sunset here. With this being said, the best of the Belem Tower is its striking position and appearance, and so it’s not completely necessary for you to enter, particularly if you’re travelling on a budget.
Dinner
There are a couple of great restaurant options by Belem Tower. Nikkei serves delicious Peruvian cuisine and O Recanto is famous for its fish. In the city centre, Taberna da Rua das Flores dishes up traditional Portuguese fare and Pharmacia is a quirky eatery with a pharmaceutical theme (it shares its building with Lisbon’s pharmacy museum).
Go on a sunset cruise
Even if you’re only in Lisbon for a short time, if you want to book an extra special experience, you might consider booking a sunset cruise on a vintage sailboat. The boat will cruise along the Tagus River and included in the experience you’ll get a drink and a food tasting. Find out more details here.
Where to stay in Lisbon
Wine & Books Lisboa Hotel is a gorgeous five star property in the Ajuda region with fantastic reviews.
Hotel da Baixa is a great value place to stay, with a swimming pool and modern rooms.
Rodamon Lisboa is a friendly, modern and clean hostel in Lisbon centre.
If you have two or three days in Lisbon
For those who are opting to stay longer than 24 hours in Lisbon, there is a myriad of attractions and delights to be discovered in Lisbon itself and the surrounding region. If you want to discover more of Portugal away from the big city, then some of the best day trips from Lisbon include Fátima and Nazaré and to Sintra.
Try Ginjinha
If port is the tipple to sample in Porto, then no doubt ginjinha is the drink of choice drink while in Lisbon. This strong cherry liqueur is served with or without the cherry and is a must-try while in the Portuguese capital and surrounding towns.
Lunch at Alfama
The Alfama area is a great place to grab a bite for lunch. Prado is a much-loved eatery serving fresh, local meals at an affordable price. It’s open for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Alternatively, Audrey’s is open from 7:30 am – 11:00 pm every day and is famous for its brunch options.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian, the Ao 26 – Vegan Food Project is nearby and open for lunch. I definitely recommend visiting to try a vegan Franceschina, which is one of the most popular dishes in Portugal. It’s usually a meaty, cheesy sandwich but Vegan Food Project have their own plant-based twist to it!
Free walking tour
A walking tour of a city is always a great way to get a full overview of its past and present. And Lisbon has such a dynamic, fascinating history in an integral geographical position. It’s one of the most westerly capitals of the continent and one of the closest to North Africa, which has given it a dynamic and multicultural history throughout the centuries.
SANDEMANS offer a fantastic free walking tour of Lisbon at 2:00 pm (in the summer months). This takes three hours, so will take up most of your afternoon, but if you’re interested in history and want to get a great overview of the city it’s well worth it.
These free walking tours operate on a tips basis; at the end of the tour, you give the guide what you think the tour was worth. Planning, researching and guiding thes tours is a full-time job for most guides so tip generously!
If you only have one day in Lisbon, you might not want to spend three hours doing a walking tour. This is completely understandable – we’ve detailed a couple of other points of interest that you can visit if you don’t want to do the tour.
Alternatively, if you don’t mind paying for a tour, then you could book a food and wine tour like this one. Those who prefer to explore a new place via bicycle can book an electric bike tour like this one.
Basilica
The Basilica da Estrela is a beautiful church with a sad story. In the 18th century, Queen Mary I commanded it to be built to celebrate falling pregnant with a child. Tragically, Joseph, Prince of Beria, died of smallpox before the church was finished.
It stands today as an important religious centre for Lisbon. The exterior is beautiful – it was constructed in a baroque and neoclassical style and has a giant dome and arched windows.
It’s worth visiting the interior too, which has even more ornate details. It was the first church in the world to be dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. There’s another Miradouro (Miradouro da Basílica da Estrela) by the Basilica.
Enjoyed reading about how to spend one day in Lisbon? Pin this article now, read it again later:
