Lisbon in three days

Lisbon in three days

Are you coming to Lisbon for three whole days? If you are, this article is perfect for you. Whenever one travels to a new city, they want to make most of the trip. You definitely wouldn’t want to miss the essential of Lisbon. You probably want to experience everything there is to experience, from the food, the lifestyle to the landmarks and their history! Thanks to this article, you will know how to organize your trip, so you can visit Lisbon in three days!

Day 1 – Morning

On the morning of your first day in Lisbon, you should visit Belém. Located in western Lisbon, you will find the greatest landmarks and the most important touristic attractions of the Portuguese capital.

Belém is a great introduction to the city of Lisbon and to the Portuguese history. Most of the ships from the Age of Discoveries sailed from the port of Belém.

Visiting Belém will surely take you half a day. You can start your walk at the Pastéis de Belém bakery to try our delicious traditional pastéis de nata. From this famous bakery to the Torre de Belém, you will get to see along the way Lisbon emblematic landmarks, such as the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and amazing gardens, the Praça do Império garden and the Torre de Belém garden.

You should read this article if you want to know everything there is to see during a walk in Belém.

Day 1 – Afternoon

Then, during the afternoon, you can have lunch and walk the Chiado neighborhood. Lisboners love this area, this is the neighborhood they choose to meet with friends, have a coffee, and to go shopping. Chiado is definitely one of the trendiest places in Lisbon.

The area suffered from a great fire in 1988, but it has recovered and is now gloriously charming. You get to walk and frequent the same salons and cafés important Portuguese figures, such as Fernando Pessoa and Eça de Queiroz, used to spend their free time.

This cultural district is full of theaters and old bookstores. Chiado is always so lively, from dawn till dusk.

After walking Chiado, you can head to Bairro Alto where you will be able to have dinner and enjoy the night with the locals. From traditional restaurants, tiny bars and cafés to keep the customers close together so they can socialize, to fado houses and nightclubs, you will not get bored in Bairro Alto! This is where you should experience the Lisbon nightlife on your first night in the city. Also, try to have a moment at one of the viewpoints, to enjoy an amazing view over the city.

Day 2 – Morning

On the morning of your second day, you should go to one of the most authentic neighborhoods of Lisbon. I’m talking about the popular and charming Alfama. You will love its unique architecture and its colorful buildings. Walk the narrow alleys, get lost and explore the traditional Alfama, where joy and peace reign.

Alfama feels like a little village in the heart of Lisbon. Try talking to the locals, people and their families who have lived in the neighborhood for decades!

Walking Alfama is a unique experience. You will love to listen to fado being sung in the streets and to watch old ladies hanging clothes to dry. You will witness the traditional Alfama, and it will definitely give you new perspectives on the city of Lisbon.

Apart from roaming around Alfama, you can also visit the Castelo São Jorge, Monastery of São Vicente de Fora and the Church of Santa Engrácia, also known as the Panteão Nacional. If you like to discover typical features from a centuries old culture, you will thoroughly love Alfama! If you want to know more about Alfama, read this article.

By the way, if you happen to be in Lisbon during the month of June, you will love to celebrate the Popular Saint festivities, that happen on the 12th and the 13th. Alfama gets even more colorful than usual!

Day 2 – Afternoon

If you want to see Lisbon in three days, you should visit the Baixa Pombalina. The way this area looks nowadays was born out of the ruins of the medieval Lisbon. On November, 1st of 1755, a terrible earthquake happened and destroyed many stunning buildings and many goods of the city of Lisbon. It then suffered from a huge fire that lasted for six days. These awful incidents ruined both Lisbon goods and people’s joy.

As Marquês de Pombal, the Secretary of the State of Internal Affairs of the Kingdom which is nowadays commonly referred to as the Prime Minister, said that the priority was to “bury the dead and take care of the living”. It was very important that the city got back on its feet very quickly, for it to regain its dignity and freedom. The Prime Minister and his architects and engineers designed a new structure for Lisbon. The structure is now geometrical and and the buildings were reinforced to prevent eventual future earthquake damage.

The Baixa Pombalina stands now gloriously. All its buildings and details are so charming, making it one of the most pleasant walks in Lisbon. You will love to walk the streets and to enjoy the beauty of the squares!

After walking the Baixa Pombalina, you can go to Cais do Sodré. You could maybe have dinner at Mercado da Ribeira. This place is great if you want to taste different Portuguese food specialties and talk with locals about their customs.

After dining, don’t hesitate to stay a little longer in Cais do Sodré to have a drink. Just like Bairro Alto, the locals love to spend the night in this area.

Day 3 – Take the whole day

For your third day in Lisbon, I’m recommending something you probably wouldn’t be expecting. I actually advise you to take the whole day to have a day trip and go to Sintra. Exactly, if you come to Lisbon for three days, you should definitely seize this opportunity and visit Sintra. You will not regret it!

Sintra is only an hour away from Lisbon by train, and the train ticket only costs 2.25 euros. Plus, there are trains leaving Lisbon and Sintra every thirty minutes.

Why is Sintra so special? Why should you spend your last day in Sintra? Sintra simply looks straight out of a fairytale. Anyone who visits Sintra falls eternally in love with it. Sintra is such a special place, where magic and mystery are mixed together, when humans can reconnect with nature.

Sintra was the place where the Celtics used to worship the moon, where the Moors erected their great wall, and was the place the royalty picked for the construction of their palaces. The history of this city is incredibly interesting!

You can visit the famous and colourful Pena Palace, which is one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, the Moors Castle, the Quinta da Regaleira, and many more amazing monuments! But also the forest with its waterfalls and the beach that are simply the most enchanting places ever. Before you leave, don’t forget to have a taste at the traditional and delicious Queijadas from Sintra, which is the traditional pastry of the city.

You now know that it is indeed possible to visit Lisbon in three days! Three days are more than enough to see all the best Lisbon has to offer, you just need to plan your stay beforehand and have a clear idea of your priorities. In case, you don’t feel like planning your visit in Lisbon, you can count us and let us take care of everything! To make sure you enjoy the city in the best way possible is our main objective! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that it has been useful to you! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information about anything. See you soon in Lisbon!