Free Things to do in Lisbon

Free Things to do in Lisbon

As far as European cities go, Lisbon is amount the cheapest in terms of cost of living; you’ll notice this distinctly if you come to the Portuguese capital after visiting surrounding lands such as Paris, Rome or Madrid.

It doesn’t cost a lot to do a lot in Lisbon, but it is always nice when doing a lot costs nothing at all.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of free activities and attractions in & around the city center. I debated this not long ago with a friend; whether or not one could come to Lisbon, get a full cultural and architectural experience while only spending money on bare necessities like food and transport.

Lisbon – by Lili Popper – Unsplash

I stand by my view that one definitely could; I have no doubt that many people already do. In the meantime, here are some fabulous activities in Lisbon that won’t cost you a cent.

Soak Up Some Sun in the Jardim da Estrela in Lisbon

There are public parks and green spaces all across Lisbon; some have scheduled opening hours and others never close, and all are free to access.

Lisbon’s parks are a great day out if you’re not one for constant physical activity. One can picnic, sunbathe, read or simply just sit and watch the day go by.

Jardim da Estrela – by Vitor Oliveira – Wikimedia Commons

The Jardim da Estrela is one of the more popular parks in Lisbon’s center. It is a space of lush greenery and water features. There is a great children’s play area as well, which is ideal for families looking to save some money on entertainment.

Bookworms listen up! The Jardim da Estrela offers a full, open air, free library. You’ll find it next to the iron concert stage.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 7am to 12am

ADDRESS: Praça da Estrela n°12, 1200-694 Lisboa, Portugal

Metro STATION: Rato

Explore Old Town Mouraria in Lisbon

The more you explore Lisbon, the more you’ll uncover hidden suburbs that are cultural gems to the city as a while. Mouraria is one of these in the north of Lisbon, it is the birthplace of fado music and a hub for Portuguese street art.

All of the pioneers of fado music are believed to have been born and bred in Mouraria. The suburb remains patriotic to this notion to this day, in spite of the fact that most fado performances are forced to take place in Bairro Alto for profit purposes.

Tribute to fado legends in Mouraria – by Vernaccia – Wikimedia Commons

Mouraria is a tiny suburb and spans just a few streets. You can walk it in under an hour. There are tributes and art works throughout the streets that depict the areas link to the fado movement.

Take a Free Guided Walking Tour in Lisbon

The best way to see and learn simultaneously would be to join in on one of the many free guided walking tours through Lisbon that depart throughout the day.

If you’ve self-guided your way through the city center, you’ve likely passed these waling tour groups as they explore together. Self-guiding through Lisbon is simple, since the city is so small, however the added element of a guide really creates a new layer of learning and historical understanding of the city rather than just a basic visual experience.

If there happens to be a part of Lisbon that is not included on the free guided walking tour routes, personalized walking tours can easily be arranged to include the attractions of your choosing.

Visit All of the Miradouros in Lisbon

A miradouro is a viewpoint; the term refers to the highest points in Lisbon, the tops of the many hillsides that make up the city center.

There are a handful of them, some right in the city center and others in the outlying areas overlooking the city as a whole.

The miradouro of Lisbon are open to the public twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. They are also absolutely free to enjoy.

Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara – by Jean-Christophe BENOIST – Wikimedia Commons

Ask your Airbnb host or hotel concierge what the nearest miradouro to your accommodation is. These are fabulous spots to visit at any point in the day, especially if you’d like to photograph Lisbon from above.

I enjoy Lisbon’s miradouros at sunset or sunrise. Sunset as this is the most beautiful time to be above the city, and sunrise because this is when the viewpoints are at their quietest.

Spend a Day at the Fiera da Ladra in Lisbon

Every Tuesday and Saturday in Lisbon a historic event takes place. The Fiera da Ladra is the oldest market in Lisbon’s history; it has taken place weekly without fail since back in the 12th century.

You’ll find it just east of the Alfama; any tuk-tuk or taxi will be able to take you to the nearest entrance. The market is huge so this depends solely on what direction you are coming from.

Fiera da Ladra Market in Lisbon – by Discover Walks

The word ladra means thief, this is Lisbon’s market of the thieves. In the earlier centuries people would sell whatever they could get their hands on, offering little explanation as to how they came into possession of the goods.

There is no entry fee to get into the Fiera da Ladra and you can spend the better part of an entire day exploring it.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Tuesday & Saturday: 9am to 6pm

ADDRESS: Campo de Santa Clara, 1100-472 Lisboa, Portugal

Metro STATION: Lisboa Santa Apolónia

Explore Martim Moniz Square in Lisbon

Lisbon is full of public squares, all of them free to the public to enjoy.

Martim Moniz is the square in the center of the city and it represents one of the most divers and multicultural areas in Lisbon. The square is surrounded by Chinese retail stores, Middle Eastern and South Asian eateries, and grocery stores from different countries.

On weekends it is common to find a DJ playing music in the square for all visitors to enjoy. Children from the community come here to play football and hang out in a safe environment. 

Spend a Day on the Beach near Lisbon

Getting to Cascais costs just €5 for a return train ticket from Lisbon’s center. Once there, there is no reason to spend money to enjoy what the village has to offer.

These are the closest beaches to Lisbon and a fantastic place to spend the day swimming, suntanning and lazing about on the free praias that this country has to offer.

Cascais – by Vitor Oliveira – Wikimedia Commons

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The village of Cascais is also wonderful to explore on foot after your beach time. There are a plethora of restaurants and retail stores to look at and ample opportunities for people watching (which is also free!).

Stroll Through the Lx Factory in Lisbon

Even if you have no money to spend, the Lx Factory is an unmissable attraction in Lisbon and something everyone needs to see.

These grounds on the edge of the Tagus were an abandoned factory lot up until not too long ago when the city transformed it into a co-operative space filled with restaurants, bars, cafes, bookstores, concept shops and art installations.

Lx Factory – by Dennis Morhardt – Wikimedia Commons

The Lx Factory offers a lot of tempting opportunities to spend money, but making your way through the open air space and simply enjoying everything from the outside is worthwhile as well.

The main bookshop (just on the left as you walk into the Lx Factory) is built into an old printing press. All the machinery is still inside of the store up on the second story. It’s super interesting to explore and there is no charge to enter.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Daily

ADDRESS: R. Rodrigues de Faria 103, 1300-501 Lisboa, Portugal

Metro STATION: Alcantara-Mar

Listen to Street Performers at Santa Luzia Viewpoint in Lisbon

I suggested exploring each of Lisbon’s viewpoints earlier, as there are so many around the city.

One that is great for free entertainment is the Santa Luzia Viewpoint in the heart of the Alfama. This is probably Lisbon’s most visited viewpoint.

Santa Luzia Viewpoint – by Bex Walton – Wikimedia Commons

From here you can see the National Pantheon as well as the São Miguel’s Church. The viewpoint’s popularity has caught the attention of street performers in Lisbon who play music on the main terrace almost every day of the week.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Daily

ADDRESS: Largo Santa Luzia, 1100-487 Lisboa, Portugal

Metro STATION: Terreiro do Paço

Venture to the Tower of Belem in Lisbon

Belem is a must-visit for anyone’s first trip to Lisbon. It’s the waterside district that holds some great attractions and museums for those interested in the history of Lisbon and how it began.

The Tower of Belem is the famous structure on the waters edge that was built back in the 16th century as a ceremonial passage into Lisbon as well as a fortress.

Tower of Belem in Lisbon – by Alvesgaspar – Wikimedia Commons

The tower and it’s grounds are free to visit, seven days a week. There is a lot of lawn space when one can settle for a few hours if desired. It can get incredibly windy on this bay even in the peak of summer, take a light jacket along just incase (Lisbon’s winds bounce off the cold ocean, they are never pleasant breezes).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Daily

ADDRESS: Av. Brasília, 1400-038 Lisboa, Portugal

Train STATION: Belem

Watch the Sunset in Lisbon

From a miradouro, from the shore of the Tagus, from the balcony of your Airbnb… from anywhere that poses a suitable view from which to kiss the day goodbye in Lisbon.

Watching the sunset is one of the best and most reliable free activities one can do anywhere in the world.

Enjoy Art at the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon

The Museu Calouste Gulbenkian is the impressive museum just across the street from the Tower of Belem on Lisbon’s coast.

It is a space of contemporary and modern art & it holds high esteem in the art world of Europe.

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian – by Julien Chatelain – Wikimedia Commons

In general there is a €5 entrance fee to access the museum, but if you visit on Sundays after 2pm entrance is free. The museum is open until 6pm, which is more than enough time to see it in its entirety.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Wednesday to Monday: 10am to 6pm

ADDRESS: Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal

Metro STATION: São Sebastião

Watch a Free Concert at Foz Palace in Lisbon

The Foz Palace is one of the newer palaces in Portuguese history; by new I mean it was constructed in the 18th century, so it’s old… but new when you consider the rest of Lisbon, you know?

This is an opulent space that makes an effort to appeal to the public from more than just an architectural point of view. The Mirror Room is opened to all two or three times a month for free concerts in the genres of jazz, classical, piano or harp.

Foz Palace – by RickMorais – Wikimedia Commons

It’s a fabulous soirée of an event. Entry is first come first serve until the room is filled to capacity. Children under the age of 6 are not permitted to attend these concerts. Head to the Foz Palace’s online platforms to see when the next concerts will be scheduled for.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 4pm

ADDRESS: Palácio Foz, Calçada da Glória nº 9, 1250-112 Lisboa, Portugal

Metro STATION: Restauradores

Marvel at the Churches in Lisbon

Something Lisbon has no shortage of is churches. From the center to the outlying suburbs there are religious spaces everywhere.

The Church of Sao Roque, Carmo Convent and the National Pantheon are the most famous in the city center. Further out in Belem you’ll find the exquisite Jerónimos Monastery and Church of Santa Maria.

All of Lisbon’s churches are free to enter and explore. Creating a self-guided walking route through the city to see the exteriors of all of the churches is also a good way to spend a day on the streets.