Quick take
- Days 1–3 cover the classic core: Baixa/Chiado, Alfama/Graça, and Belém.
- Day 4 is for a day trip (Sintra or Cascais) — start early and keep it simple.
- Day 5 adds modern Lisbon (Parque das Nações or creative east) for contrast.
- Day 6 is a slow day: gardens, cafés, and one final sunset.
- Don’t stack hills every day — alternate heavy and light days.
- Keep nights calm: one intentional evening every two nights is plenty.
How we update this guide
We try to keep advice here timeless (neighborhood logic, routes, pacing) and call out details that can change quickly (opening hours, transit patterns, prices, seasonal events). If something important changes, we want to hear it.
- Site-wide review date: 2025-12-31
- If you spot an error: send the page URL + what changed + the date you observed it.
- For anything time-sensitive, verify official sources close to travel time.
Day 1: Baixa + Chiado (orientation day)
Start with Lisbon’s connective tissue. Baixa and Chiado are the easiest areas to learn the city’s rhythm: plazas, cafés, and gentle walking.
- Cafés, bookstores, and a slow loop between Baixa and Chiado.
- Sunset: a central viewpoint or riverfront walk.
- Dinner: keep it close and calm.
Day 2: Alfama + Graça (old Lisbon day)
Do your hills early. Start high, enjoy the views, then drift downward through Alfama’s lanes. Save energy for a meaningful night: fado or a special dinner.
- Morning: viewpoints and hill wandering.
- Afternoon: slow lanes, cafés, and texture.
- Night: fado (optional) or an intentional dinner.
Day 3: Belém riverfront
Belém is a dedicated half-day or full day. Go for monuments and museums, then stay for the riverfront light. It’s one of the best ‘space’ days in Lisbon.
- Monument cluster + riverfront walk.
- Optional modern add-on: contemporary architecture nearby.
- Early night: save energy for the longer trip days.
Day 4: Day trip (Sintra or Cascais)
Choose one day trip based on mood: Sintra for dramatic scenery and palaces; Cascais for coast and calm. Start early and treat it as the day.
- Sintra: fairytale atmosphere and classic ‘wow’ moments.
- Cascais: easy logistics and relaxed seaside energy.
Day 5: Modern contrast day (choose one)
After hills and monuments, do a contrast day. Modern Lisbon is spacious and easy on your legs — and it makes the historic center feel fresh again the next day.
- Option A: Parque das Nações for modern riverfront promenades.
- Option B: Beato/Marvila for creative warehouses and tastings.
Day 6: Slow garden Lisbon + final sunset
End the trip softly: gardens, cafés, and one last viewpoint. The final day should feel like you’re already nostalgic — not exhausted.
- Príncipe Real / Estrela pace: cafés, gardens, and slow wandering.
- One final dessert stop, one final sunset.