Two Days in Lisbon, Portugal
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Did you know that Lisbon is the second oldest capital in Europe after Athens? You won’t see ancient Greek temples in Lisbon, but this bustling capital is one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in Portugal. With endless red-roofed buildings and bright yellow trolleys buzzing around, you’ll fall in love with this ancient city, even if you only have two days in Lisbon.
Here is all you need to know for the perfect two days in Lisbon.
Two days in Lisbon – know before you go
The official currency of Lisbon is the euro. Since this is a bustling capital city, you’ll have no trouble finding ATMs or using your credit card, but have some euros handy for small fees like buying your Tram 28 ticket.
€1 Euro = $1.11 U.S. Dollar
The official language of Lisbon is Portuguese. If you have any knowledge with Spanish, it will really help you out because Spanish and Portuguese are very similar and they share a lot of the same words.
Lisbon is known as the city of seven hills. The center of Lisbon is great to explore on foot, but it’s super hilly and the streets are cobblestone. Wear comfortable walking shoes because you literally can NOT skip leg day in Lisbon. But if you’d prefer to skip the leg workout, you can do this by hopping on one of the many trams that weave throughout the city.
Best time to visit Lisbon
The best time to visit Lisbon is between March and May or September and November when temperatures are cooler and the city is less crowded. This will make it easier and more comfortable to do all these fun things in Lisbon. July and August are the hottest months and also peak season, so accommodations prices are going up like the temperature and streets are much busier.
Tip: June is the month of festivals in Lisbon so you can plan your trip either for these festivals or to avoid them.
Day One – City Center
Pink Street
If I were you, I would hit Pink Street first thing in the morning because it’s a super popular and chic photo spot. Snap a quick pic (or twenty) and maybe grab a bite to eat for breakfast because we’ve got a busy day ahead of us! If you’re not an early bird, then that’s ok, too. This is also a hot spot for bars, so come back later if you want to experience some of the best nightlife in town.
Pink Street is in the popular neighborhood Cais do Sodre, and it’s official name is Rua Nova do Carvalho. So, why is it pink? Well, this area used to be Lisbon’s Red Light District. In 2011, the painting started as a gentrification project to make the neighborhood better and move it away from its shady past. Nowadays, it is locally known as Rua Cor de Rosa, aka Pink Street. Who knew a simple paint job could turn a shifty part of town into a quirky, bustling, and hip area. It’s still the place to be, although now for better reasons.
Praça do Comercio
After breakfast, head to Praça de Comercio to see one of the most recognizable and iconic sites in Lisbon. This bright square matches the bold-colored trams constantly passing by while also providing magnificent views of the coast. This area is buzzing and full of life, with visitors coming in and out from all directions. Give yourself a little time to walk around the entire square to admire the beautiful architecture and soak in the liveliness.
Praça do Comercio is not only Lisbon’s liveliest square, but also its biggest. It used to be the gateway to Lisbon, as goods from colonies were traded here. That big beautiful arch, the Rua Augusta Arch, leads to the main shopping boulevard of Lisbon.
Catedral de Lisboa
This is the oldest church in the city, so it’s worth a short visit. The entrance fee is €2.50 ($3).
Santa Justa Lift
Located in the heart of Lisbon, the Santa Justa Lift offers picturesque views of Lisbon’s sweeping rooftops and St. George’s Castle. This 45-meter high elevator was built in 1902 to connect two neighborhoods. It also saved the locals a pretty tough uphill climb! It was designed in the Neo-Gothic style, and supposedly the design was inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. What do you think?
Rossio Square
After hitting the Santa Justa lift, head to the nearby Rossio Square. Rossio Square is a great place to grab a snack, coffee, or lunch – so just kick your feet back and relax. This is the perfect spot to sit back and people watch, but don’t get too relaxed! We still have a lot to cover if you want to see everything in two days in Lisbon.
Tram 28 to Alfama
This is a must do during your two days in Lisbon! The spunky orange and yellow trams date back from 1930, and rolling up the hilly streets of Lisbon will give your feet a much-needed break from all the walking. Plus, it’ll drop you off at our next destination.
A single ticket to the tram costs €3 ($3.5).
Alfama
Alfama is the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon, and it’s the perfect place to get lost. But seriously, you might get lost so you might want to hire a tour for this area. You can marvel at this small labyrinth of cobblestone streets, colorful houses and some of the best architecture in the city. Most people think this is the most beautiful part of the city, especially because the old trams roll through the narrow streets.
Sunset at a viewpoint
Lisbon has tons of Miradours (viewpoints), especially in Alfama. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Miradouro das Portas do Sol. These two are super close to each other.
Castelo de São Jorge (St. George’s Castle)
Castelo de São Jorge is located at the top of the highest hill in the city, São Jorge Hill (duh!). This archaic fortress has its heritage rooted in the fifth century. Although it doesn’t look the same as it did back then, it now stands as a symbol of Lisbon with stunning views of the city below. This is probably the best view in the entire city to watch the sunset.
This castle was a lot of fun to explore with its various towers and little nooks and crannies. Just be careful because oddly enough it’s super slippery and people kept wiping out! For once I was able to keep my footing, but my friends weren’t so lucky.
I have become a bit of a castle snob after visiting places like Prague and Sintra, so this simplistic design didn’t really do it for me. To me, it looked like a giant colorless Lego castle. Nonetheless, the views made up for it.
My favorite part of the castle was the peacocks. There were so many hanging out in trees, sitting on ledges, and just walking around. I’ve always found peacock feathers to be one of the prettiest designs in the world, so this was a real treat for me.
Now unless you’re headed back to Pink Street for a wild night, get some rest because we’re only half way done with our two day Lisbon itinerary.
Day Two – The Outskirts
Belém Tower
Belém Tower was completed in the early 1500s, and it’s another UNESCO World Heritage Site! The Belém Tower used to be a defense mechanism and then later it was used as a prison surrounded by water. Maybe this is where they got the idea for Alcatraz?
I liked how the tower was actually in the water. It looked really cool from afar when we drove across the bridge because it looked like it was floating.
You can visit the tower on the inside and from the terrace on top. However, it’s not very big so they limit the number of visitors. Lines can get pretty long, so get your tickets ahead of time online.
Tip: The Belém tower is closed on Monday.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Next stop: the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. Jerónimos Monastery is yet ANOTHER World Heritage Site, and it’s only 5 minutes down the road from the last one. Way to go Lisbon, you big show off!
This architectural masterpiece was once a place for sailors to pray before they set out to sea.
Pasteis de Belem
No visit to Jerónimos is complete without stopping at the world-famous Pasteis de Belem shop to taste pasteles de nata, of which only a few people know the original recipe. Look for the blue roof and long line. You can’t miss it!
Pasteles de nata are the signature sweet of Portugal, and Pasteis de Belem serves the most famous ones in the country. A pastel de nata is basically an egg custard tart dusted with sugar and cinnamon. I was a little too excited for my first one, and I put WAY too much cinnamon on it. I was hacking up brown dust for the next half hour!
I was told these would be “the greatest thing you’ll ever put in your mouth,” but in my opinion they tasted exactly like a McDonald’s holiday pie. Now I’ve never met a pastry I didn’t like, but I was expecting a little bit more.
Pasteis de Belem is worth the trip to say you went, but truth be told you can find these popular pastries at almost any cafe across the city. Pasteis de Belem gets insanely crowded, so expect to wait in a pretty long line and definitely don’t expect to find a seat. I would suggest saving yourself some time and money and cafe-hop instead to sample different flavors.
If you’re not too full from stuffing your face with pasteles de nata, then a great place to grab lunch is the Time Out Market for affordable prices and a wide selection.
I would recommend hitting one of the lookouts in Alfama for sunset or the Castelo de São Jorge, whichever you weren’t able to get to the day before.
Is two days in Lisbon enough?
I only had two days in Lisbon when I visited, so I cut my second day short to take a day trip to Sintra. Truthfully, my time in Lisbon felt rushed because I didn’t have a full two days. I recommend spending two days in Lisbon to fully explore the city and everything on this list. Then, stay another day to catch one of the many great day trips from Lisbon, like Sintra or Cascais. These places are gorgeous and deserve more than just a few hours, which is all I was able to do.
All in all, do as I say, not as I do, and you’ll have an amazing two days in Lisbon!
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