View over the rooftops of Alfama and the Tagus from Portas do Sol
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Lisbon in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 6.7 km on foot
  • 17 stops
  • Audio guide

Two days let Lisbon fall into order: one for the centre and the river, the other for the castle hill. You add Belém, with its monuments from the Age of Discovery, and a viewpoint and a tile museum for the second afternoon. The pace is brisk but leaves room for long lunches, with the tram and the train doing the heavy lifting.

Day 1From Chiado to Belém

In the morning, “The best of Lisbon: from the Baixa to Chiado and back to the river”, with the Santa Justa Lift and A Brasileira. For lunch, take the train or tram to Belém and have a pastel de nata at Pastéis de Belém. The afternoon belongs to the Jerónimos and the tower by the Tagus. Head back to the centre for “Dark Lisbon: inquisitors, ravens and a curse”, from Rossio to Santa Engrácia. Finish with a bacalhau à Brás after a day of contrasts.

  1. Morning

    The best of Lisbon: from the Baixa to Chiado and back to the river

    Mixed · 2.6 km · 2 h 5 min

    1. RossioLisbon's people's square since the Middle Ages, with wave-patterned paving that ended up travelling all the way to Rio de Janeiro.
    2. Santa Justa LiftA lacy iron tower that has carried Lisboetas from the Baixa up to Carmo since 1902, and which Eiffel did not design.
    3. Carmo Convent and Largo do CarmoA Gothic church left roofless by the earthquake, and a square where a dictatorship fell in 1974.
    4. Miradouro de São Pedro de AlcântaraA garden on two terraces with all of Lisbon spread out in front of you: the castle, the Baixa and the eastern hills.
    5. Chiado and A BrasileiraThe poets' quarter, where Fernando Pessoa still sits outside his café and where the word ‘bica’ was born.
    6. Rua Augusta ArchThe triumphal arch that crowns the Lisbon rebuilt after the earthquake and opens the city to the river.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Pastel de nata at Pastéis de Belém. Rua de Belém, 84-92

  3. Afternoon

    Jerónimos Monastery

    A masterpiece of Manueline architecture in Belém, with a two-storey cloister carved like lace and, in the church, the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Camões. Take tram 15 or the train from Cais do Sodré; booking ahead is wise.

    Directions

    Belém Tower

    A 16th-century defensive tower on the bank of the Tagus, a World Heritage Site together with the Jerónimos. It is a short riverside stroll from the monastery. If there's a queue, admiring it from outside is enough: the inner staircase is narrow.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Dark Lisbon: inquisitors, ravens and a curse

    Mysteries & legends · 2.4 km · 1 h 50 min

    1. Rossio and the Inquisition palaceWhere a theatre now stands, Portugal's most feared court sat for more than two centuries.
    2. Church of São DomingosA church with fire-cracked columns, where in 1506 the worst massacre in Lisbon's history began.
    3. Church of Saint AnthonyAccording to tradition, Lisbon's best-loved saint was born here: the one who finds lost things and arranges marriages.
    4. Lisbon Cathedral and the ravens of Saint VincentA boat, two ravens and a martyr's relics: the legend that became Lisbon's coat of arms.
    5. Church of Santa Engrácia (National Pantheon)The church that took 284 years to finish, and the curse of a condemned young man who, so the story goes, predicted it.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Bacalhau à Brás at Martinho da Arcada. Praça do Comércio, 3

Day 2Olisipo and the viewpoint

Begin with “From Olisipo to the earthquake: twenty centuries uphill”, from Praça do Comércio to São Jorge Castle, via the Sé and the Roman theatre. A good aperitif is the ginjinha at A Ginjinha, on Largo de São Domingos, before lunch. In the afternoon, climb to Miradouro da Graça for the view of the castle from across the valley, then take a bus or taxi down to the National Tile Museum.

  1. Morning

    From Olisipo to the earthquake: twenty centuries uphill

    History · 1.7 km · 1 h 45 min

    1. Praça do ComércioThe kings' palace stood here until the morning of 1 November 1755 wiped it off the map.
    2. Casa dos BicosA palace bristling with stone spikes, built with Indian fortune and now watched over by an olive tree holding Saramago's ashes.
    3. Lisbon Cathedral (Sé)The cathedral raised by Portugal's first king after conquering the city, built like a fortress and scarred by several earthquakes.
    4. Roman TheatreBeneath the houses of Alfama slept a theatre dedicated to Nero, forgotten by everyone until 1798.
    5. Miradouro de Santa LuziaA balcony over Alfama where two tile panels show you the Lisbon the earthquake swallowed.
    6. São Jorge CastleAt the top of the hill, the fortress that was a Moorish citadel, a royal palace and the setting of the 1147 conquest.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Ginjinha at A Ginjinha. Largo de São Domingos, 8

  3. Afternoon

    Miradouro da Graça

    A pine-shaded viewpoint with a café terrace at the top of the hill, facing São Jorge Castle. It is one of Lisbon's best spots for the Baixa rooftops and the Tagus in afternoon light, and a gentle uphill walk from the castle.

    Directions

    National Tile Museum

    Housed in the former Madre de Deus convent, it traces the history of the azulejo from the 15th century and holds the Great Panorama of Lisbon from before the earthquake. It lies east of the centre: take a bus or taxi and allow a solid hour.

    Directions

The map

Lisbon in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Lisbon in 2 days

  • Buy a rechargeable transport card for tram 15, the metro and the train to Belém: it saves time and spares you paying for every single ride.
  • Many monuments and museums close one fixed day a week, often Monday in Belém; check the closing day and book the Jerónimos ahead.
  • The second afternoon is uphill: carry water, avoid the hottest hours, and use the tram or a bus to reach the tile museum.

Questions

Lisbon in 2 days: your questions

Is 2 days enough for Lisbon?

It covers the essentials and lets you step out of the centre: Baixa, Chiado, Belém, Alfama and the castle. There is little room for long museum visits or day trips to Sintra or Cascais, which deserve a day of their own, but it makes a great first trip.

How far do you walk in 2 days?

The routes in the plan add up to about 6.7 km: 5 on the first day (essential and mysteries) and 1.7 on the second. With strolls around Belém and the viewpoints, expect 8 to 10 km on day one and 6 or 7 on day two.

Is Belém worth the trip?

Yes, if the Age of Discovery interests you and you want to see the most famous Manueline architecture. The Jerónimos and the tower fit into half a day, and the pastel de nata there is a classic. With only one day, stay in the centre instead.

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