I spent two days in Lisbon in mid-January, but as I wrote in the title: you need much more time for the Portuguese capital and its surroundings!
I arrived in Lisbon from Fuerteventura and stayed in an Airbnb apartment. The city is quite hilly, so it’s important to choose your accommodation well if you don’t like walking on steep streets.
And most importantly: it’s worth spending at least four days here, as a full day is needed for the Sintra-Cabo da Roca-Cascais trio, which can be visited in a circular tour. (I only managed to visit Sintra this time.)
Exceptionally, I won’t write much now, let the pictures speak for themselves!
Lisbon
A must-do: ride the tram through the city center.
One of Lisbon’s most iconic buildings, the Belém Tower. It’s worth taking a walk in the area and having a coffee in an open space:
Nearby is the Jerónimos Monastery, whose church houses Vasco da Gama’s tomb. There’s always a long queue, so I didn’t go inside.
For me, one mandatory museum was on the agenda, the Azulejo Museum. Beautiful tiles everywhere and the church inside is an incredible sight:
Besides the trams, you should also try the funiculars. There are three lines, all in the city center. But don’t expect a long ride, it’s more of a fun experience:
There are several viewpoints in the city, with St. George’s Castle in the background:
A night view from another viewpoint:
If you want to visit a park, let it be the Eduardo VII Park:
Lisbon’s famous bridge is the 25th of April Bridge, which resembles the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The best view is from the Christ statue on the other side of the Tagus:
And this is how they liven up Lisbon’s atmosphere:
Sintra
Outside of Lisbon, if there’s a place you must see, it’s Sintra. There are many beautiful buildings, palaces, and gardens within the town, and it’s easily accessible by a half-hour train ride.
What you absolutely can’t miss is the Quinta da Regaleira. The castle and its park are a beautiful sight, and the underground passages make the visit even more exciting:
Another popular spot is the castle towering above the town, the Castle of the Moors. You can walk along the walls built by the Moors, with spectacular views everywhere. The most beautiful part is at the very top, where you can see the yellow and red Pena National Palace opposite:
