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Voykit pocket guide · Portugal
Lisbon
Lisboa
Lisbon is a hills-and-cobbles city: do Alfama and Belém in the morning, ride the flat Baixa in the heat of the day, and never plan a walk that climbs with a suitcase.
Lisbon's sights are close on the map but stacked on steep, polished cobbles. The trips that go wrong are the ones that add a suitcase to a hill, queue an hour for Tram 28 in July, or arrive at the Jerónimos Monastery on a Monday when it is closed. Five walking clusters cover a first visit; Sintra and Cascais are trips away from one kept bed.
- Country
- Portugal
- Local name
- Lisboa
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- Europe/Lisbon
- Stay
- 2 days: Baixa + Alfama morning, Belém afternoon
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; carry a few euros for small cafés, kiosks and tram tickets. Decline dynamic currency conversion at ATMs and terminals.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–130 excl. bed · High €130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Install an eSIM before you fly, or buy a SIM at the airport arrivals shops (passport needed).
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112
- Plugs
- 230 V; two-pin round sockets (type F, also C). Bring an adapter if your plugs are flat.
- Tipping
- Not expected. Round up or leave 5–10% for good table service.
- Water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Toilets
- Cafés, malls and museums; public toilets are rare.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Espresso (bica) at a café counter | €0.80-1.60 |
| Pastel de nata | €1.30-2.50 |
| Prato do dia (set lunch) | €10-16 |
| Beer: imperial / bottle in a bar | €1.50-3 / €3-5 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) ride-hail car3.1 mi (5 km) ride-hail car | €6-12 |
| Metro or bus ride | about €1.80 plus a €0.50 card |
| Museum or monument entry | €8-20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
- LIS to Baixa: one ride-hail car or taxi from the rank, about 20–35 minutes at a fare near €15–25 — the risk is not the ride but a guesthouse door that locks at midnight.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Lisboa Santa Apolónia (Estação de Santa Apolónia) | Porto, Coimbra and long-distance trains (Alfa Pendular) | Metro blue line or a car 10 min; walkable to Alfama |
| Lisboa Oriente (Gare do Oriente) | Fast trains to Porto, Faro; buses; metro | Metro red line 15-20 min |
| Rossio station (Estação do Rossio) | Sintra line | In the centre |
| Cais do Sodré (Estação do Cais do Sodré) | Cascais line and the Cacilhas ferry | Walk 10 min |
| Sete Rios and Oriente bus stations (Terminal Rodoviário de Sete Rios) | Rede Expressos, FlixBus and regional buses | Metro or car |
Typical fares
- Airport to Baixa, metro red line
- about €2.30 with a card, 25 min
- Airport to Baixa, app car
- €15-25, 20-30 min
- Baixa to Belém, tram 15 or train
- about €1.50-3, 20-30 min
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster, and use the metro, tram or app cars between them. Hills and cobbles make Alfama and Bairro Alto slow; the metro and a Viva Viagem card make the flat parts easy. Avoid Tram 28 in peak hours.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside Baixa, Chiado, Alfama and Belém |
| Metro | about €1.80 plus a €0.50 card (check) | Airport, Oriente, flat crossings |
| Tram (Carris) | about €3 on board; cheaper with a card | Tram 15 to Belém; Tram 28 for the ride |
| Funiculars and elevators | about €4 or included in a day pass | Bica, Glória, Lavra, Santa Justa |
| Ride-hail car or taxi | €5-10 across the centre | Hills, bags, night |
| Train | €1.50-3 | Belém, Cascais, Sintra |
| Ferry | about €1.50-2 | Cacilhas and the south bank |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- A 24-hour transport ticket pays back at three or more rides; short taxi hops up the hills are cheap.
- Late at night
- The metro stops around 01:00; ride-hailing runs all night.The metro stops around 1:00 AM; ride-hailing runs all night.
See and do
01Belém: monastery and pastryMosteiro dos Jerónimos
The finest Manueline building in Portugal and the shop that made the custard tart famous.
Hours: best Tue-Sun at opening · Price: €12-18 plus pastries · Time: 2-3 h
02São Jorge CastleCastelo de São Jorge
The best all-round view of the city and a walk along old walls.
Hours: best Opening or late afternoon · Price: €15-16 · Time: 1-1.5 h
03Praça do Comércio and Baixa on footPraça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço)
The grid the Marquis of Pombal built after 1755, ending at the river.
Hours: best Morning or golden hour · Price: Free · Time: 1-1.5 h · 38.7075, -9.1364
04Carmo ConventConvento do Carmo
A roofless Gothic church that turns the earthquake into a single image.
Hours: best Late morning · Price: €5-7 · Time: 30-45 min
05Sé and the Alfama descentSé Patriarcal de Lisboa
Romanesque cathedral and lanes leading down to the river; best done downhill.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free; cloister €5 · Time: 1.5-2 h · 38.7098, -9.1330
06Time Out Market for a first mealMercado da Ribeira
A covered hall with many stalls: a low-risk introduction to Portuguese food.
Hours: best 12:00 or 15:00 · Price: €12-25 · Time: 1 hHours: best 12:00 PM or 3:00 PM · Price: €12-25 · Time: 1 h · 38.7067, -9.1460
07ManteigariaManteigaria Fábrica de Pastéis de Nata
Custard tarts baked in view; less crowded than Belém.
Hours: best Morning or afternoon · Price: €1.30-2.50 · Time: 15-20 min · 38.7104, -9.1442
08A fado evening
The music of Lisbon in a small house; the best way to spend a night.
Hours: best Evening · Price: €20-50 · Time: 2-3 h
09Sunset at a miradouro
Terraces over the roofs and the river; a drink from the kiosk.
Hours: best Sunset · Price: Free; drinks extra · Time: 1 h
10Sintra day trip
Palaces and forests 40 minutes away by train; needs an early start.
Hours: best Weekday, opening · Price: €10-20 per palace plus transport · Time: Full day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sintra (palaces) | Train from Rossio about 40 min each way, then a local bus or taxi | Full day — leave before 09:00Full day — leave before 9:00 AM |
| Cascais and the coast | Train from Cais do Sodré about 40 min each way | Half or full day |
| Évora | Train or bus about 1.5 h each way | Full day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Brasileira | Bica and a pastry at the counter · Chiado | €2-6 | Budget |
| Manteigaria | Pastel de nata · Chiado | €1.30-2.50 | Budget |
| A Ginjinha | Ginjinha shot · Rossio | €1.50-3 | Budget |
| Prato do dia at a tasca | Set lunch of the day · Baixa, Alfama, Graça | €8-14 | Budget |
| Cervejaria Ramiro | Seafood: prawns, clams, crab · Intendente | €35-70 | Mid-range |
| Time Out Market Lisboa | A meal from several stalls · Cais do Sodré | €12-25 | Mid-range |
| Pastéis de Belém | Pastéis de Belém with coffee · Belém | €4-8 | Mid-range |
| Tasting menus in Chiado and Príncipe Real | Multi-course Portuguese tasting menus · Chiado, Príncipe Real, Avenida da Liberdade | €90-250 (check) | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate in euros. Addresses and hours change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | €25-45 dorm bed; €70-110 private room | Baixa, Bairro Alto, Alfama | Hostels and guesthouses |
| mid | €120-220 | Baixa, Chiado, Príncipe Real | Boutique hotels and 3-4 star chains |
| splurge | €300-800+ | Avenida da Liberdade, Chiado, riverfront | Grand hotels and design hotels |
| mid | €100-220 | Apartments in Alfama, Graça, Baixa | Serviced apartments |
Per room per night in euros, 2026 estimate; June, August and New Year add 20-60%.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / good morning | Olá / Bom diaoh-LAH / bom DEE-ah |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigadaoh-bree-GAH-doo / -dah |
| An espresso, please | Uma bica, por favorOO-ma BEE-ka poor fa-VOR |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOSH-ta |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favorah KON-ta poor fa-VOR |
| To this address, please | Para esta morada, por favorPAH-ra ESH-ta moo-RAH-da poor fa-VOR |
| Delicious | Deliciosodeh-lee-see-OH-zoo |
| Excuse me | Desculpedesh-KOOLP |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Say bom dia, boa tarde or boa noite when you enter a shop or café; a handshake or a kiss on each cheek among friends.
- Meal times: Lunch 12:30-14:30; dinner from about 20:00. Kitchens are often closed between meals.
- Tipping: Not expected; round up or leave 5-10% for good service.
- Churches: Cover shoulders and knees, no flash, and keep quiet during services.
- The couvert: Bread, olives and cheese put on the table are charged if you eat them; send them back if you do not want them.
- Queues: Orderly at counters; in cafés you may order at the bar and pay first or after (check).
- Fado: Silence during a song; applaud at the end; do not talk or use a phone.
Red lines
- Churches and monasteries: cover shoulders and knees, no flash, keep quiet during services.
- Do not photograph residents at close range in Alfama doorways and balconies.
Scams and watch-outs
- Bread, olives and cheese placed on the table are charged if you touch them: send them back if you do not want them.
- Tuk-tuk drivers quote a price per person or per stop: agree the total in writing before you climb in.
- Sellers who whisper 'hashish' in Baixa and Bairro Alto sell fakes and attract trouble: decline and keep walking.
- Unlicensed drivers at the airport arrivals hall: use the taxi rank or a ride-hailing app.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover or the day before a Sintra trip. Skip: Sintra and Cascais: both need a day.
- 09:009:00 AMSão Jorge Castle at opening
- 11:0011:00 AMWalk down through Alfama to the Sé
- 13:001:00 PMLunch in Baixa; Praça do Comércio
- 15:303:30 PMTram 15 or train to Belém for the monastery (not Monday)
- 17:305:30 PMPastel de nata
- 20:008:00 PMDinner and fado, or a sunset viewpoint
2 days
The usual Lisbon stay. Skip: Sintra and a second museum on the same day.
Day 1 - Alfama and Baixa
- 09:009:00 AMCastle at opening
- 11:3011:30 AMSé and down through Alfama
- 13:001:00 PMLunch
- 17:305:30 PMMiradouro at sunset
Day 2 - Belém and Chiado
- 09:309:30 AMMonastery (Tue-Sun)
- 11:3011:30 AMTower of Belém and pastry
- 14:002:00 PMChiado and the Carmo Convent
- 16:004:00 PMCoffee at A Brasileira
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Lisboa (official): www.visitlisboa.com/
- Visit Portugal (official): www.visitportugal.com/
- Wikivoyage — Lisbon: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Lisbon
- Wikitravel: Lisbon: wikitravel.org/en/Lisbon
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
LisbonLisboa
Por favor, leve-me a este endereço
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Mosteiro dos JerónimosJerónimos Monastery
- Castelo de São JorgeSão Jorge Castle
- Praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço)Praça do Comércio
- Convento do CarmoCarmo Convent
- Sé Patriarcal de LisboaSé de Lisboa (cathedral)
- Mercado da RibeiraTime Out Market Lisboa
- Police, fire, ambulance112
Most embassies are in Estrela, Sete Rios and the Avenida da Liberdade area. Write your own embassy line below.
Show the street and number; hills and one-way streets make drivers ask for the exact door.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/lisbon). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.