Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is one of the most picturesque and vibrant cities in Europe. With its stunning architecture, rich history, delicious cuisine, and lively culture, it’s no wonder that Lisbon has become a popular destination for travelers from all over the world.

These days, I’m privileged enough to live in this magical city. When people come to visit, this is usually the itinerary we take. If you only have two days in Lisbon, these are the top can’t-miss sights!

Day 1

Grab a Pastel de Nata

It’s time to try Lisbon’s most delicious export. Pastel de nata is a Portuguese custard tart with a crisp and flaky shell but a warm and sweet filling.

Everyone has their own opinion about where Lisbon’s best pastel de nata can be found. Personally, I prefer the ones at Manteigaria.

Take a Free Walking Tour

Free walking tours aren’t really free, it’s expected you tip your guide at the end. But they’re a great way to get a quick overview of the city. The guides usually give restaurant suggestions that you won’t find in travel guides!

When my mom came to see me, the first thing we did was take a walking tour of Alfama, the oldest district in Lisbon. With its narrow streets, historic buildings, and traditional Fado music, Alfama is the perfect place to get a taste of Lisbon’s rich cultural heritage.

Most importantly, make sure to bring comfortable shoes! Lisbon is a city of hills, and the historic neighborhoods are located on some of the city’s highest points. Prepare for a lot of walking on steep and narrow cobblestone streets.

Shop at the Feira da Ladra

It’s shopping time! On Tuesdays and Saturdays, the streets outside the Pantheon transform into the Feira da Ladra, Lisbon’s biggest flea market. They have a good mix of vintage clothes, souvenirs, books, and all of your other standard flea market treasures!

Eat Lunch and People Watch

It’s the restaurant I always bring people to when I’m in Alfama. Focaccia en Giro is right next to the Fiera da Ladra and makes fantastic sandwiches with their house-made focaccia bread.

Visit the National Tile Museum

The National Tile Museum is a unique museum that showcases the art and history of azulejos, Portugal’s traditional tiles. The museum’s collection includes tiles from the 15th century to the present day, and visitors can learn about the different techniques and styles that have been used over the centuries.

The museum is housed in a 16th-century convent, and it’s a fascinating and educational attraction for anyone interested in Portuguese culture. They even offer tile painting workshops on the weekends!

Take a Tram Ride

Tram 28 is a historic tram line that winds its way through the narrow streets of Lisbon’s old town. Riding on the tram is a great way to see the city’s sights and feel its unique character. Be prepared for a bumpy ride, as the tram navigates the steep hills and tight corners of the city’s streets.

To get the same historic trolley experience while avoiding some of the crowds, try riding later in the day (after 6:00 – 9:00 pm) or taking a different route. Routes 25, 24, 18, and 12 all go through different historic neighborhoods in Lisbon and are never as crowded as Route 28.

Visit the St. George’s Castle

The St. George Castle may be Lisbon’s most misleading attraction. At first glance, it’s a stunning medieval fortress on a hilltop overlooking Lisbon. The castle was built in the 11th century by the Moors but was destroyed by the 1775 earthquake.

The castle you see today was completely rebuilt in the 1930s by dictator António Salazar. It was made to resemble a medieval European-styled castle, rather than the Moorish design it actually had.

It’s more of a Disneyland castle than a medieval one.

While it may not have the historic significance that you’d expect from looking at it, St. George’s Castle is still worth visiting. Visitors can climb the castle’s towers, take a stroll along the walls, and enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Enjoy a Fado Performance

Fado is a traditional Portuguese music genre that is often described as soulful and melancholic. It’s a form of singing that originated in Lisbon in the 19th century and is still popular today.

Most shows are going to be in the Alfama neighborhood, where the genre was created. Some Fado shows have dinner included, while other performances come with Port wine.

Day 2

Try a New Breakfast Cafe

There’s about to be a lot of walking on our itinerary, so we need to eat a big breakfast to prepare. Luckily, there are dozens of delicious brunch cafes all across the city. These are just a few of my Lisbon favorite breakfast cafes:

• Jeronymo – has a massive brunch special: juice, coffee, toast, pancakes, and eggs all for € 10.
• Hygge Kaffe – is a cozy Scandinavian cafe that has fantastic cinnamon rolls and air conditioning.
• Solo Brewing – has some of the best coffee in the city (they even have pumpkin spice lattes all year ’round!)
• Zenith Brunch and Cocktails – just like their Madrid location, they have unique breakfast combinations (I swear eggs carbonara and breakfast burgers taste better than they sound), strong mimosas, and free wifi.
• Dear Breakfast – a cute and trendy cafe with great coffee and even better breakfast sandwiches

Take a Day Trip to Sintra

Sintra is a small picturesque town located just outside of Lisbon. It is known for its fairy-tale castles, lush gardens, and stunning views.

To get there, take the train from the Rossio Station. Trains depart every half hour, and the ride takes about 45 minutes.

If you take anything away from this post, let it be this. Do NOT under any circumstances book a tuk-tuk ride from the train station to the castle. Learn from my mistakes.

Halfway through the drive, our tuk-tuk driver, Johnny, turned to my mom and me and said, “The traffic is too heavy to go down the main road. I know a hidden route, let’s go that way!”

And like the naive little fools we were, we said, “Sure thing, Johnny!”

Long story short, we end up ditched on the side of a mountain with no cell reception, no roads aside from a dirt trail, and a 50-minute walk from the nearest castle. Thanks, Johnny.

Either walk, take a bus, or a taxi. Or, save yourself all this hassle and take a guided tour instead.

Explore Pena Palace

Pena Palace is always listed as the #1 thing to do in Sintra. It’s a whimsical 18th-century castle on the city’s highest hill. You can even see the Atlantic Ocean from most of the towers!

The site used to hold a monastery, but the same earthquake that leveled Lisbon in the 1700s destroyed this too. Today, it’s a UNESCO Heritage Site and widely regarded as one of the best castles in Portugal.

Now a quick word of warning: Pena Palace will be crowded. There’s no getting around that. It doesn’t matter if you wake up at 6:00 am or visit in February. That’s just the nature of something being listed as #1 in the guidebooks.

Explore the Underground Tunnels of Quinta da Regaleira

Quinta da Regaleira is an eccentric manor on the outskirts of Sintra. While the house is pretty, it’s the garden that draws the attention of over a hundred thousand visitors each year.

Most mysterious of all is the Initiation Well – an inverted tower that spirals 27 meters under the ground. The manor owner was – allegedly – a member of the Knights of Templar and used the well in initiation ceremonies.

Initiates would be blindfolded and led down the spiral staircase, and tasked with finding their way back out. This is way harder than it sounds. The well is the entrance to an elaborate underground tunnel system. Some of these tunnels end abruptly at an underground lake.

Try Sintra’s Regional Pastry

Before heading back to Lisbon, take the time to wander around Sintra’s historic center and try a travesseiro, a traditional regional pastry. It was created at one of the oldest bakeries in Sintra, Casa Piriquita.

P.S. – they have a bakery in Lisbon too, a discovery that’s been disastrous to my wallet.

Enjoy a Traditional Portuguese Dinner

Portuguese cuisine is known for its fresh seafood, hearty stews, and delicious pastries. Some of the must-try dishes in Lisbon include pastéis de bacalhau (fried codfish pastries), bifana (pork sandwich), and piri piri chicken (spicy chicken grilled over charcoals).

My favorite Portuguese restaurant is Bonjardim. They’ve become significantly more popular in the last couple of years because the word has gotten out that they have the best piri-piri chicken in Lisbon.