How to Spend 3 Days in Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is known for its colorful buildings, spectacular coastline, delicious seafood, nightlife, and fado music. After my second trip to Lisbon back in September, I got a better idea of the landscape, the top things to do, and where to stay. This might be my favorite time of year to visit Europe after visiting in the spring of 2019. The weather is still warm without the summer crowds and prices.
Where to Stay:
Lisbon consists of many neighborhoods, and depending on your goals for your stay; it can be helpful to choose your area accordingly. Thankfully, Lisbon is very walkable (beware of the hills, though!), so within reason, you can make your way around the city fairly quickly. Here are some neighborhoods I would suggest staying in on your first few visits to Lisbon:
Chiado- This neighborhood is in the heart of the city nearby many museums, Time Out Market, and other restaurants and shops.
Baixa- Baixa is an excellent neighborhood for sightseeing Rua Augusta Arch and Praça do Comércio. The Santa Justa elevator can also be found in this neighborhood.
Bairro Alto- Get ready to party. This neighborhood offers the best nightlife, including many incredible restaurants, bars, and clubs.
We stayed at 9 Hotel Mercy, about a 20-minute drive from the airport. This boutique hotel is close to the historic center of Lisbon and has a rooftop bar and breakfast buffet. The rooms are renovated using modern black and golden tones, and our room had a little outside balcony to sit on if the weather allowed. Let's face it, the weather in Lisbon usually does.
The Ivens - When we booked our trip, no rooms were available here, but we enjoyed the beautiful bar in the lobby. If you can fit this hotel into your budget, I highly recommend it looked lovely!
Where to Eat:
Time Out Market- My favorite food hall in any city I've visited. Stop by for lunch, dinner, or a drink. All the stalls serve delicious food, so everyone can find something they'll love.
By the Wine- The cutest spot to grab a glass of green wine before dinner or stay for a late-night dinner in Chiado.
Javá- Grab a drink at sunset for incredible city views, or make a dinner reservation to enjoy Mediterranean Flavors over the grill.
Palácio Chiado- Unique restaurant inside an old palace. This was one of our favorite dinner spots.
TOPO Martim Moniz- Cool rooftop spot to grab drinks in an old mall. It can be challenging to find but take the elevator to the top for incredible views.
The Ivens- Scroll up to read about this stunning hotel. We enjoyed drinks at the side tables in the bar. The interior design is incredible; make sure to check out the bathrooms which
Leonetta- This pasta restaurant was a dream come true. The interior is stunning, and we had a view of the kitchen, so we got to see the creation of all the delicious dishes.
Where to Shop:
Avenida da Liberdade: If you want to hit the designer shops, this street is for you! Think Cartier, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci. The best part about shopping for designer items in Europe is that it is cheaper than in the United States, and you receive a VAT refund, aka money back at the airport.
Rua do Carmo: Shopping area near the Elevador de Santa Justa that's home to stores like Zara, Pull & Bear, Mango, and H&M. You'll also find Armazens do Chiado, a small indoor shopping mall with tons of stores and places to grab an espresso or snack and use the restroom.
LxFactory: This once-abandoned industrial area now houses independent shops, stalls, and restaurants. LxFactory is a hub for artists, locals, and tourists alike. If you want to shop, grab a bite to eat, or walk around to see something new, check out LxFactory.
Now that you have a list of the hot spots in Lisbon, here's how to divide your 3-day trip to maximize your time in the city. While we did our best to see the significant sites, there's a lot to see, and we'd rather grab an Aperol Spritz than visit some of the smaller museums. Here's how to spend 3 days in Lisbon, Portugal.
Here's how to spend 3 days in Lisbon, Portugal.
DAY 1: Arrive in Lisbon
If you're flying from the states, you'll likely land in the morning after an overnight flight from the east coast. We landed around 11 am and hit the ground running. Avoid napping through the jet lag and ruining your first day in Europe! Push through the tiredness and go to bed early rather than taking naps.
We took a cab from the airport (about 20 minutes), dropped our bags at the hotel, and hit the streets of Lisbon. After eating strange travel meals for hours prior, we all were craving delicious food and maybe a cocktail. We walked to the Time Out Market food hall, so we could all choose our own meal. I grabbed a sushi roll at Confraria Sushi and an Aperol Spritz from the Aperol bar.
After lunch, we walked down Pink Street. This street was painted in the 2000s to help spruce up the area. Now it's an incredible place to eat, drink, and dance. If you want an Instagram picture, visit earlier in the day, but if you're visiting for drinks and nightlife, head down this street later in the evening to see how the Portuguese Party.
Then we kept walking back towards our hotel to check out the Santa Justa Lift. This attraction draws in large crowds and might not be worth waiting in line for if you're tight on time. We quickly passed by while shopping before heading back to the room to unpack and get ready for dinner.
Europeans eat dinner later than we're used to (and I'm all in favor of the early bird special), so plan to make reservations later because many restaurants don't open until 7pm. We grabbed a drink at 6:30 at By the Wine, my favorite wine bar that my friend and I actually stumbled upon three years ago. I knew I had to bring my family to check it out, most notably to try some green wine.
After a couple of glasses, we walked to Javá for our 8:15 pm dinner reservation. This trendy rooftop bar & restaurant offers incredible panoramic city views. If I lived in Lisbon, I would come here for a birthday dinner or grab dinner and drinks before a fun night out with friends.
DAY 2: Sightseeing in Lisbon
Kick off the day early by venturing to Tram 28, one of the best ways to see more of the city. We got there early, around 8:30 am, to avoid the crowds. A single ticket costs 3 euros, or you can get a 24-hour for 6.40, but this must be purchased at the metro station.
Insider Tip from Lisbon Lisboa Portugal: This 24-ticket provides immense value for tourists as you can ride the Elevador de Santa Justa, the Elevador de Gloria, and all the tram routes.
We hopped off the tram at Largo das Portas do Sol to check out the viewpoint and get a coffee and some pastries for breakfast at the cafe at the top. If you plan to visit Castelo de São Jorge, this is the perfect place to stop.
We booked a tour of the Castle at 10 am, and I recommend doing so to avoid the lines, especially if you visit during peak seasons. Thankfully, we arrived early enough the lines had not formed, but our tour guide would have allowed us to cut the queue.
After our tour, we left the property to see a massive line had formed down the hill. In hindsight, we probably didn’t need the Guide, but if you like knowing more of the history and want peace of mind not to wait in line, it was worth the slightly higher ticket price. We booked with Get Your Guide and had a fantastic tour guide.
After our tour, it was time for lunch, so we walked down the hill towards the riverside Terreiro do Paço to see the Portuguese calçada (sidewalk pavement) from the top of Arco da Rua Augusta. We popped in a church and a few shops on the way down and finally settled at a riverside cafe for lunch.
After a couple Spritz’s (who’s surprised), I suggested we walk to LxFactory to do some more sightseeing and shopping. While this is technically walkable, it’s not the most pedestrian-friendly area. Next time, I would jump in an uber to save time and sweat.
LxFactory has the cutest shops and cafes, so you could also get lunch here to see another area of Lisbon. After walking around LxFactory, we returned to the hotel to freshen up and get ready for drinks at The Ivens Hotel.
Then we had dinner at Palácio Chiado, which we all agreed might have been our favorite meal in Lisbon. Make a reservation, as this place filled up fast. The restaurant sits in an old mansion with interiors fit for a King.
DAY 3: Day Trip to Sintra
Dare I say my day trips to Sintra have been some of my favorite memories of visiting Portugal? I’ve been twice and loved the experience both times.
Check out my 1 Day in Sintra: How to Plan the Perfect Day Trip blog post for all the nitty gritty details for visiting Sintra from Lisbon.
After you spend the morning in Sintra (all you need in my opinion), you can spend your last afternoon in Lisbon either:
Visiting the Belém Tower
Shopping
Happy Hour (a crowd favorite)
We opted out of the first two as I had visited the Belém Tower, and my family wasn’t dying to visit this monument. You can take the tram to Belem or hop in an uber.
For drinks, I love TOPO Martim Moniz. This rooftop bar offers an incredible view of Lisbon. It’s walkable from the hotel, but warning it’s up quite a few hills, so wear comfortable shoes.
Then for our last night in Lisbon, we walked to a neighborhood we hadn’t yet ventured to, Príncipe Real. We ate at Leonetta, an incredibly authentic Italian spot. We had a view of the kitchen and the dishes being prepared, which made the whole experience much better.
On the walk home, we saw some cool bars with many young people out, so if you’re looking for more nightlife, stay around this area after dinner and see where the night takes you.