How many days in Lisbon? 4 days including Sintra
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Plan three days for Lisbon itself plus one for Sintra. The city is small but built on seven steep hills, so it is slower to walk than the map suggests: Baixa to the castle is only 1 km but climbs 90 metres. Spend one day in the old Moorish quarter, one in Belém by the river, one in the hilltop neighbourhoods of Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real, and give Sintra's palaces a full day.
Short answer
With three days, swap Sintra for a half-day and lose LX Factory. With four you can see Lisbon at a walking pace, which is the only pace its hills allow.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Baixa, Alfama and the castle
Morning. Start in Praça do Comércio, the riverside square rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, and walk up through the grid of the Baixa. Take the Tram 28 up to Alfama early (before 9:00) or skip it and walk 20 minutes uphill to São Jorge Castle (about €15), whose ramparts look over the whole city.
Afternoon. Walk down through Alfama's alleys to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia and the Sé cathedral. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, the Feira da Ladra flea market fills Campo de Santa Clara, 10 minutes east.
Evening. Fado started in Alfama. Small fado houses charge either a cover fee or a minimum spend of €25-40 with dinner; arrive by 20:00. Listen in silence: talking during a song is considered rude.
Tram 28 has queues of an hour at Martim Moniz by mid-morning and is crowded with pickpockets. Board early at an intermediate stop, or use the much emptier Tram 12 loop for the same streets.
Day 2: Belém and the river
Morning. Take Tram 15E from Praça da Figueira (about 30 minutes) to Belém. The Jerónimos Monastery opens at 9:30 and the cloister is Manueline Gothic at its most elaborate; prices rose recently, so check the official ticket price. Queue for the custard tarts at Pastéis de Belém, open since 1837; the line moves fast and a tart costs under €2.
Afternoon. Walk 15 minutes along the river to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and the Belém Tower (book ahead; it has a strict visitor limit). Then continue east along the riverside to MAAT, the wave-roofed art museum, whose roof you can walk on for free.
Evening. Get off the tram at LX Factory, a former textile mill under the 25 de Abril bridge, now shops, bars and Ler Devagar, a bookshop with a bicycle flying through it. It is busiest on Sunday afternoons.
Jerónimos is closed on Mondays, and many museums in Lisbon are closed on Mondays too. Do not put this day on a Monday.
Day 3: Chiado, Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real
Morning. Coffee at A Brasileira in Chiado (1905), then the Carmo Convent, a church left roofless since the 1755 earthquake (about €7). The Santa Justa lift goes from Baixa up to Carmo; it costs about €6, but the top platform can be reached from Carmo for less.
Afternoon. Walk up to Príncipe Real, with its cedar garden, concept stores and the Saturday organic market. Then lunch at the Time Out Market in Mercado da Ribeira by Cais do Sodré: 30-odd stalls, mains €12-18.
Evening. The Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara looks across to the castle at sunset. Then go into Bairro Alto, where after 22:00 the narrow streets fill with people drinking €2-3 beers outside the bars.
Lisbon's pavements are polished limestone and very slippery after rain. Wear shoes with grip.
Day 4: Sintra
Morning. Take the train from Rossio station (about 40 minutes, a few euros each way). In Sintra, take bus 434 or a tuk-tuk up to the Pena Palace, a red and yellow 19th-century fantasy on a hilltop. Book a timed ticket for the palace interior (about €20 for park and palace) and arrive for the first slot.
Afternoon. Walk 15 minutes down to the Moorish Castle walls, then visit Quinta da Regaleira in town, with its initiation well, a nine-storey spiral staircase underground (about €12-15).
Evening. Eat a travesseiro (almond pastry) at Piriquita in Sintra town before the train back. With energy left, continue on bus 403 to Cabo da Roca, Europe's westernmost point, and back to Lisbon via Cascais.
Sintra's roads are jammed by 11:00 in summer. Take the 8:00-9:00 train from Rossio; do not drive.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, do Days 1 and 2, then go to Sintra on Day 3 but see only the Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira. You lose Bairro Alto, Príncipe Real and LX Factory, which you can partly fit into your evenings.
Got extra days?
For a 5th day, take the 40-minute train from Cais do Sodré along the coast to Cascais for its beaches and the Boca do Inferno cliffs, or cross the river by ferry to Cacilhas for fish restaurants with a view back at the city.
Where to stay in Lisbon
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Intendente / Arroios | Up-and-coming, cheaper, on the green metro line; 15 minutes on foot to the Baixa. | €80-120 |
| Mid-range | Baixa / Chiado | Flat, central and close to every tram and metro line; the easiest base for a first visit. | €130-210 |
| Mid-range | Alfama | Most atmospheric, but steep and hard to reach with a suitcase; taxis cannot reach every door. | €110-180 |
| Comfort | Príncipe Real / Avenida da Liberdade | Quiet, leafy and elegant, with boutique hotels and good restaurants. | €220-400 |
Getting around
Buy a reloadable Navegante card at any metro station; a single metro or bus journey is about €1.85 on the card (more if you pay the driver), and a 24-hour pass for metro, trams, buses and the funiculars costs about €7. The red metro line reaches the airport in about 20-25 minutes. Expect steep climbs: use the funiculars (Glória, Bica) and the Santa Justa lift as part of your route rather than as sights.
Best time to visit
April-June and September-October give highs of 20-27°C. July and August are hot (around 28°C, sometimes above 35°C) and the busiest, though the Atlantic breeze helps. In June the city celebrates the Santo António festival (around 12-13 June) with street grills of sardines. Winters are mild but rainy.
Month-by-month weather for Lisbon →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €45 | €85 | €160 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €40 | €80 |
| Sights & tickets | €12 | €30 | €45 |
| Local transport | €4 | €7 | €20 |
| Total per person, per day | about €80 | about €160 | about €305 |
Approximate 2026 prices. Lisbon charges a tourist tax of about €4 per person per night (up to 7 nights), paid at the hotel.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Lisbon walkable?
Yes, but it is hilly and the pavements are slippery limestone. Plan your days downhill: take a tram or funicular up and walk down.
Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
It includes transport and the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, so it can pay off on your Belém day. It does not cover the Sintra palaces.
Can I do Sintra as a half-day trip?
You can see one palace in a half-day, but the town's buses and queues are slow. A full day lets you see Pena and Quinta da Regaleira without rushing.
Where should I hear fado?
In Alfama or Mouraria in a small house, not a big dinner show. Expect a minimum spend and to sit quietly during songs.
How this guide was made
Written by hand, without AI, from experience planning Lisbon trips. Prices and opening days are approximate for 2026 and change often; confirm on the official Parques de Sintra, Monastery of Jerónimos, São Jorge Castle and Carris/Metro de Lisboa websites before booking.
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