Lisbon in 1 Day: Itinerary and Guide 2024

Lisbon is a vibrant capital city. There are museums, restaurants, sites, and experiences to keep you busy for days. But, most of us don’t have the time to explore cities for endless days.

So, if you’re short on time, these are the things to see in Lisbon in 1 day.

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Lisbon in 1 Day- Itinerary Overview

Morning– Belém – Belem Tower, Jeronimos Monastery, Pasteis de Belem

Afternoon – Free Audio Guide Tour of Lisbon

Evening– Fado Show or River Cruise

The Morning- Belém

Belém is a neighborhood in Lisbon but it’s kind of far out; up to 30 minutes outside of the city.

So, why is this on the list if you only have one day? There are not one but two UNESCO sites in Belém.

Two of the best sites in the whole city are here.

To have enough time to speed through everything, you’re going to have to start early.

The attractions don’t open until 10:00 a.m. but that’s okay we can still make this happen!

Belém Tower

You’ll want to be at Belém Tower by 9:00 a.m. It’s the farthest site away from the city center so we’re going to work our way back to see everything else. Find the timetable here so you can plan your day.

The tower opens at 10:00 a.m. but that doesn’t matter because you aren’t going to visit the inside. The exterior of the tower is the best part. The interior is one of the things cut out of your trip if you’re trying to see Lisbon in 1 day.

At 9:00 a.m. the light is perfect for pictures of the tower and the crowds haven’t arrived yet! Take some time taking pictures and admiring the outside.

Belém Tower was where goods entered the city during the height of its maritime explorations. It is very elaborately decorated so it will take a few minutes to admire it.

Discoveries Monument & April 25 Bridge

I wouldn’t put the Discoveries Monument and the Bridge on my “must-see” list. But, you’re going to walk right by them. So, here we are.

Walk along the water from Belém Tower to get to the Discoveries Monument. It honors the Portuguese explorers who helped solidify the country’s role during this time in history.

You’ll be able to see the bridge over the water as you walk. It looks like the Golden Gate Bridge.

Jeronimos Monastery

The monastery is the other UNESCO site in Belém.

Make sure to buy your tickets online before you get there. You won’t be able to buy them on-site. The monastery opens at 10:00 a.m. So, that’s when you want to get there!

Enter the monastery and you can admire the elaborate cloisters and take in the grandeur. This was one of my favorite places in the city.

During your visit, you’ll be able to go up to a balcony area that overlooks the neighboring church.

The Igreja Santa Maria is incredible. It’s not built like most churches. Instead, the way it’s constructed makes it look like it goes on forever! Take a few minutes to observe during the part of your visit.

You could choose to enter the church after you visit the monastery. It wouldn’t take long and if you’d like to see the tomb of Vasco de Gama you should.

Otherwise, keep moving so you have time for everything else.

Pasteis de Belém

Pastel de Nata is a pastry Portugal is known for. The story is that the original pastel de nata was born in Belém at the monastery and then the recipe was sold to a bakery in Belém. Pasteis de Belém opens at 8:00 a.m. so it will be open when you finish your tour of the monastery.

There may be a line but it moves quickly. So, head over and try some of the pastry for a mid-morning snack!

If you’re gluten-free like me, Zarzuela has gluten-free pastel de nata. They are near the main square you’ll be at later in the day if you’re following my itinerary.

Lunch

From Belém, head to Time Out Market in Cais do Sodré for lunch.

If you’re gluten-free Zarzuela is nearby and you should grab lunch there!

The Afternoon

Head to the main plaza in Lisbon’s city center; Praça do Comércio.

Walking Tour of Lisbon

Walking tours help you see so much of a city! For this particular day, I recommend the Rick Steeves Europe App. Just download the app and the Lisbon city walk. Be sure to bring headphones.

I love this option for a short day because you can start it when you’re ready and go as quickly or as slowly as you’d like. It also covers many of the things that were on my Lisbon bucket list.

Some highlights of the tour include:

• Baixia
• Bairro Alto
• Praças
• Ginjinha
• Rossio Square & Station
• Riding a funicular tram
• Miraduro São Pedro- My favorite view of the city because you can see the castle!
• Santa Justa Elevator
• Chiado

The tour has 101 minutes of audio. The tour took me 2.5 hours but we were moving slowly. So, plan 2 – 2.5 hours for your walking tour.

Take a Brief Break

After your walking tour, you may want to grab an ice cream or a snack in the square where the tour stops.

Grom is an ice cream shop that is gluten-free for my Celiac friends. But, the rest of you should eat there too!

Take a brief break to refuel and rest your feet before the last part of the day; there are so many things to see in Lisbon in 1 day!

The Evening

São Jorge Castle

After your break head to São Jorge Castle. The castle overlooks Lisbon and has some great views of the city. It doesn’t take a long time to explore the castle but it’s worth going up.

Since the castle is at the very top of the hill it’s wise to take transit up the hill (or an uber). Uber is quite affordable in Lisbon (as of 2022) so for a group of 3 or 4 it’s a great option. There is a good chance an Uber takes less time than transit too. Which is important on your one-day adventure in Lisbon.

Alfama

When you exit the castle you’ll be in Alfama. This little part of town is the oldest part of the city. So, it is home to windy hills and beautiful streets. Start winding your way down to the Sé (the cathedral). Take your time along the way. Alfama is the perfect area of the city for exploring!

When you get to the cathedral, you can go in but you don’t have to. You won’t feel like you’ve missed anything integral to the day. If you’re hanging out in front of the cathedral you can watch a very packed tram travel in front of it.

The streets are so steep, narrow, and curvy in Alfama that only the old-style trams can travel on them. It’s a popular thing for tourists but it’s a pain. I opted for the funicular ride on Rick Steeves’ tour instead and I have no regrets.

Dinner or A Fado Show

It’s time to find dinner! You can make a reservation at a restaurant in Alfama overlooking the city for a great view.

If you’re celiac I loved my meals at Local- Your Healthy Kitchen but there were lots of good options in Lisbon.

What if you’re visiting Lisbon on a Monday?

Why does it matter if you visit on a Monday?

The sites in Belém are closed on Mondays. So, if your one day in Lisbon happens to be a Monday. Skip the first part of the day and take a cruise or go to a Fado show in the evening instead. You’ll still get to see the outside of Belém Tower but you don’t have to spend as much of your time walking around the area.

What to Eat

Lisbon is home to many different options for food. Portuguese food and loads of other traditions as well. If you’re bold enough to try one of the dried cod dishes let me know how it is! I wasn’t able to because I’m celiac.

Make sure you try Pastel de Nata somewhere, even if it’s Monday and you don’t make it to Belém.

This isn’t a food but try ginjinha. It’s a sour cherry drink that was distilled as a cure for illnesses. It does taste a bit like cough syrup. It’s often served in a fun chocolate cup!

If you’re gluten-free, I’ve listed my favorite places for you!

What to Wear

The best piece of advice I can give you for Lisbon is to wear your most comfortable shoes with grippy soles. I have a pair of comfy loafers but I felt like I was skiing down the tiled hills in Lisbon. It wasn’t fun

Dress in layers. It’s cooler at the top of the hills than at the bottom of them. Plus, you’re going to be out walking all day so the temperature will fluctuate.

Bring a water bottle. With all of the walking, it’s super important that you stay hydrated.

Transit pass or not?

While you’ll be doing a fair bit of walking around the city. It is probably worth it to have a transit pass for the day. You’ll be taking transit to and from Belém, riding a funicular, heading up to Alfama, and possibly a few other rides on transit.

Getting to and from Belém is €3 each way and a 24-hour transit pass is €6.40. So, it’s worth it.

Buy it from the kiosks at the metro station. You can’t buy it online.

I don’t think the Lisbon Card is worth it for this day. You just don’t have enough time to visit the places that would make it worthwhile.

Is One Day in Lisbon Enough?

Honestly, no. One day in Lisbon isn’t enough. This plan is packed with things to see in Lisbon in 1 day but there are so many things that aren’t on the list.

Sintra for one.

Plus, it’s nice to be able to wander around Alfama and Bairro Alto without feeling rushed. Having at least 3 days in Lisbon would be ideal. Spend more time if you want to take some day trips.

But, if a day is all you have, trying to see the most of Lisbon in a day is a worthwhile endeavor!

Where to Sleep in Lisbon

If you have a night on either end of your marathon day in Lisbon these are my recommendations.

There are so many amazing neighborhoods and if you have time in Lisbon you can stay anywhere. But, to get the most out of one day in Lisbon you have to stay in a convenient location.

Baixa

Baixa is in the middle of Bairro Alto and Alfama. It’s centrally located and very well connected by transit. There are good hotel options here too.

There are so many things to see in Lisbon in 1 Day

If you’ve got one day to spend in Lisbon you won’t regret it. The city is so fun to explore. Plus, if you’re willing to have a long day and tired legs you can experience a lot of the city!

But, if you can spend more time in Lisbon, you won’t regret having more than 1 day.