Lisbon Travel Guide - 10 Best Things To Do in Lisbon

Hey guys, we're Ian and Anna and we've spent a total of three months traveling around the beautiful country of Portugal. We have videos on places like Porto, the Algarve, even Madeira Island, so definitely check those out if you're interested. But for now, we are finally visiting the capital city of Lisbon and we can't wait to share with you the top 10 things to do in Lisbon. Let's start with number 10, the Tagus River Cruise. Stretching over 1,000 kilometers or 625 miles, the Tagus River flows through Spain and Portugal, making it the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. The Tagus flows right through Lisbon where it meets the Atlantic Ocean and is a massive part of Lisbon's history, especially during the Age of Exploration. After walking the hilly streets of Lisbon for a couple days, we knew we wanted to see the city from the water, so we booked a two-hour sunset cruise. We met our captain Paulo underneath the April 25th Bridge and he took us right to his sailboat to start our journey. The first thing we got to do is sail right underneath the April 25th Bridge and wow, did it look exactly like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. This bridge was originally named Salazar Bridge after Antonio Salazar, who was the dictator of Portugal for 36 years until he was overthrown on, you guessed it, April 25th, 1974. And that's why this bridge is now called the April 25th Bridge. We sailed along the coast for 30 minutes and finally ended up in Belém where we got to see two iconic landmarks, the Belém Tower and the Monument of Discoveries. We will talk more about Belém and these landmarks later in this video, but wow, was it a sight to see from the water, especially during sunset. During the entire cruise, Paulo was pouring us endless glasses of wine and telling us all about the history of Lisbon. This is one of the only sunset tours that is private and affordable, so I definitely recommend going with Paulo. You can scan this QR code on the screen right here to book this cruise and I'll also have the link down in the description below this video. On our way to Lisbon's old town, we had a spectacular view of the Christ the King statue which overlooks Lisbon. I wanted to visit this statue so bad because it looked exactly like the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, but we just didn't have that much time, so instead, seeing it on this boat was the next best thing. Our last stop was sailing along Lisbon's old town where we got to see unbelievable views of Alfama, the Pantheon, and the Commerce Plaza. Sailing at sunset was really unique because you get to see the city slowly light up at night, which was just magical. Now let's move on to number 9, Praça do Comércio. This incredible square on the bank of the river used to be the home of the Royal Palace until it was completely destroyed during the 1755 earthquake. Now the Commerce Plaza is one of the most visited places in the entire city because it's one of the largest and most beautiful squares not only in Europe, but in the entire world. The first thing that will blow you away is the Rua Augusta Arch which leads you right into the square surrounded by bright yellow buildings. I couldn't believe how detailed it was and the coolest part was that you can go all the way to the top for only 4 euros and get a 360 degree view of the square and the rest of Lisbon. Inside the square you can go shopping and visit some amazing restaurants including the oldest in Lisbon which dates back to 1782. Jeez, that's crazy. Up next we have number 8, St. George's Castle. No matter where you are in the city, you can see this massive castle on top of Lisbon's highest hill. There are two ways I recommend getting up here. First is walking up through the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon called Alfama and second you could take the iconic tram 28 which will take you all the way to the top. This place looks like something out of a movie and the 360 degree views from up here looking down on Lisbon can't be beat. But what makes this castle even more unique are the free roaming peacocks walking around. We could not get over how many there were and for those of you that don't know, the big colorful ones are the males and the smaller darker ones are females. As we were walking across the bridge to get into the castle we got so lucky and saw one of the males opening its wings up and it was the most breathtaking thing I have ever seen. I've literally always wanted to see this. This castle is at the foundation of Lisbon's history when it was established more than 2000 years ago by the Romans. It was even the site where one of Portugal's most famous explorers Vasco da Gama was welcomed back after discovering the sea route to India. We had so much fun exploring this castle and couldn't get over the spectacular views as we walked along the walls. It was around $18 per person to visit and I think you only need about an hour here unless you just want to watch the peacocks all day which I was about to do that. One question we get all the time is what shoes are stylish and comfortable to walk around Europe in and I am so excited to introduce the sponsor of this video, Olukai. Olukai is a Hawaiian inspired brand that's all about creating the most comfortable shoes for travel. I mean these right here have been my favorite travel shoes in a long time. They are called the Laahi Laohala and they are made with premium hand woven leather. These are perfect for a more dressed up occasion. They also have so many different colors to choose from. This next pair I've been wearing a ton is called the Laahi Liili and these are more of their everyday shoe. You could pull these off with a casual look or even a more dressed up look. They're also made with waterproof leather which is so important for cities so your feet's not getting soaked. Something really cool with them is that the back flips down so you could use them as a slip in shoe which I think makes them really versatile. Anna has the exact same everyday shoe in women. She wears it with jeans and all sorts of flowy dresses while walking around the cities. The shoes are amazing and all but my favorite part about Olukai is that they give a portion of every single purchase to the Ama Olukai Foundation. This foundation works to preserve Hawaii's land, oceans, and cultural heritage. So if you want to donate to a great cause and get the most comfortable travel shoes around, make sure to visit olukai.com. We'll also have a link down in the description below for you guys and if you use the code IANANDANNA at checkout, you'll get free shipping with your purchase which is super amazing. But now let's head back to the video. Now up next is number seven, traditional food. I feel like we can all agree that the most memorable part of travel is the food. And that's why I want to share with you all our favorite restaurants and dishes we had in Lisbon. Alright, if this is your first time in Portugal, be ready for the most addictive pastry you will have in your life, the pastel de nata. This flaky, crunchy, custard filled pastry from heaven will make your mouth water and I guarantee after trying one, you will get them non-stop during the rest of your trip. The pastel de nata was actually created in Belém in 1837 and we even got to visit the original store there. Now I will talk more in detail about pastéis de Belém later in this video, but it was by far my favorite pastel in all of Portugal and you must try it when visiting. Belém is around a 15 to 20 minute drive from Lisbon city center, so I wanted to give you two other recommendations that you can get right in the city. First is Castro and this is Ana's favorite pastel in all of Portugal. The cool thing about Castro is that they specialize in making only the pastel de nata and no other pastries. Another cool thing is that you can actually watch the baking process while you eat and it really makes you appreciate these pastries even more. The next place that so many people are obsessed with is called Menteguria. Just like Castro, this is another place that focuses only on the pastel and you can even watch the entire process too. Our friend Becca actually brought us a to go box of them and they were out of this world so I definitely recommend all three of these places no matter what. I don't care which place you choose though, you always have to add cinnamon on top of your pastel which makes it a thousand times better. Now the next classic dish you must try in Lisbon is the Bifana. A Bifana is a Portuguese sandwich on a crusty bread roll filled with thin slices of pork seasoned with white wine, lard, and spices. We talked to so many locals and by far the best Bifana in Lisbon is at a place called Bifanas of Afonso. Just so you know it is closed on Saturday and Sunday but on every other day it opens right at 8am. I definitely recommend getting there during the first couple hours it opens because in the afternoon the line will get really really long. This place is a hole in the wall and right when you walk in you are met with the biggest vat of pork bubbling away. I also love that they keep the prices low and don't hike it up for tourists like many other places in the city. For each Bifana it was less than 3 euros which I think is a steal so make sure to get a couple when you go. Once you get your Bifana make sure to add mustard or the chili oil. Now time for some of our restaurant recommendations. The first restaurant we recommend for traditional Portuguese food is called Sant Avo. This place is decorated like a cozy home and their menu was even inside a book which was super unique. One thing you have to try here is the sangria because it was the best we had in Lisbon which was super surprising. Another thing I loved about sitting outside here was that the tram passes you by a couple times throughout your dinner. We got super lucky just walking off the street coming here but you should definitely make a reservation because everywhere in Lisbon really books up fast. Next if you're looking for a great brunch spot the Lumi rooftop is by far the best especially if you want to have amazing views while you eat. Again, definitely make sure to get a reservation for outside because this place books up super fast. The girls ended up getting a burrata quinoa salad but if you want a traditional dish that's out of this world you need to get the roasted bacalhau a broche. This is a salted cod which is the most famous type of fish in Lisbon with really thin potatoes and an egg on top. Before coming to Lisbon we put out some instagram stories asking everyone what their favorite restaurant was in the city and tons of people answered Ramiro's. Ramiro's is a family run restaurant that's known to serve the best shellfish in all of Lisbon. We ended up trying lots of dishes here like shrimp and garlic, clams and garlic, oysters, tiger prawns, and even barnacles. First of all the oysters were some of the best and most fresh I've ever had in my life but the rest of the food was just ok. I wouldn't say this place is overhyped but it's definitely not a must try in Lisbon. Anna and I do not like getting recommended places that are super touristy but sadly this is one of those places. Don't get me wrong, the staff was great, the seafood was fresh, but it didn't blow us away by any means. If you're a huge foodie coming to Lisbon and want to try the best of the best you could scan this QR code right here for the most highly rated food tour. Now let's move on to number 6, walking around Alfama. Alfama is Lisbon's oldest neighborhood located between the Tagus River and St George's Castle. This is definitely the most beautiful part of the city to walk around because it's a maze of winding cobblestone streets, unreal viewpoints, ceramic tile buildings, and one of the best places to see the iconic tram 28 pass you by. We woke up for sunrise one morning and walked around for a couple hours but I don't recommend this because the colors of the buildings and surrounding area didn't really pop until the afternoon. Usually it's a good idea to get up for sunrise to beat crowds but this day it was not the case. I recommend coming here around 10am and starting at the best viewpoint called Miradouro das Portas do Sol. From this viewpoint you can see endless views of the Tagus River, the National Pantheon, and the iconic whitewashed buildings with orange rooftops. Alfama is known to be the birthplace of Fado which is traditional Portuguese music and there's even a Fado museum here too. Also you can go to many restaurants and different surrounding neighborhoods here to listen to live Fado music. If you're interested, scan this QR code for the most highly rated Fado show which includes port wine as well so you can listen to Fado music live. Alfama is also home to some of the most impressive monuments and churches including the Lisbon Cathedral. This neighborhood is also notorious for having some of the steepest hills in Lisbon so be ready to sweat. Now let's move on to number 5, Belém. A trip to Lisbon isn't complete until you visit Belém. Here you get to try the original pastel de nata and visit three of the most important monuments in all of Portugal including the Monument to the Discoveries and two different UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Belém Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery. Now there are three different ways to get here. First you could take tram 15 which is the most scenic option that takes you right along the river where you have the most amazing views. This tram leaves from the commerce square and will take around 20 minutes to reach Belém. The second option is taking the train which is by far the cheapest and fastest option which will get you to Belém in only 7 minutes. Anna and I decided on the third option which is just taking an Uber for around $15 and this will get you to Belém in around 20-30 minutes depending on where you are staying in the city. We really wanted to beat the crowd so we left our place at 8am and got dropped off right at Belém Tower by 8.30am. This 500 year old tower was built in the 16th century as a fortress to guard the entrance of Lisbon's harbor. Belém is super important to Portugal's history because from right here some of the most famous explorers in the world sailed to discover the sea routes to East Africa, Brazil and India. We really couldn't get over how beautiful and intricate this tower was and the way we could just walk right up to it on the beach was just astonishing. You can actually explore inside and even climb all the way up the tower but Anna and I just got there way too early so it wasn't even open yet. Just so you know it is closed on Mondays but every other day of the week it opens at 10am. I highly recommend getting there 20 minutes before it opens and if you scan this QR code on the screen right here you can get a skip the line ticket so right when you get there you can go right in. Next we walked 15 minutes over to the Jerónimos Monastery. The monastery is also closed on Mondays and on every other day it opens at 10am too. We got here early around 9.15am so we decided to walk across the street and try the original pastel de nata. This place is called Pastéis de Belém and it has been serving pastels since 1837. It was still pretty early in the morning so we got to walk right in and get seated at a table. The inside of this place is stunning and the amount of pastries they offer is absolutely mind blowing. I don't know about you guys but I have a big sweet tooth and I was in heaven here. Right away we ordered a couple pastels and cappuccinos and it only took 2 minutes for them to arrive. Hands down this was my favorite pastel ever because it had the best crunch and was filled with a ton of custard. Because the pastels were so good I just had to try a couple more pastries. We had this fluffy donut with custard filling and I even had an unreal piece of chocolate cake. You really can't go wrong here but please arrive before 9.30am because wow was it crowded when we left. Afterwards we walked back over to the monastery and to our surprise it had a huge line. People actually started lining up at 9am an hour before it even opened which was crazy. Even though we already had our tickets on our phone we didn't get in until 10.45am so it was around 1 hour of waiting in the sun which really sucked. Both Anna and I agree that seeing the monastery from the outside is all you really need to do and that's because waiting in that line felt like an amusement park and we only spent around 15 minutes in the monastery anyways. Don't get me wrong the monastery is beautiful and it definitely felt like Harry Potter vibes like we were walking around Hogwarts. There is a church you could visit too but the crazy thing is they make you wait in another line after leaving the monastery so we decided to pass up on that. If you want to go in the monastery still you can scan this QR code right here on the screen to buy skip the line tickets. I would definitely recommend getting in line by 9.30am so you don't have to wait as long as us. Now let's move on to number 4, the tuk tuk food tour. Lisbon is a massive city with tons of hills so by far the best way to start your trip is taking a tuk tuk tour. Even better we found this 3 hour tuk tuk ride that includes traditional food and wine. First we got picked up at our place and headed straight to one of the best viewpoints in the city called Miradouro da Graça. Immediately on arrival our tour guide pulled out a bottle of traditional cherry liquor called ginja. I hope I'm saying that right, I'm really trying here guys, forgive me if I'm wrong. It's a super interesting drink that you obviously just have to try. This was an awesome way to start the tour because the viewpoint was spectacular with endless beautiful views, I mean you could see everything from up here. On our way to our first restaurant we passed by all sorts of museums and churches and this is why I loved riding in the tuk tuk because we wouldn't have had enough time to see all of this if it weren't for it. The first restaurant we went to was called Amarala Tapas e Vinos and this place blew us away because of the amount of food we had. Right away we were given these beautiful boards of cheese, meat and olives. Just when we thought that was all the owner came out with a flaming plate of chorizo which is a traditional dish here in Portugal. This is one of the most unique dishes we had during our 3 months in this country and it is just out of this world delicious, it's super hard to explain why, I think the flames make it just indescribable, you gotta try it for yourself. During this lunch they also poured us endless glasses of wine and we even got some of the famous sparkling green wine which is Ian's favorite. Just a disclaimer while driving in tuk tuks around Lisbon, some parts can be super bumpy but I guarantee it beats walking up and down hills all day in the heat, however I did find this particular ride to be rather smooth so maybe it just depends on what tuk tuk you get. Something I thought was really interesting about this tour is that the motor was electric and super quiet. It was nice being able to hear each other talk which is not the case for many other places that we've done tuk tuk tours in. Our final two spots we had even more wine and cheese and then it ended off with our favorite pastel de nata place called Castro. We recommend you book this tour on your very first day in Lisbon because there is no better way to see the city, learn the history, and try the delicious food than on this tour. Next up we have number 3, Cabo da Roca. Cabo da Roca is the most western point of mainland Europe and it's on one of the most stunning coastlines we have ever seen. Despite it being one of the most crowded attractions around Lisbon, this area still feels very remote and not built up at all which we loved. There's so many different tours from Lisbon but if you want the most highly rated one you can scan this QR code right here. What's cool is this day tour also includes stops at Pena Palace, Sintra, and Cachcais. If you guys didn't know, Ana and I shipped our van all the way from the US to Europe and we have been traveling over here for more than a year now. By far one of my favorite parts about traveling in a camper van is stumbling upon the coolest campsites to sleep at. We stayed at one only 5 minutes down the road from Cabo da Roca and it was this massive football pitch where horses roamed around every morning which was super magical. It was so cute because our three kittens would run around trying to play with the horses but I don't think the horses liked them very much. If you're traveling in a camper van, I'll make sure to link this campsite down in the description below for you guys and if you missed any of our videos during this epic road trip around Europe, you can click this playlist right above. Before visiting Cabo da Roca, we decided to go to one of the most stunning beaches in all of Portugal called Ursa Beach. It was awesome that this beach was right next door to Cabo da Roca so we just parked our car along the side of the road and walked for around 15 minutes to this amazing viewpoint. The flowers and landscapes along the way were something I have never seen before and once you get to the viewpoint, you almost can't believe this place exists. From above you see tons of these massive rocks jutting out of the ocean and waves crashing along the coastline. Sadly we forgot our hiking shoes and Ana ended up falling so we didn't go all the way down to the beach, but if you want to, it will take around 30-40 minutes to reach the bottom. We have heard the beach down there is incredible and there won't be too many people because it's steep and a little difficult to get down. I still can't believe this place exists this close to Lisbon, but that's our favorite part about driving our own car, you get the freedom and time to visit places like this. After taking in the views, we walked right over to Cabo da Roca and from here you have endless views of the Atlantic Ocean and a really cool lighthouse. If you're hungry after this, you can drive 4 minutes down the road and visit delicious restaurants in this tiny little village. We ended up going to a place called 3 Gomas and it was by far one of the best meals we had in the Lisbon area. This restaurant is known for its fresh seafood so we made sure to try some octopus, prawns and sardines and every single dish was delicious. Now up next is number 2, Sintra and the Pena Palace. Visiting Sintra and the Pena Palace is the number 1 day trip you can take from Lisbon and now I understand why. This colorful palace that's not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but one of Portugal's 7 wonders is only a 30 minute drive away from Lisbon. Instead of taking the train or a tour bus, we booked a private old school VW van to bring us all over the coast with one of those stops being the Pena Palace. Laura and Cristiano are the owners and they restore this van for 5 years and now take people on tours throughout the Lisbon area. I can tell you right now this was one of the best times we have ever had because the van was so unique and they even let us bring our 3 kittens along for the ride. Our first stop was at the Pena Palace where they dropped us off near the top with our tickets and from here we walked up 10 minutes to the entrance. Right away we could not believe how big it was, but more importantly how colorful and Disney like it was. This palace is also at the top of the Sintra Mountains so you get a 360 degree view of the surrounding area and the Atlantic Ocean. It actually used to be a monastery but in 1840 King Ferdinand II turned it into the Royal Palace and wow did he do an incredible job. It has Egyptian, Gothic, and Renaissance styles all blended together and is surrounded by a massive garden. This garden is actually filled with exotic trees and plants from all over the world including the gigantic redwood from California. We both loved walking on the outside of the palace the most but if you want to go inside you'll have a time slot and ours was at 11am sharp. As you can guess it was absolutely packed at this time but we decided to go in anyways and totally regret this decision. The inside was astonishing and all but we were like a herd of sheep in there really close to one another it was just super claustrophobic and kinda ruined the whole experience. Now it's probably because we went at 11am so maybe if you try to get the very first time slot at 9.30am you might be able to beat the crowds. After the palace we walked our kittens along the coast and went to this tiny village on the side of a cliff for lunch. This place is called Azenos do Mar and it has to be one of the best seafood restaurants we had while in Portugal and if there's one thing you need to make sure of it's asking Cristiano and Laura to bring you here on your tour. We had so many different dishes here including the octopus and sea bass and everything was just amazing. Driving in this VW van along the coastline and through places like Quescais and Sintra is something I will never forget and if you want to go on the same tour you can scan this QR code right here on the screen. I mean to top off the perfect day they even found this perfect beach for us to pull up the van and play with our kittens in the sand. Thanks again so much Cristiano and Laura we cannot wait to come back and visit you again. Now up next we have number one, Quescais and the surrounding beaches. This dreamy seaside town is 40 minutes away from Lisbon and has been nicknamed the Saint Tropez of Portugal. Walking around the old town here is worth the visit in and of itself because it's just as beautiful as Lisbon, maybe even more so, and it's way less crowded. A huge plus about Quescais is that it has some of the best beaches and surfing spots near Lisbon. You can visit on a day tour like us or drive here yourself and spend an entire day on the beach. Because this town used to be a small fishing village it's known to have some of the tastiest seafood restaurants around. And although the beaches are very nice here they're a bit smaller and more crowded than we would have liked. We actually found our favorite beach closer to Lisbon and it's only 15 minutes away from Quescais. It's called Carcavalho Beach. This beach is also crowded but it's much bigger so you're bound to find a spot for yourself. We ended up spending a couple nights sleeping in our van right next to this beach and it was the best time ever. It's super massive and filled with golden soft sand, tons of volleyball courts and is a great spot to go surfing especially if you're a beginner. What we also loved about this spot is that it's pet friendly which made it super fun for our kittens and the amount of dogs running around was awesome. I love seeing dogs near water they're so funny. We couldn't recommend coming here enough but if you're driving make sure to get here before 9am because the parking lot fills up very fast. We're big beach people so visiting Quescais and Carcavalho's beach was the highlight of our trip.