A long weekend in Lisbon, built around lunch
Four days of tascas, tiles and trams, with a day out to Sintra and sunset by the sea in Cascais. Here's how to plan it so lunch stays the main event.
By Boundl · · 1 min read
Lisbon rewards people who slow down. Four days is enough to see the big sights and still have time for long lunches, which, honestly, is the point.
The trick is to plan each day around one area, and let the eating fill in the gaps.
Day one: Alfama, slowly
Arrive, drop your bags, and head up to Miradouro de Santa Luzia in the afternoon. It's a viewpoint over Alfama's rooftops and the river, and a good place to work out where you are.
Stay in Alfama for the evening and find some fado. Our one tip: book the small room, not the dinner-show places. Fado is meant to be heard up close.
Day two: Belém and the river
Get to Pastéis de Belém at opening time, before the queue builds, and eat your custard tarts warm. Jerónimos Monastery is a short walk away and worth the time.
Work your way back towards the centre along the river:
- LX Factory in the afternoon, for shops, cafés and a wander
- Time Out Market in the evening, when you want to try a bit of everything
Day three: Sintra, then the sea
Go early. At Quinta da Regaleira, see the well before 10am, or don't bother: it gets busy fast. Then on to Pena Palace.
Finish the day on the Cascais seafront at sunset. After a morning of palaces, it's exactly right.
Day four: one more lunch
Before your flight, have one last proper lunch at Mercado de Campo de Ourique, a neighbourhood market where locals stop for lunch.
When to go
April to June, or September and October. It's warm enough to eat outside, without the peak-summer heat on Lisbon's hills.
Book it in one go
This trip comes with three nights in Lisbon, an evening of fado and entry to the Sintra palaces, plus flights from your nearest airport. Pick your dates and see the price.