3 Days in Lisbon: How to Plan the Perfect Lisbon Itinerary

Miss Can

When in Lisbon, you should try canned fish at least once, even if you think it’s not your taste. And we think Miss Can is the place to do it.

It is owned by a woman whose kin have been involved in the fishing industry for generations, and she puts in the effort to ensure her product is sustainable, from the fish to the cans.

We tried a bunch, and really, really liked the bacalhau (that’s cod) in garlic and olive oil. It was the least “fishy” choice if you’re not a huge fan of fish flavors. You can either get some to enjoy at the small restaurant, or pick up some cans to enjoy later.

They also make great souvenirs to bring home for friends and family.

On our return trip to Lisbon a few months after our first visit, we came back and bought about seven cans to bring home to acquaintances, all of whom absolutely enjoyed them (and some even ordered their own to ship all the way to the United States).

Pre-Dinner Drinks in Graça + Dinner Back Down the Hill

Rather than head down the hill after exploring Alfama, make your way to the nearby Graça to get some drinks before dining in Alfama on your return journey down the hill.

Just across the canal to the north of De Pijp (which I think means it’s not technically in De Pijp, but is literally a block outside of the border), this boutique hotel is a trendy, reasonably priced selection.

Next, check out either 8a Graca for some of the finest craft beers in Lisbon, or down the hill to Graça do Vinho boasting an extensive Portuguese wine selection and light snacks like bread and cheese.

For dinner choices, there are A LOT of very tourist-centered, very overpriced restaurants in Alfama, as our guide appropriately cautioned. Choosing one of those will have you paying for the atmosphere, while the food quality won`t be great. Here are three alternate suggestions all in Alfama but actually highly rated.

• Experiencing Lisbon Together
• Farol de Santa Luzia
• Traditional cherry liquor bar.

Day 2: A Food Tour + Belém

On your second day, explore the delightful world of Lisbon’s fare landscape before boarding the tram for a short ride out to Belém, home to a couple of cool sights (and one important taste).

A Food Tour of Lisbon’s Best Flavors

If, like myself, you have celiac illness (which means I need to strictly eat gluten free), then this trip isn’t for you. If you do not have celiac illness and adore food, then you should take a food guided tour with a local resident who will bring you to areas where you can try some of Lisbon’s authentic flavors.

This experience we’d recommend, though – disclaimer – we haven’t personally partaken in it ourselves. It has 4.95 stars and over 4,000 reviews at the time this text was composed, which positions it among the highest rated tours according to my experience viewing excursions on Airbnb beforehand.

And the CEO of Airbnb has done the excursion, which should tell you something. You’ll taste everything from seafood to liqueurs, and do it at small, family-owned places that you wouldn’t otherwise find on your own. Plus, it’s plastic free!

Catch the 10:00 am tour and show up hungry. Seriously. Don’t eat beforehand. You should finish around 1:30 pm, when you’ll be prepared for either a nap, or a trip out to Belém.

An Afternoon in Belém

After your food tour (and a nap?), head out to Belém in the afternoon and evening for fun.

Belém used to be a separate city, but as Lisbon has expanded it has swallowed it up and now it’s a district within the broader city of Lisbon.

It`s situated along the river, home to several notable sites such as the Torre de Belém, a large monastery, and perhaps most famously Pastéis de Belém, said to be the origin of the original custard tart.

Today, the entirety of Belém is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In Belém, we’d suggest starting at the farthest end with the Tower of Belém, then working your way towards Lisbon.

Getting to Belém

The most straightforward way to get there from the center of Lisbon is to board the 15E Tram around Praça do Comércio.

It takes about half an hour each way, and costs three Euros in either direction. You can buy tickets on the tram, but you have to use the machines which sometimes don’t work AND only accept coins and require exact change.

You could either acquire a Viva Card (see the “Getting Around” section below the itinerary for more details) at one of Lisbon`s Metro Stations so you can check in and out with less hassle, or today may be a wise choice to invest in a 24 hour pass for the metro, buses, and trams, which will cost 6.40 Euros.

Torre de Belém

First, we recommend skipping the ascension to the tower`s peak. This will save you 6 Euros per person. Queues tend to be lengthy, and the panoramic perspectives from atop aren`t really worth both the monetary cost and time expenditure to reach the top.

While not being somewhere one could go inside, the Tower of Belém is worthy of being admired from the outside. Constructed in the 1500s, it served two key purposes – as an entry and exit location for those arriving and departing the city by ship, and to protect Lisbon`s coast, positioned conveniently along the river banks near its mouth to fend off any attacks.

Regrettably, it did not fare well on the second front. It was seized in 1580 by the Spanish. However, it was upgraded following that catastrophe, largely serving out its days as a prison until it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1980’s.

Additional information about the tower, such as tickets, may be found here.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos

I didn’t, but our walking tour guide was quick to remind me that it was Vasco da Gama, and we in fact visited the town where he was born just outside of Porto later in our trip to Portugal. Funnily enough, that town is definitely inland, not situated along the coast at all.

Vasco da Gama is one of the figures featured in the depiction on the side of the monument, which was built in the middle of the 20th Century under Portugal’s dictator, António de Oliveira Salazar, who was truly into romanticizing Portuguese history.

Naturally, the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries was near the top of the list of reasons the Portuguese people are considered great, but this perspective is problematic because we must acknowledge that all the places they “discovered” were in fact already inhabited. Just not by people with light skin.

We will not attempt to solve that complex issue here, so I`ll move on.

Anyway, the square in front of the monument is beautiful, with art made from limestone tile donated by South Africa, and the towering monument that rises 171 feet over the river.

Nearest transport: train from London Paddington to Windsor & Eton Riverside.

Jerónimos Monastery

The monastery (and the garden across the street) are worthwhile places to visit too. It was formerly an abbey – meaning it’s no longer operational today – and sheltered monks from the Order of Saint Jerome (hence, its name).

It demonstrates a superb example of the typical Late Gothic Manueline architecture style found in Lisbon during the 16th Century Age of Discovery era, incorporating nautical symbols like vessels, seashells and seas into the Gothic design.

It is typical in Lisbon, and there are numerous statues and representations of it around the city, including the statue of St. Vincent in Alfama, who is the patron saint of Lisbon and is holding a ship with two ravens, which represents the coat of arms of Libson.

Like I said, Maritime elements galore. 

Construction commenced in 1501 and took over 100 years to finish, which should provide an indication of the grand scale you’re about to witness. It’s free to enter, but you have to pay to go into the cloister, which is quite impressive, but not necessarily worth the money.

Pastéis de Belém

Head a block east from the monastery to your final stop in Belém – the birthplace of the famous pastel de nata. Or so they say.

Legend has it that the pastel de nata was conceived by monks from the monastery long ago in the early 19th Century. And the story is truly intriguing, and entirely plausible.

Adjacent to the monastery was a sugarcane manufacturing facility. After the 1820 Portuguese revolution, all convents and monasteries were closed in 1834, rendering the monks without a residence or means of living.

Prior to that, they purchased A GREAT DEAL of eggs (the whites were utilized for stiffening robes) and found themselves with some leftover egg yolks, so they started producing sweet treats as a little side project (and likely, more importantly, to enjoy themselves).

Ever enterprising, they sold that recipe to the pastry shop – the same one that exists there today – using that handy sugarcane factory and those eggs. Guess what the two primary ingredients are in those pastries? Sugar and eggs.

They began producing these “Pastéis de Belém” – which would eventually become more widely known as “Pastéis de Nata” – and two centuries later, the recipe and methods are reported to be practically identical to how they were back in the 19th Century.

They’re so serious about their brand that only the pastéis that come out of this kitchen can legally be called “Pastéis de Belém” – the original.

Part of me wonders how romanticized aspects of that story may have become over the years, and how similar recipes are today compared to historically. Another part of me thinks sharing such a narrative is acceptable. But is Portugal truly the best known for these foods? Here is a completely unscientific perspective on the matter.

Word has it this is the place for undoubtedly the finest pastel de nata in Lisbon. So we put it to the real-world test. And by “we” I truly mean my two brothers and Alysha alone since gluten is off-limits for me.

The outcomes? This particular one came in second after Manteigaria. The crust on this one was the best out of the three options tried, giving the pastry a pleasant contrast in texture between the crispy exterior and the oozing custard filling, but unfortunately the custard was less flavorful than what had been sampled earlier.

Still worthy seeing even if passing through nearby. The more cinnamon used, the better the experience.

LX Factory

When heading back to the core of Lisbon, make a brief stop in Alcântara to explore LX Factory.

When you walk through the entryway here, you might feel like you’re in a trendy part of Los Angeles or Brooklyn. And that seems to be the atmosphere they’re aiming for, if we had to assume.

In the mid 19th Century, this area was home to an important textile factory. Presently, it`s an outdoor hub of diverse shops, bars and restaurants, and small enterprises who have collectively created one of the most engaging, creative, and unique places in the entire city.

You`ll discover a pleasant bookstore, an excellent wine boutique, countless eateries, and plenty more worthwhile locations. Here were some of our preferred stops (though we believe exploring yourself is best).

• Livraria Ler Devagar: You may have seen this bookstore featured on social media, with a large hanging artwork of a person on a bicycle and their scarf trailing behind them. It is a sizable bookstore containing a small English language section, a record shop located on the lower level, and some antiquated printing presses on the top floor that are worth exploring.
• More Than Wine: At this location we discovered wine and cider that appealed to us, plus they offer additional items such as chocolate, jam, honey, and ceramics.

We explored LX Factory early in the morning, but we soon realized that was not the best time and thought to ourselves, “This place would probably be really cool at night.”

That’s why we have you stopping here on your return trip – because we think it`s worth grabbing dinner and beverages here, where you’ll find options ranging from Mexican cuisine to gourmet hot dogs or sushi.

Day 3: A Day Trip to Sintra

On your third day, take an excursion from Lisbon out to Sintra, home to Pena Palace and other worthwhile spots.

Things to Know About Visiting Sintra

The initial thing you should be aware of is that Pena Palace, which is a must-visit and is the most popular site, is at the top of a steep hill if you’re coming from the town of Sintra. We strongly advise that you make Pena your first stop of the day, and make your way down the hill from there.

There are a couple options for transportation from the train station up to Pena Palace.

• Public Transportation: There are a couple of transportation options departing from the same general area. To get to Pena Palace, you want the 434 line, which takes you from right outside the train station (exit the station and turn right around the corner, towards the tourism office – here’s a map) up to Pena Palace. It costs 3.90 Euros for a single ride (e.g. from the station to Pena Palace), and 6.90 Euros to get a pass that allows you to ride the transportation there and back (but only in one direction). Here’s a helpful guide.
• Taxi / Uber: If there are two or more people, this is the most cost-effective way to do it. The bus is crowded and lines are lengthy, so if you`re okay with walking down from the top, hop in a cab or Uber, pay the 10-15 Euros to get to the top, and you`ll likely beat everyone else up there.
• Tuk Tuk: We were four in number, and as we were debating which route to take, a friendly tuk tuk driver pulled up and asked if we wanted a ride to the top for 20 Euros. Now, normally, we’re all for taking public transportation, and we’ve never actually taken a tuk tuk (except Alysha in Thailand). But for whatever reason, we were in a touristy mood, so we did it! It wasn’t exactly the quickest ride (though we did beat the bus), and there were times where I was pretty certain we were going to have to get out and push. But, alas, we made it to the top right as the Palace grounds opened and had some laughs along the way!

Getting to Sintra

Sintra is an easy 45 minute train journey from Lisbon’s Rossio Station in Baixa. Reaching Rossio is fairly simple from basically anywhere in Lisbon, including Baixa, Chiado, and Alfama.

The most crucial thing to know is that you will want to be on the initial feasible train out to Sintra, which entirely relies on how early you want to wake up.

The train we opted for left at 8:11 am, which we think is the ideal time because you’ll arrive in Sintra around 9:00 am, and most of the attractions open at 9:30 am, giving you about 30 minutes to get up the hill to Pena Palace to start your day and beat the rest of the visitors.

What to Do in Sintra

There is truly A LOT to do in Sintra. So much so that you will be unable to comfortably fit everything into a single day, which is likely the amount of time you have available.

For context, we took one of the first trains out to Sintra, and didn`t return to the city until sometime between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. And we only really experienced a couple of the many visitor attractions in Sintra.

We would propose selecting two or three things that you’re most interested in, and tackling those two plus the town of Sintra, which has some good places to dine and drink.

We also obviously have an opinion on what you should focus your time on, and we think the two sites you should choose are Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle.

Both offer distinctive experiences – one is an opulent palace with rich gardens, one is a replica of a prior, you surmised, Moorish Castle with amazing views over the ocean.

If you want to include a third sight, we’d advocate the Quinta da Regaleira. We’d undertake the two aforementioned sights before lunch, making our way down the hill as we go, having lunch in the town of Sintra, then doing the 10 minute walk out to the Quinta da Regaleira before heading back into town to catch the train back to Lisbon.

Buckle up, bring snacks and water, and prepare for a full day experience.

Here are some additional details about the Pena Palace and Moorish Castle.

Pena Palace

There are two parts of the Pena Palace complex, and they require different tickets.

The outdoor gardens were of interest, however we opted not to view the interior areas – similar opulent residential spaces had been experienced previously on our travels, perhaps excess funds allotted to seasonal living quarters could have supported a worthier cause.

Originally, Pena Palace was built as a monastery on a hill in the mountains of Sintra by King Ferdinand II. However, it was destroyed during the devastating 1755 earthquake and remained unused for many years. The structure has since been renovated as essentially a summer home.

Then, Ferdinand stated “wouldn’t it be great to have a place to escape the oppressively hot Lisbon summers? Perhaps a place on a hill, with nice views and a cool coastal breeze?”

12 years later, Pena Palace had been constructed. Built by the German architect Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, it was originally owned by the royal family but eventually came under state ownership by Portugal (one might claim this resembles insider trading). Today, it serves as the museum that visitors know.

The hues and decoration of the palace are rather unusual. Just look at this odd fellow sitting atop one of the arches on the exterior of the castle.

It’s an unusual fusion of architectural patterns, borrowing from multiple different eras and styles to generate a multicolored hodgepodge.

We would recommend just getting a ticket for the grounds, and admiring the palace from the outside. Here is how we’d spend your time:

• Begin exploring the gardens. When we arrived, the palace grounds were enveloped in a dense fog and you could barely distinguish the bright yellow facade. If confronted with identical conditions, have no fear! The fog is likely to dissipate. Direct yourself to the High Cross located in the gardens, which offers a lovely vista (if the fog happens to have dispersed – unfortunately it had not during our visit). Generally, our preferred section of the gardens was the lake area at the bottom of the hill.
• Then embark on the walk up to the palace. Admire the archways and tiles along the outside, and go up into the chapel, which is free.
• Walk along the walls of the palace. There’s a short path encircling the palace walls, which you should save for last because it’s a great view overlooking Sintra and all the way to the coast, so you want it to be clear.

From there, head down through the gardens to the lower entrance, and walk up to the Moorish Castle.

Important Info: Admission to the gardens costs 7.50 Euros, while combo tickets including the interior cost 14 Euros. The palace is regularly covered in fog early on, which typically burns away by around 10:00 or 11:00 am. For that cause, we advise above that you spend your time appreciating the gardens initially prior to heading up to the building itself. More info here.

Castelo dos Mouros

Truthfully, we were almost deciding against visiting this place. But we were so glad we didn’t opt out! Traversing the reconstructed walls of this Moorish Castle from the 8th or 9th Century was the highlight of our time in Sintra, and the perspectives are nothing less than spectacular.

The castle was constructed when Muslims from North Africa ruled the Iberian Peninsula. It was then taken by Christians in the 12th century. After that, it experienced varying levels of abandonment as tensions eased and people no longer felt the need to reside within the fortress walls. They started moving downhill towards Sintra and more fertile lands.

At least until the 1800’s, when restoration efforts started under King Ferdinand in the same manner as the Pena Palace restoration.

There are some historic sights along the route, but we’d focus your time on walking the full length of the walls from one end to the other, which involves some staircases (which are actually rather difficult), and offers breathtaking views the entire way. Travel counter-clockwise.

Important Info: Entry within the perimeter of the castle costs eight euros. Initially, we hesitated at that price, but later decided the fantastic views alone were likely worth it. Additionally, how often does one get to walk on former castle walls? More data here.

Less Time in Lisbon? Here’s What to Do

If your time in Lisbon is limited to less than three days, we would advise against visiting Sintra in order to maximize your experience in the city itself during your brief trip. Exploring Lisbon thoroughly should take priority over traveling outside the city on this occasion. Sintra is worth saving for a future extended visit to Portugal.

With One Day in Lisbon

If you only have one day in Lisbon – and we mean one full day, morning, afternoon, evening, we’d spend it as follows.

In the morning, head to Belém and visit the Torre de Belém, the Monument to the Discoveries, and the Jerónimos Monastery (though the cloister will be closed during your visit, which is fine) before going to Pastéis de Belém to try the alleged original pastel de nata.

Returning to Lisbon`s center provides the choice between the walking excursion (for those more interested in history and culture) or the culinary tour (for food enthusiasts). Our preference would be the walking excursion, but either option provides valuable experiences.

In the evening, follow the Alfama guide in the itinerary above and spend a few hours in the most romantic part of Lisbon, at least in our opinions.

PS: We have an entire guide dedicated to helping you make the most of one day in Lisbon.

With 2 Days in Lisbon

Follow days one and two of the itinerary above as written. Voila! 2 excellent days in Lisbon.

More Than 3 Days in Lisbon?

If you have more than three days, we’d recommend slowing down and splitting up the activities in the itinerary above, giving each more room to breathe.

In addition, here are a few things we’d add on to the itinerary

• We are truly enthusiastic about the We Hate Tourism Tours tour named “ Lisbon Walk in the Real City.” This tour agency, We Hate Tourism Tours, focuses on responsible and sustainable tours. For instance, you won’t see them cramming groups of 20 individuals onto the popular 28 Tram, which locals frequently rely on and is generally overrun with visitors between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. Rather, you’ll invest a few hours exploring neighborhoods you likely wouldn’t come across independently, and gaining knowledge about the cultural and economic context surrounding the city you’re exploring. We haven’t participated yet, but will when back in Lisbon in a couple months. It offers a unique type of tour than other walking tours you`ve surely already taken, zeroing in on parts of the city most visitors miss.
• The Time Out Market gathers some of Lisbon`s finest eateries under one roof in a central food court format, with a bar in the middle. While tourist-focused, sampling various spots and sharing among friends enhances the experience. I continue pondering how the magazine came to own and operate restaurants, though that inquiry exceeds the present guide`s aims.
• We kind of wanted to take a ride across the river over to Cacilhas after seeing Phil do it on our favourite culinary TV programme of all time, Somebody Feed Phil. It involves a ferry trip, which also seems very pleasant. Here’s a helpful guide to exploring that side of the river.

The Best Time to Visit Lisbon

Lisbon`s Mediterranean climate makes it a rather pleasant destination virtually year-round, offering escape from parts of Europe experiencing cold, dreary winters. Summer sees scorching heat, so we`d say visiting Lisbon during that season is less than ideal for two key reasons.

Firstly, the heat intensifies further when hiking straight uphill. Secondly, crowds swell overwhelmingly during July and August constituting peak summer in Lisbon. It`s even worse when cruise ships dock near Alfama.

Shoulder season is our recommendation, which means Spring and Fall. We visited in September, and the weather was pleasantly warm (bordering on hot), and crowds were around, but nowhere near what you’d see at the height of summer.

We will be returning to Lisbon in December, therefore I will update this guide afterwards with reflections on Lisbon during winter from that trip.

Getting to Lisbon

Reaching Lisbon from across Europe is fairly convenient thanks to the many flights going into Portugal`s capital city, though train and bus options from outside Portugal could probably be improved. Flying remains the best choice for anyone coming from continental Europe, the UK, or North America (obviously).

Flying to Lisbon

Lisbon’s airport is conveniently positioned centrally within the city, creating ease of transfer from the airport to your lodging.

A reworked structure retains key details: Flights are plentiful, with most major carriers in Europe and abroad operating a route that delivers you to Lisbon. You’ll arrive at the Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS), which lies 7km from the city center

Taking a Train or Bus to Lisbon

Trains or buses provide a convenient method to reach Lisbon if coming from a city within Portugal, such as Porto to the north, or Lagos down on the Algarve coastline in southern Portugal.

One note: if you’re staying in the central area of Lisbon, Santa Apolónia Station is the one you want. It’s within walking distance to Baixa and Alfama, and you can hop on the metro to access other parts of the city from the train station. Oriente, Lisbon’s other train station, is further north and requires a more extended journey to reach the heart of the city.

From Porto

From Porto, which is Portugal’s second biggest city (and is well worth a visit), it’s a three and a half hour train ride from Campanha Station in Porto to Lisbon’s Santa Apolónia station.

Express Trains – termed Alfa Pendular or AP – take two hours and forty five minutes or so, and are the most costly (and comfortable) choice.

Inter-city trains – called Intercidades or IC – are less luxurious, affordable, and take marginally more time at three and a half hours.

For what it`s worth, we took multiple IC trains, and it was quite comfortable and extremely affordable, especially when tickets are purchased in advance.

From Lagos or Faro on the Algarve

You have a choice between train and bus, which are essentially the same journey in regards to time and cost.

Both the train and bus provide transportation options between Lagos and Lisbon, the primary routes connecting the two locations. The train departs Lagos and makes a stop in Tunes before continuing directly to Lisbon.Meanwhile, the bus travels directly from Lagos` station to Lisbon without any transfers. Either mode of transport will cost approximately 20 Euros for the journey.

The only major city outside of Portugal with reliable service to Lisbon is Seville, Spain, but allocating an entire day is needed to make the trip.

From Seville, you can take a FlixBus that goes directly from Seville to Lisbon, taking approximately eight hours to complete the journey. Your other option from Seville is to take the bus to Faro, and catch the train up to Lisbon from there, which takes more like 8-10 hours.

Getting Around Lisbon

Lisbon is very walkable despite the hills. It brings to mind our last home of San Francisco in that regard.

Most of the major sites and neighborhoods that you’ll want to explore as a visitor are within walking distance of the center, aside from Belém and Alcântara (home to LX Factory), which are a brief tram ride away.

On Foot

Lisbon – like most cities, really – is best experienced on foot. You’ll discover all sorts of interesting spots along the way if you use your own two feet to navigate the grid layout of Baixa, and the winding paths of Alfama, Chiado, and beyond.

The obvious thing to note here is the hills. Lisbon is very hilly outside of Baixa and the area along the river. Chances are, you’ll be ascending and descending the hills of Lisbon at some point, so come prepared with comfy walking shoes and a reusable water bottle.

If traversing the hills poses difficulty for you, you can utilize the subway system or streetcars to reach the peaks of the hills, then leisurely make your way back downward.

Public Transportation

Public transportation in Lisbon is quite exceptional.

There are above-ground trams, a below ground metro system, a few funiculars to get you up the crazy hills, and a bus system. It’s comprehensive, and will get you everywhere you need to go quickly, efficiently, and for a really affordable per-trip rate, too.

We were genuinely taken aback by how pristine everything appeared. From sparkling trams (other than the 28, but the rusticity is portion of the charm!) to immaculate buses, all seemed significantly cleaner than public transportation we typically use in San Francisco. That is, drastically cleaner.

To use public transportation, you`ll want to purchase a Viva card for 0.50 Euro, which makes each trip significantly cheaper. Then you can load it with money and reload it as needed for rides.

The Viva Card can be obtained using one of the machines located within the metro stations. These machines have instructions provided in English for those not speaking Portuguese. Here are the rates as of 2023 (you can check for the latest figures on this website):

• Single ride: 1.50 Euros (1.34 if you’re using a Viva travel card)
• Day Pass: 6.40 Euros

Be sure to validate your transit tickets at the yellow machines near metro station entrances prior to each ride, and whenever transferring stations. Failure to do so could result in a penalty fine.

We’d advise making an exception for the Santa Justa Lift (Elevador de Santa Justa), which essentially functions as a commercial attraction for visitors. You can traverse the enclosed walkway or climb the incline on foot from Baixa without paying the 5 Euro charge or waiting in the prolonged line. That said, it is worthwhile walking all the way up to the lift`s apex for the vista overlooking Lisbon towards the Castelo.

This guide gives good insight into Lisbon’s public transportation network for further research

Uber and Taxis

Calling on rideshares in Lisbon turns out to be pleasingly affordable, and taxis are similarly reasonably priced. We appreciate using apps for transportation given their convenience and practicality (less so for the corporation itself admittedly), and you can handily criss-cross Lisbon for around 5-7 Euros a journey. Only employ clearly signposted taxis, and ensure they activate the meter.

Taking a Taxi from the Airport

Upon arriving at the airport, we took a taxi ride into the city – where I swiftly fell victim to a scam aimed at tourists like myself. I share this story hoping you can learn from my mistake.

The taxi pulled up adjacent to the official taxi line, where we had been waiting, and the first red flag was that it stopped at the curbside, rather than one of the designated taxi pull-through areas (which, it should be noted, are ingenious – I`ve never seen pull-through taxi spots before!). I perhaps should have ended it there.

Not knowing in advance if it would be a flat rate or use a meter was my second mistake. Taxis from the airport in that city should utilize a meter, and it generally costs between 10 and 15 Euros to travel to the downtown area. This driver told me it was a set fee and showed me a semi-official looking laminated sheet outlining the rates.

Our ride ended up costing 27 Euros, and only later did I realize we got scammed.

The point is this: only use official taxis that pull into the designated spots at the taxi stand at Lisbon’s airport, and make sure they operate the meter. Don’t pay more than 10-15 Euros for a ride, and ask roughly how much it will cost before you get in. Decline anyone that tells you it’s a flat rate.

The essential tip is to USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FROM THE AIRPORT. Taking the metro is extremely affordable, efficient, and provides direct access to central Lisbon. Here are the details for using the metro to and from the airport.

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I always opt to get travel insurance, for reasons I’ll explain later. But first, let’s start with the websites I use to find trip insurance.

Planning a visit to Portugal?

Here are our other Portugal travel guides to help plan an incredible trip (even if gluten must be avoided!).

If there isn’t a connection noted below, it signifies we’re still working diligently on compiling it – thorough, in-depth guides require time and care. However, rest assured we are dedicating effort to the task.

Portugal:

• A 10-day itinerary for carefully planning the perfect trip to explore Portugal

Lisbon

• 25 Remarkable Activities to Do in Lisbon: A Complete Guide
• 3 Days in Lisbon: Planning the Perfect Itinerary for Lisbon
• Experiencing Lisbon in One Day: The Top Sites in 24 Hours
• Places to Remain in Lisbon: Our Guide to 4 Amazing Locations to Remain
• Gluten Free Lisbon: A Complete Guide to Lisbon’s Best Gluten Free Eateries
• Outstanding Coffee Establishments in Lisbon: 9 Remarkable Lisbon Coffee Houses to Add to Your List

Porto:

Gluten Free Options in Seattle, Washington

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• Spending a Day Exploring Porto.

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• Where to Reside in Porto, Portugal: The 3 Best Places to Reside

The Algarve:

• A Complete Guide for Thoroughly Planning a Road Journey Along the Algarve (3-7 Days)
• Five charming coastal towns in the Algarve region that offer lodging accommodations suitable as a home base for traveling around the area
• How to Hike the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail: Complete Guide to the Trail