Lisbon in One Day

Updated 26 February 2025

Coming to UXLx and only have a free day to do some sightseeing? While 24 hours is quite a short time for such a culturally rich city, it’s perfectly enough to get a feeling of the city’s charm and visit key attractions.

We’ve put together a handy guide to help you make the most of your time!

💡 Tip: You can get a Lisboa Card which includes free unlimited transport on all public transport systems, free pass to 51 museums and monuments, and discounts in 80 cultural/tourist places of interest and services around Lisbon. The price of the 24 hours card is 25,65€ (when purchased online).

🕘 Start your day in Belém

Have a sweet treat for breakfast (or two 😋)

It’s quite impossible to leave Portugal without tasting this delicious Portuguese sweet speciality. So why not start your visit with exactly that? In Belém you’ll find an old pastry shop Pastéis de Belém that holds the original recipe of the pastéis de nata, served warm and straight out of the oven. Then add a hint of cinnamon and icing sugar on top of it. Yummy!

💡 Tip: Normally there’s a long queue out the door and down the road, but don’t be frightened, that’s just for the takeaway tarts. You can go in, find a table, sit and enjoy this delicious treat.

You can find pastéis de nata all over in Portugal and it’s very common to eat it with a coffee. So during the rest of day if you get a sudden urge to eat another one, just step in any coffee or pastry shop and you’re most likely to find it.

Stroll around Belém

Belém is definitely a place worth exploring. This is the place from where the Portuguese 15th century explorers sailed out into the ocean to reach new territories during the Discoveries. Reflecting the richness of that period in History are the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower, with a detailed architectural ornamentation style you can only find in Portugal.

💡 Tip: Normally there are long queues to visit Belém Tower so if you’re on a tight schedule, we would recommend you to simply admire it from the outside. The queues to enter the Monastery can be quite long as well, but there’s never a queue to visit the church, plus the entrance is free.

Walk along the river front towards the 25 de Abril Bridge (yes, the one that looks very much like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco). Don’t forget to admire the caravel-shaped Padrão dos Descobrimentos (The Discoveries Monument) on the route along the waterfront.

🕐 Head to “Baixa” (Lisbon’s downton)

Since Belém is not connected to the metro network, the best option is hoping on tram 15. It travels along the riverfront, passing through several traditional neighbourhoods like Alcântara and Cais do Sodré. Hop off at Praça do Comércio (also known as Terreiro do Paço). This 18th century square is one of the biggest in Europe and probably the most famous one in Lisbon.

Walk pass the arch and enter Rua Augusta, a pedestrian street with a variety of shops and restaurants, street artists and performers.

On a parallel street to Rua Augusta you can see the historic Santa Justa Lift, a 1902 industrial-age masterpiece. As it’s one of Lisbon’s must-see attractions there’s normally a long queue to take the elevator that takes you to the Chiado district. Once you reach the top, you can climb some narrow stairs that get you you to a viewing platform with 360º views over Lisbon. If you’re on a schedule, a long wait and an expensive short ride might not be the a great idea, but that’s up to you.

Dom Pedro IV Square

Also know as Rossio Square, it’s one of the most popular town squares dating back to the 18th century. Take a few minutes to admire the beautiful patterns on the cobblestone pavement and don’t miss the Romantic Rossio Railway Station as well.

From Alfama all the way up to the castle

Get lost in the slopes of Alfama and its charming little streets. This is the oldest and most traditional neighbourhood of Lisbon. Discover its labyrinth-like cobblestone streets, the narrow passageways, the small houses with flowered balconies and clothes hanging on the clothes rack to dry out, and old women leaning out of their window to see who’s passing by.

Make a stop in the two famous viewpoints to get a postcard like view of the city — Miradouro das Portas do Sol and Miradouro de Santa Luzia. Make sure you also stop by Lisbon Cathedral.

Standing on the top of the hill there’s Castelo de S. Jorge (St. George’s Castle) one of the most iconic symbols of the city. Its oldest parts date back to the 6th century, when it was fortified by the Romans, Visigoths, and the Moors. From its battlements you can enjoy fantastic views of downtown and the river.

🕘 End your day in Bairro Alto🍷

In Bairro Alto or Príncipe Real you’ll find great restaurants to have a delicious dinner.

The Bairro Alto neighbourhood is known for its lively nightlife, with a good choice of restaurants, bars and nightclubs. So after dinner, grab a drink in one of the little pubs and mingle with locals and tourists in the street.

And there you have it. Our go-to places and tips to spend an unforgettable day in Lisbon. Hope you have a wonderful time in Lisbon and at UXLx! 🤩