1 day in Lisbon: An Epic 1 day Lisbon itinerary (+ Map)

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Are you planning a trip to Portugal and want to know the best way to spend 1 day in Lisbon?

We have visited Lisbon numerous times in recent years and it is one city break that we always love going back to. Lisbon has a great combination of city and beach life, as well as offering excellent day trip options to Sintra or Cascais.

Lisbon also has a consistent climate, meaning it is a perfect city break option throughout the year. This 1 day Lisbon itinerary will take you through everything you need to spend the perfect day in Lisbon, including hotel, restaurant and activity recommendations around the city.

Is 1 day in Lisbon enough time?

Spending just 1 day in Lisbon won’t be enough time to enjoy everything the city has to offer. Lisbon has so many great attractions that will easily fill 2-3 days without feeling the need to rush between each location.

While one day in Lisbon won’t be enough time to see everything, this 1 day Lisbon itinerary will help you maximise your time in the city and get a good sense of what Lisbon has to offer.

Ideally, we would suggest spending at least 3 days in Lisbon and using at least one of these days taking a day trip to Sintra or else Cascais depending on the time of year. If you visit during particularly good weather, we would recommend taking a trip to Cascais, a picturesque town around 30 minutes from the city.

How to get from Lisbon Airport to the city centre

Public Transport

Lisbon airport is very easy to navigate – if you are staying in the city centre, the easiest way to get there is to follow the signs in the airport for the underground which is about a 5 minute walk from arrivals.

Once you get there, go to the ticket machines where you will have the option of purchasing a single ticket which is €1.80, or you can purchase a 24 hour pass for around €6.60, which can then be used throughout the day on the public transport network.

If you are staying in the city centre, take the red line towards Sao Sebastiao for 9 stops before changing to the Green line at Almaeda towards Baixa Chiado, for a further 6 stops. This will bring you to the Baixa area which is in the heart of the city. The total journey time from the airport using this method is around 35 minutes.

Taxi

You can also take a taxi from the airport, which is around a 25 minute journey. Taxis are much more affordable in Lisbon than many other cities in Western Europe. Download the Bolt app before you visit to get the best prices available from the airport. We were able to find options for less than €10 when we visited.

Car Rental

You can also rent a car in Lisbon to get around. We would recommend taking this option if you plan to explore Portugal more broadly but it isn’t a necessity otherwise. Lisbon has excellent public transport so you can easily rely on that throughout your trip.

If you would like to rent a car, we would recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rate for your rental.

How to get around Lisbon

Walk

Lisbon is walkable but be warned in advance, it is incredibly hilly and the majority of the streets are cobbled stone so your choice of footwear is an important decision.

That being said, you can still largely get around by foot but would be better off using public transport/taxis to visit places like Belem Tower, Mosteiro dos Jeronimos and LX Factory which are a little bit out of the city centre.

Bolt

Unlike many cities in Western Europe, taxis are extremely affordable here, particularly if you use the ride sharing app, Bolt. To give you an example, we took a 10 minute taxi journey using Bolt that cost €3.65 in Lisbon, whereas the same journey at home in Dublin would have cost €10+.

City Pass

The best value way to get around the city is to get a Lisbon City Pass, these are available for 24/48 or 72 hours and include unlimited access to public transport (including the train to Sintra and Cascais), as well as entry to over 50 local attractions including Belem Tower and discounts for shopping and nightlife.

Guided Tour

If you only have 1 day in Lisbon, the best way to maximise what you see is to take a guided tour. Option 1 is to take the traditional hop on/hop off tours which provide great flexibility. Option 2 is to take a more private tuk tuk tour which will take you around all of the main attractions in the city without any of the stress of figuring out the logistics.

Where to stay in Lisbon

The best area to stay in Lisbon based on our experience is Baixa. There are a huge range of hotels in Baixa and it is within walking distance of many of Lisbon’s main attractions including the Santa Justa lift and Rua Augusta.

The last time we visited Lisbon we stayed at Eurostars Lisboa Baixa and would highly recommend it to anyone spending a day in Lisbon. The hotel is central, stylish and within walking distance to many of Lisbon’s main attractions – making it perfect for a short stay in Lisbon.

Map of Lisbon

1 day Lisbon Itinerary

Morning – Coffee, Breakfast & Belem Tower

If you are a coffee/brunch lover then you have come to the right place in Lisbon. The city is filled with great options to start your day with a good coffee. Get your day started with breakfast at Hygge, a Copenhagen inspired brunch spot with a relaxed feel in the heart of the city.

After breakfast, grab a short Bolt ride to Belem Tower – Bolt taxis are very inexpensive in Lisbon compared to many European cities. On our last trip to Lisbon, we took the train to Sintra without realising there was to be a train strike that afternoon. We thought we were either a) stranded in Sintra for the night with no way back to the city or b) one very expensive taxi ride away and a complete mood wrecked for the day.

As it turns out, we were able to get an Uber and despite the drive taking around 45 minutes it only ended up costing under €20. So if you do end up stuck somewhere in Lisbon, Bolt/taxi fares are not wallet altering compared to the same mishap in New York or London.

Belem Tower

Belem Tower is the first place we visited after getting engaged so it always holds a particularly nostalgic feeling for us. The tower is one of the main symbols of Lisbon with a unique architecture and was originally used as a gateway to the city. Tickets to go inside the tower cost

To get the most out of Belem and the nearby Jeronimos Monastery we would recommend taking this walking tour which we used the last time we visited Lisbon. The tour includes entry to Belem and Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, which is a UNESCO World heritage site, filled with beautiful architecture and historical significance.

While you are in this area, we would also highly recommend taking a quick visit to the Maat Museum where you will find one of the best views of the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge in the entire city. (Ideally we would recommend going there at sunset if you have more than a day in Lisbon to get the best view.)

Afternoon – LX Factory & Pink Street

LX Factory

Next up is one of or favourite places to visit in Lisbon and a great place to grab some lunch on the return back to the city – LX Factory. LX Factory was once a huge textiles factory that has now become a trendy urban centre lined with quirky shops and a wide range of bars and restaurants.

We would recommend spending some of your afternoon exploring this trendy area, grab a souvenir from your trip in one of the shops and get a pizza at Sophia Pizzoteca. You should also check out the amazing book shop here, Ler Devagar. You will recognise it by the cardboard cut out of a girl on a bicycle dangling from the ceiling.

Just around the corner there is also a beautiful viewpoint that very few tourists know about – Miradoura de Santo Amaro. This spot also has incredible views looking out over the Tagus river and the bridge so you could easily choose to go here rather than the Maat Museum if you only have a day in Lisbon to save time.

Pink Street & Green Street

On the way back in to the city, you could also make a stop along the colourful umbrella lined Pink Street and Green Street. To be honest, we didn’t love those areas compared to other parts of the city but as you don’t need to spend much time there, they are good for a photo opportunity if nothing else.

Evening – Dinner & A Pastel de Nata Class

Start your evening off by taking a walk along the Rua Augusta to snap some photos at the beautiful Arco Triunfal monument before going for a cocktail at Imprensa. This stylish cocktail and oyster bar is in the heart of the city and just a 5 minute walk from Eurostars Lisboa Baixa if you decide to stay there on your visit to Lisbon.

After that, go for dinner at Rocco PT, a stylish Italian restaurant in the heart of the city. This restaurant is perfect for a special occasion but is slightly more expensive than average with main courses costing around €30-40 per plate. This restaurant is very photogenic as well so if you want to get some nice photos of your outfit for the occasion then the interiors here provide a beautiful backdrop.

For your dessert, you can not leave Lisbon without having one of their most famous exports a – a pastel de nata. This pastry filled with custard and cinnamon is a everywhere in Lisbon but we would recommend getting yours from either Pasteis de Belem or Manteigaria.

If you really wanted to, you could also even do a baking class during your stay in Lisbon to learn how the dessert is made. Embracing the local food and learning a new recipe to take home and impress with is the perfect addition to complete your 1 day Lisbon itinerary.