At a glance
| Recommended days | 5 - 7 days |
|---|---|
| Budget level | $$ |
| Daily cost | €60-100 |
| Best season | Mar-May · Sep-Oct |
| Region | Southwest Europe |
Day-by-day plan
This route comes from our full Lisbon: Tram 28 & Alfama guide - each day below links to the deeper detail there.
- Arrive Lisbon
- Alfama + Tram 28
- Belem + Pasteis
- LX Factory + Fado
- Day trip: Sintra
- Bairro Alto + fly out
Pacing this route
Lisbon is a city of hills and trams: cluster each day by neighborhood (Alfama one day, Bairro Alto/Chiado another, Belém a third) and let the funiculars do the climbing. The itinerary's 5–7 days includes Sintra and Cascais as day trips.
Evenings are the point: the miradouros, fado houses and late tasca dinners run on their own clock — schedule mornings for sights and nights for the hills.
Fewer or more days
- Fewer days: 3 days covers Alfama + Baixa/Chiado + Belém, with Sintra as the fourth — the classic first visit.
- More days: add Cascais beach day, a Setubal or Arrabida trip, or push north to Porto by train for a second-city leg.
Practical tips for this route
- Watch bags on tram 28 and at Rossio station — the tourist pickpocket corridor; keep the phone in the front pocket on hills.
- Book Pena Palace and fado houses ahead for weekends; both sell out their small rooms.
- The hills are real: comfortable shoes beat any transport hack, and the funiculars cover only the worst climbs.
Pair the route with the daily budget breakdown and the best-time-to-visit calendar to lock your dates, or hand the stops to our interactive trip planner.
Related guides
Best time to visit Lisbon · Lisbon travel budget · Full Lisbon guide · Interactive trip planner
FAQ
How many days do I need in Lisbon?
Four to five covers the city properly with one Sintra day; the itinerary's 5–7 range adds Cascais and slow afternoons. Lisbon rewards repeat mornings at the same café.
Tram 28 — tourist trap or essential?
Both. It is a genuine working tram with an unbeatable route; ride it at 7:00 or 21:00 and it is magic, at 11:00 it is a sardine can. Alfama on foot covers the same ground better.
Is Sintra doable in one day?
One, with choices: Pena + Moorish Castle or Quinta da Regaleira, not all four sites. Two days if you want the coast road and Monserrate too.
Is 5 days enough for Lisbon?
Yes — the plan above is built for the recommended 5-7 days. At 5 days, use the cuts noted under 'Fewer or more days'; at 7, the pacing stays relaxed without adding new regions.