Lisbon, Portugal: A One Day Guide
My first international solo travel!
Whether you only have one day in Lisbon, need some suggestions or need help crafting an itinerary to make the most out of your day, look no further. Lisbon is big, has a lot of history, and enough to do to last you a week plus. But, I only had one full day so I had to prioritize. Here’s how I suggest you spend a day in Lisbon.
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Wake up & put on your walking shoes because you’re in for a treat. Expect to cover lots of miles (and even more hills). Grab a coffee and either a small breakfast or pastry to hold you over until real breakfast. I don’t drink coffee (hot take, I don’t like it) so to avoid the coffee snobs coming after me, I will not be recommending the best coffee in the area. There’s coffee shops everywhere you turn, so you’ll find something!
Hop on Tram 28, Lisbon’s iconic tram. Depending on where you are staying in the city, you can find a stop nearest you. But if possible, I’d recommend getting on at the first (west-most) stop so you can experience a longer journey of the ride - and can get a seat. Get off at the stop at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia. This is one of the most famous overlooks in Lisbon. With the classic blue tiles, local vendors, some seating, you’ll get a great view of the city (and a great photo op). Beware: it does get crowded here.
Continue on by walking around Alfama (a neighborhood in Lisbon). No need to do too much, just simply walk around and enjoy the views, architectures, colors, etc.
When you’re ready to head back you can either hop back on the tram or walk. Tram 28 runs along a touristy scenic route so I figured I would walk that path and get the same effect. Plus, you’ll have many opportunities to take photos and videos of the trams passing by.
Stop by Dear Breakfast for a late breakfast meal. There are two locations, but I’d recommend the Alfama one since you’ll be in the area. I walked past here on the way to Miradouro de Santa Luzia and it was packed with a line out the door. There are so many seats inside & outside so this says a lot. But, I stopped by on my way back and I sat right away.* I was blessed with a seat right next to the open windows / doors so it was a lovely experience.
After your meal, keep walking!
Walk towards the Terreiro do Paço - a public square with shops & cafes. From here you’ll get a stunning view of the Arco da Rua Augusta as well as the Monument to King Jose.
Walk west along the Tagus river. There are some seats built into the walkway by the water and there are also some public beach chairs set out too (Ribeira das Naus). Feel free to sit and relax and listen to the waves roll in. This is a perfect place to sit and read a book (solo travelers, where are you?!). There are also some restaurants on the water if you wanted to grab a drink - Quiosque Ribeira das Naus is the one right by the beach chairs. Walk through Pink Street (a very underwhelming but necessary experience (and by experience I mean approximately 50 feet (45 seconds of your time)). Make your way to Time Out Market which is a huge food hall. Before going in, check to see if the farmer’s market is going on outside. If it is, check out the many different vendors there. Inside the Market you’ll find different food options of all different cuisines. Anything from small snacks to large meals. Depending on how hungry you are, you can find something. If you’re traveling with others, have one person stake out a table while the other orders the food. It gets really busy so it can be difficult to find a seat. I traveled solo and only got finger food so I stood and ate since there were no seats available. If food halls aren’t your thing, there are plenty other great food options around in the area.
Right around the block is Elevator da Bica. It is a trolley car that travels up a super steep street. Personally, I would not pay for the ride up the trolley - the ride is very short so I don’t think waiting on line is worth it. I walked up the stairs on the same street and that was enough for me. The trolley runs every ~15 minutes and this is where the famous Lisbon tram car photo is usually taken. Note that there are two cars that operate: the famous yellow (pretty) one and then another that has been spray panted over. Depending on your timing you might have to wait the extra 15 minutes for the next cycle if the photo is important to you.
Onto Pink Street’s (better) cousin. Just a few streets away, Green Street, is a quaint and tucked away. During the right time of the year, the street is filled with lots of plants and flowers, hence the name.
This is the furthest west I went so I turned around to start heading back. There are a lot of really cute coffee shops on the street Calcada Do Combro which is the street that connects the top of Green Street with the top of Elevator da Bica. I also found a nice local souvenir shop here. In my opinion, it had nicer, less cheesy, gifts. I found a bookmark and a few artistic postcards (if you don’t already know, I’ve been collecting these while traveling).
Back near Time Out Market is Javá rooftop. Offering a Mediterranean menu feel free to stop here for dinner or just a drink with a view. Before visiting, note the opening hours. During the summer the rooftop opens earlier but when I was there it didn’t open until 5:00pm.
If you are looking elsewhere for dinner, I’d search ahead of time based on what you’re looking for. There were so many great options recommended to me - something for everyone. I am not a certified foodie and didn’t have any traditional Portuguese meals for dinner but it would not be hard to find. I went back to Terreiro do Paço and had dinner at a restaurant on the water.
I’d end the day by the water for sunset. Either at Ribeira das Naus where the chairs are or anywhere along the Tagus river.
* this may change depending on when in the year you visit
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Sample Itinerary (with time stamps):
When it comes to traveling, especially by myself, I more so like to have a rough outline but appreciate wandering around. I tend to find that my favorite places are ones I stumble across. But, I understand not everyone is the same. So if you’re someone who likes structure, check out this sample itinerary below.
8:00am Coffee
8:45am Tram 28
9:15am Miradouro de Santa Luzia
10:00am Walk around Alfama neighborhood
11:30am Breakfast at Dear Breakfast
12:45pm Terreiro do Paço: see Arco da Rua Augusta & Monument to King Jose.
1:00pm Walk along the Tagus river
1:15pm Pink Street
1:30pm Time Out Market: farmer’s market outside & food hall inside
3:00pm Elevator da Bica
3:45pm Green Street
4:00pm Calcada Do Combro: coffee, treats & shops
5:15pm - Drink at Javá rooftop
6:15pm - Dinner @ TBD
Sunset - Ribeira das Naus: chairs set out along the water or drink at Quiosque Ribeira das Naus
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Where to stay:
I was very happy with where I stayed (the hotel & the location). I have only been to Lisbon once so I don’t have anything to compare it to but regardless, would recommend.
I stayed in the Pestana CR7 hotel (video of my room) which is right near Terreiro do Paço. If at all possible, I’d request a room on a higher floor. I was on the second floor and it got a little noisy at night since it was right in the downtown area.
Things to note:
I personally don’t think you need to ride Tram 28. I walked along the route it takes and was happy enough with that. If you do want to ride it, I’d suggest doing it early in the morning. I saw it pass by during the day and everyone was packed in there like sardines.
Time Out Market gets very crowded. I’d recommend someone looking for seats while someone else gets the food. If you are alone you’ll have to hope to snag a seat next to someone, or stand and eat.
If you are planning on taking the suburban train, get your ticket / pass in advance. If you plan to show up to the train station and get your ticket then and there, be prepared to wait on a long line and probably miss the original train you were planning on taking.
I never had any issue with anyone not knowing English. I always recommend familiarizing yourself with a least some of the basics of the language that is spoken where you travel but if not, there were no issues.
Time of year: I visited at the very beginning of April and it was honestly perfect. It was nice out enough that I was comfortable sitting outside (and I even went to the beach) but it wasn’t too hot where I was miserable walking around. The beach was very crowded so I couldn’t imagine how it is during the peak summer months.
Extras:
If you will be in Lisbon for longer (or just looking for some additional recommendations) check these out.
Lx Factor: a large area of restaurants, bars, shops & a huge library. I wanted to go but didn’t have time (it is not walking distance from the center of the city)
Porto Final: restaurant on the water in Almada take the ferry over to either eat or walk around this neighborhood.
Take the local suburban train to a beach town. Cascais is the last stop on the line and takes less than an hour to get to.
Looking for photo inspiration for your upcoming trip? | Instagram
Beach photo | Photos around the city | Cascais
More of a visual learner? Here are some short form videos of my trip to Portugal | Tik Tok
Elevator da Bica | Solo day 1 | Solo day 2 | Hotel | Sample Itinerary
Looking for more? I created a long form video of my trip | Youtube
