Lisbon Portugal one day itinerary
Lisbon Portugal is one of our favourite destinations in the South of Europe. Aside from the warm wether, fresh seafood and easy going life, Lisbon Portugal is also relatively cheaper when compared to The Netherlands. This cosmopolitan city is quite big similar to many popular European cities such as Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and London. Thus, I do not recommend to do city walk if you have kids, and unless you have the stamina to walk several kilometres of distance. Luckily, the famous spots in Lisbon Portugal are highly interconnected via public transports such as bus and metros, making it easy to tour around this city as well as other cities in Portugal. The nice thing with taking public transports in Lisbon is that the prices are cheap, especially if you have your public transport card that can be easily obtained in any of the metros stations. It costs only 1,65 euros to take a metro and 1,10 euros for the bus. Of course, there is also a hop-on hop-off buses that stop at various sight seeing places at reasonable prices (15 euros for one way bus and 24 euros per two-way bus, valid for 24 hours).
Exploring Lisbon Portugal for one day is not enough. I have visited Lisbon twice and I would say that my stay is always not enough. But if you only have one day to tour around this city, then I compressed in this blog the places to visit for one day itinerary. You will notice that most of this places are just along the seaside and most of them are reachable by hop-on hop-off buses.
Lisbon Portugal one day itinerary
1. Oceanário de Lisboa
Being surrounded by sea, Lisbon is a hub for many marine animals. The Oceanário de Lisboa houses over 15,000 marine creatures from 500 species making it as one of the largest aquariums in Europe. This ‘floating building’ is located in a bay of Parque de Nacoes, which is in the eastern part of Lisbon. When going to Oceanário de Lisboa you simply pass a walkway across the water. This building consists of one main tank and several smaller ones that are located in two floors. Both terrestrial and marine ecosystems can be found in this building. A visit to this building is easy since it is part of the route of hop-on hop off bus and can be easily reached via metro. For this visit you can easily spend 2-3 hours. Check the website of Oceanário de Lisboa for more details.
2. Castelo de São Jorge
Castelo de São Jorge is a historic castle erected on Lisbon’s highest hill. This castle was built by the Moors during the 11th century to serve as military barracks and royal chambers. When Lisbon was conquered by Dom Alfonso Henriques in 1147, who was also then crowned as first king of Portugal, the castle was expanded to accommodate the king, the royal court, the bishop, as well as the royal archives. Since then, this castle served as a Royal Palace from 13th-16th centuries. When Portugal became part of Spain, Castelo de São Jorge became a military basis from 16th to 20th century. Nowadays, this serves as a national monument that houses a museum and archaeological site. This place is also popular for visitors because it provides a 360 degrees panoramic view of the city. The palace can be reached via tram stops (e.g. Tram 28), plus walking up the hill. If you have a Lisbon card the entrance to the palace is free.
3. Praca do Comercio (Terreiro do Paco)
Praca do Comercio is one of the biggest and the most beautiful squares in Europe. This area is located in the downtown Lisbon, which faces the sea, thus adding another layer of beauty in the area. Praca do Comercio is famous for displaying magnificent artworks and sculptures and is nice place to stroll around. Since Praca do Comercio is a transport hub for bus, tram/metro, airport bus, and ferries, many places in Lisbon are accessible from here.
4. Bairro Alto
Bairro Alto is the upper town of Lisbon Portugal that is famous for restaurants, shops, and art galleries. This district is considered as the busiest and liveliest in Lisbon especially at night. Many locals and travellers come here to drink in many bars trying locally made liquor ginjinha, while listening to live fado music. Of course, it is also possible to stroll down their narrow streets in the day to enjoy visiting some shops and cafes. Every very corner of Barrio Alto is worth photo moment as it is filled with color and vibrancy.
5. Moisteros dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery)
The Jerónimos Monastery is built in the early 1500s and is an example of the late Portuguese Gothic Manueline Style. This UNESCO World Heritage site was established to commemorate the return of Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer and the first who reach Indian Sea, from India. This monastery also houses the tombs of other famous people in history in addition to Vasco da Gama, such as Luís de Camões, and Kings Manuel I and John III.
6. Torre de Belem (Belém Tower)
Torre de Belem is another UNESCO World Heritage site built during the 16th-century. This tower serves as a monument to Portugal’s Age of Discovery on both land and sea. This place is also quite close to other tourists’ spots in Lisbon Portugal, such as the Jerónimos Monastery, (Monument to the Discoveries), and museums (Coach Museum, Centro Cultural de Belém). The Torre de Belem provides breathtaking views of the Tagus river. Belém is also famous for its delicious “Pastéis de Belém”, a typical Portuguese custard tarts, which you will surely enjoy its delightful flavour.
7. Alges beach Lisbon Portugal
This beach is just one of the many beaches in Lisbon Portugal. We randomly visited this beach since it is just close to the place that we were staying during my family’s visit to Lisbon. Alges beach is easily accessible by metro and bus. From the public transport station, you need to walk on a tunnel filled with artworks. The beach is just five minutes away from the station and is not so crowded making it attractive for visitors who are looking for tranquility.
8. Hotel Mundial Lisbon Portugal
Hotel Mundial is a nice place to visit for afternoon drinks and dinner while watching the sunset at the 8th floor (rooftop) and getting a 360 degrees panoramic view of Lisbon. From the rooftop of Hotel Mundial you can find the view of Castelo de São Jorge, the seas, as well as the beautiful color-filled row of houses of Lisbon.
From Lisbon, other places in Europe are very accessible. You can reach Faro Portugal, Andalusia Spain, or even the south of French. Want to visit these places? Check my blogs on:
1. One day itinerary in Faro Portugal
2. Faro Portugal spend winter holidays
3. Andalusia Spain Portugal Roadtrip