3 Days In Lisbon: Essential Things to Do in Portugal's Dynamic Capital

The city’s core neighborhoods are nestled close together in a semi-vertical sprawl from riverside to hilltops. Each with its own unique flavor and character, and its share of Lisbon’s major tourist attractions, but Sofitel’s local knowledge also leads you aside to elegant, elevated, and unexpected moments.

Once populated by sailors and fishermen, the city’s oldest neighborhood reaches uphill to the fortress of Castelo de São Jorge. The best things to do in Lisbon begin with an early ascent on the beloved yellow Tram 28, while it’s still nice and quiet. Stop at Miradouro de Santa Luzia, a panoramic lookout high above the city, and enjoy the morning hush around the medieval edifice of nearby Cathedral of Saint Mary Major. A pre-booked private tour lets you skip the line for Castelo de São Jorge tickets, to join an expert guide and walk the ramparts while hearing stories of the bygone Celts, Romans, and Moors who once ruled from this site.

“For me, fado is destiny, it’s life. I don’t sing fado... it sings in me.” - Amália Rodrigues, renowned fado performer

Alfama’s ancient streets form a cobbled labyrinth, and one unusual thing to do in Lisbon is take a thrilling motorcycle sidecar tour of those narrow lanes and steep, sloping alleys. Within that maze is the Feira da Ladra, a flea market that dates back more than 750 years, where you can bargain for colonial-era antiques and hand-painted ceramics amid the colorful kitsch.

Alfama is also the spiritual home of fado music, expressing a deep maritime melancholy through song and strummed guitar. As dusk descends, enjoy a private dinner and show at authentic fado house Mesa de Frades, a former chapel decorated with 18th-century azulejo tiles and blessed with resounding acoustics.

Take it slow and steady on foot through three essential neighborhoods layered on top of each other. After an elegant buffet breakfast at the Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade or morning pastries in Praça da Figueira, pass on through the splendid squares of Praça do Comércio and Praça do Rossio. The Santa Justa Lift, a masterpiece of neo-Gothic ironwork, takes you to the Carmo Convent, a quake-ruined church now housing an atmospheric archaeology museum. Shop as you go at some of Lisbon’s loveliest boutiques:
 

• Baixa’s iconic family-run grocery Conserveira de Lisboa stocks a glinting array of gourmet tinned seafood.
• Chiado’s wonderful bookshops include the oldest in the world, Livraria Bertrand.
• Bairro Alto has excellent art and antiques stores along Rua de São Bento, while shrine-like Caza das Vellas Loreto has been selling handcrafted beeswax candles since 1789.

Placid by day, Bairro Alto turns livelier at twilight. Watch the sunset over terracotta rooftops from the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, beside the gorgeous Renaissance chapel of the same name, then ease into the evening with a guided tasting of vintage port wines at specialist institute Solar do Vinho do Porto, or a private cocktail workshop at the low-lit Cinco Lounge.

For a truly memorable evening, book a VIP box at the 18th-century National Theatre of São Carlos for a commanding view of the opera or ballet, before a late supper of molecular gastronomy at Michelin-starred Lisbon restaurant Mini Bar José Avillez.

“By day Lisbon has a naive theatrical quality that enchants and captivates, but by night it is a fairy-tale city, descending over lighted terraces to the sea, like a woman in festive garments going down to meet her dark lover.” - Erich Maria Remarque, The Night in Lisbon (1962)

 The place to stay in Lisbon is on Avenida da Liberdade, where our Sofitel hotel enjoys a prime location on the city’s favorite shopping street. You could rebuild your wardrobe with one expedition along this leafy boulevard, where international luxury brands stand alongside the finest native ateliers. After browsing for singular costume jewelry by Maria João Bahia and designer eyewear at André Opticas, return to your 5-star Lisbon hotel to take away Sofitel’s Chic Picnic, a luxury hamper of delicious goodies. Laying out that curated gourmet spread in nearby hilltop park Jardim do Torel is among the best things to do in Lisbon.

On Sundays and public holidays, Avenida da Liberdade, on which our chic hotel in Lisbon is located, is closed to road traffic, so you can stroll at leisure past its manicured lawns, landmark buildings, and monuments to great Portuguese poets and musicians.

These activities are all within 20 minutes' walk of Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade. Speak to your Sofitel concierge about arranging private experiences. 

• Immerse yourself in the Museu de São Roque's collection of Portuguese sacred art
• Browse a curated selection of independent Portuguese designers at EmbaiXada, a spectacular 19th-century Moorish Revival palace turned shopping mall
• Taste Portuguese wines and ports while learning about the different wine regions at From The Vine
• Delve into the history of Portuguese azulejos at Solar Antiques, one of the most remarkable specialist dealers of the form in Europe, with pieces from the 16th century onwards 

Many of Lisbon’s most appealing things to do are clustered in this waterfront district by the Tagus River. Go to the source of the city’s signature custard tarts, pastéis de nata, at Pastéis de Belém before visiting the Jerónimos Monastery where those sweet treats were invented. Skip the line again for a private tour through its ornate cloisters and tombs. 

Take a relaxed stroll along the waterfront to breathe in nautical history at Monument of the Discoveries and Belém Tower, before an afternoon exploring Lisbon’s energetic modern art spaces:

• At the strikingly designed Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC/CCB) you’ll see inspirational works by the likes of Portuguese modernist painter Almada Negreiros and American photographer Cindy Sherman.
• With glistening reflective tiles, futuristic gardens, and a rooftop observation deck, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) creates an immersive environment for cutting-edge installations.
• Beneath the 25 de Abril Bridge, a former industrial complex is now home to a robust creative community, LX Factory. Meet artists in their studios, shop for designer cosmetics, and sample boutique chocolates amid vivid street murals.

As evening light turns the Tagus River gold, charter a private yacht sailing at sunset, and sip the native sparkling wine, espumante, while surveying the skyline from the water. Belém is known for spectacular seafood, and one of Lisbon’s best restaurants is Canalha, a cozy bistro where top chef João Rodrigues showcases his casual flair for Portuguese coastal gastronomy. 

Our Lisbon travel guide traces three days through the city’s most iconic sights, activities, and experiences. Extending your visit lets you venture into outer suburbs and must-see places like the National Tile Museum. Housed in a former convent, its entrancing galleries tell the story of Portugal’s emblematic azulejo ceramics. And a day trip beyond the city soon brings you to some of the best things to do within an hour of Lisbon:

• Swimming and surfing along the shoreline – the best beaches near Lisbon include Adraga, a secluded cove under dramatic cliffs, and Carcavelos, where private surf instructors teach you to ride Atlantic breakers.
• Mysteries and histories of Sintra – book a private tour of Sintra’s National Palace, the Castle of the Moors, and the dreamlike “Initiation Well” at Quinta da Regaleira.
• Luxury leisure and wellness in Cascais – framed by pristine beaches, thick pines, clifftop lookouts, and the famous chasm Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth), this seaside enclave makes a sublime getaway for golfing, tennis, or spa treatments.

Taste these five essential Portuguese dishes on your travels in Lisbon.

1. Bacalhau à Brás: A beloved dish of salt cod scrambled with egg, crisp potato, parsley and black olives until just set. Try a modern reinvention at the two-Michelin-starred Belcanto, or head to virtually any tasca at lunchtime and pull up a stool. 
2. Sardinhas assadas: The smell of sardines smoking over charcoal is Lisbon in high summer. Tasca do Chico in Alfama is a cozy spot known for doing them only while in season (late May to early October).
3. Cozido à Portuguesa: A hearty stew of chickpeas, multiple cuts of pork, beef, chouriço, morcela (blood sausage), cabbages and root vegetables. Tascas often serve it as a weekly special, typically on Wednesdays; try Zé da Mouraria for generous portions in an atmospheric setting. 
4. Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato: Named after a 19th-century Lisbon poet, this dish of clams steamed open in olive oil, white wine, garlic and fresh coriander is one of the great simple pleasures of Lisbon. Savor it at Último Porto near the port.
5. Pastel de Nata: To finish, the famed Portuguese custard tart: a flaky, slightly caramelized pastry shell filled with warm egg custard, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar. Stop at Pastéis de Belém and eat them hot, standing at the counter.