The Best Things to Do in Lisbon

Lisbon rewards anyone who does more than tick monuments off a list. The city is best felt through experiences, on the water, on the hills, at the table and to the sound of fado. We have gathered the best things to do in Lisbon , from the river to the vineyards, by way of the kitchen, the music and an unforgettable day trip.

See Lisbon from the river

Lisbon was built facing the Tagus, so it is from the river that you grasp its true scale. A sunset boat tour passes Alfama, Terreiro do Paço, the 25 de Abril Bridge, Cristo Rei and Belém, all without queues or climbs. At Sardinha do Tejo there are three ways to live it: the EVORA Boat, historic and social, the Catamaran, calmer and more intimate, and the Boat Party, for those who want a party with a DJ and a swim. See the options at Lisbon boat tours.

Climb up to a viewpoint and see the city from above

Lisbon is a city of hills, and its viewpoints are its best calling card. In the late afternoon, the golden light hits the rooftops and the river, and few things are as Lisbon as a drink at a viewpoint watching the sun go down. But take note: not all of them face the right way, as some of the most famous look east. To choose well, see our guide to the best sunset spots in Lisbon, where we point out the best viewpoints and rooftops.

Take a tuktuk or a sightseeing bus

For a first read of the city, a tuktuk ride is hard to beat. The little electric buggies climb where cars cannot, wind through Alfama and Mouraria and take you up to the viewpoints without the effort of the hills. Alternatively, the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses give a comfortable overview, ideal for your first day, to grasp the geography of Lisbon before exploring it on foot.

Taste the region's wines with Lisbon Wine Routes

Many people do not realise it, but Lisbon is a serious wine region, and on its doorstep there are estates, tastings and landscapes well worth the trip. Lisbon Wine Routes is the best way to discover it: a guide dedicated to the district's wine tourism, with a focus on the West Wine Route and areas like Bucelas, Colares, Alenquer and Torres Vedras. It brings together award-winning wineries, visits, tastings, city wine bars and even grape harvest experiences in September, for anyone who wants to feel wine from its source. It is the right choice for a different day out, less than an hour from Lisbon.

Learn to cook Portuguese food at Lisbon Cooking Academy

If there is one way to take Lisbon home with you, it is learning to cook it. Lisbon Cooking Academy, a cooking school running since 2017 near Saldanha, offers hands-on Portuguese cooking classes with professional chefs, in an informal, relaxed setting. There are market tours, classes on traditional dishes, vegan options and, for those with a sweet tooth, a workshop to learn how to make a real pastel de nata. It also welcomes private groups and team-building sessions, which makes it perfect for an activity for two, with family or with colleagues.

Listen to fado in a traditional house

There is no sound more Lisbon than fado. Melancholic, intense and deeply tied to the old neighbourhoods, it has been UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2011. The best way to live it is in a small fado house in Alfama or Mouraria, where the singer performs just a few metres away, often over dinner or late into the night. It is an intimate, moving experience, the kind that stays with you long after the trip ends. Take your time and let the evening unfold.

Take a day trip to Sintra

About 40 minutes from Lisbon, Sintra feels like something out of a fairy tale. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a place of palaces, forests and a mist-wrapped mountain that gives it an enchanted air. The colourful Pena Palace on its hilltop, the mysterious Quinta da Regaleira with its initiation well, and the Moorish Castle are essential stops. It is the most classic day trip from Lisbon, and it is worth starting early to beat the crowds.

So, where to begin?

The best trip to Lisbon mixes a little of everything: the river, the hills, the wine, the kitchen, the music and a day trip. If we had to pick a starting point, we would begin on the water, because it is from the Tagus that you grasp the whole city. See our Lisbon boat tours and, to plan the rest, the best sunset spots.