Complete First Timers Guide to Lisbon, Portugal

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If it’s your first time in Lisbon then it may seem like a small city on paper, but when you get there it’s so spread out that you get lost in the narrow streets and non-existent street signs.

Lisbon has gained recognition over the past few years as a trendy, cultured city that is budget-friendly for the younger crowd, but still has plenty to offer for the older crowd.

Packed with plenty of historical attractions, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, countless museums, vibrant nightlife, and unique food, it’s no wonder Lisbon has become a staple on most travelers’ bucket lists.

Hopefully, my first timers guide to Lisbon will give you a little insight into the city or inspire you to visit Lisbon for the first time!

If you only have a day to explore, then check out my Perfect One Day Itinerary for Lisbon!

First Time in Lisbon Portugal: Complete Guide

The basics for your first time in Lisbon

• Location: West coast of Portugal
• Language: Portuguese
• Currency: Euro
• Average Temperature: Summer – 75°F/23°C, Winter – 54°F/12°C
• Always carry cash! Some smaller attractions, restaurants, and shops only accept cash.

When Should I Visit Lisbon?

Lisbon has an average of 300 sunny days a year, so your chances of soaking in the rays during your trip are pretty high! Of course, during the winter is when you might miss out on the sun and you’ll definitely have to wear jeans and a jacket.

June through August is going to be amazing weather, BUT super busy! Don’t expect to ride on Tram 28 or tour Jerónimos Monastery and when you add in all the cruise ships that are there for the day in Lisbon, don’t expect to sit down anywhere for lunch.

If you are flexible with when you can visit Lisbon for the first time, then go during the shoulder season. March through May or September through November. It will still feel “busy”, but not overcrowded and you’ll be able to fit in everything you want to do.

Is Lisbon a Safe City?

Yes! Absolutely!

And solo travelers will feel super comfortable here.

Just always be aware of your surroundings, much like any other city you travel to!

There are quite a lot of pickpockets around, so make sure your items are secure at all times. I always use a crossbody purse when I travel because I can keep it in front of me and hold onto it during high traffic situations.

Be extra cautious on Tram 28 and when waiting in lines.

How to Get to Lisbon

Plane: Most likely you’ll fly into Lisbon Airport (Aeroporto de Lisboa). Portugal’s main airline is TAP Portugal and they are great if you are traveling from within Europe! Pay a little extra and grab an EconomyXtra seat. Lisbon is a very busy airport, but you’ll more than likely get a direct flight.

Train: Lisbon has two main train stations: Estação do Oriente and Santa Apolónia. The Oriente is a transport hub and you’ll find buses, trains, and the metro here. It’s closer to the airport, so you’ll have to get to the center by metro or taxi.

Bus: If you are on a budget and you’re doing a Eurotrip, then bus travel is the way to go! My absolute favorite bus company to travel around Europe with is Flixbus… it’s so cheap and easy to book tickets and the buses are roomy and comfortable.

How to Get to Lisbon from the Airport

Taxi: The most convenient way to get into Lisbon is by taxi. The taxi rank is right outside the exit and there will probably be a long queue as there are only 4 taxi bays, but it moves VERY quickly, so you won’t be waiting for long.

Metro: You can take the metro directly from the airport to the city center on the Aeroporto – Saldanha line (red line) and it takes about 20 minutes. A single fare is €1.50 and a 24-hour pass is €6.45.

Bus: There are plenty of buses from the airport and they are the same price as the metro. The issue with the buses is they have a luggage limit, so if you bought anything bigger than a backpack, you’ll need to find other transport.

How to Get Around Lisbon

Luckily Lisbon is a very walkable city… however, known as the city of seven hills, it’s just not realistic to walk to everything. There are also some “tourist attractions” that are not within the central area. Remember when I said Lisbon was VERY spread out.

If you have a 24-hour metro card, then the metro is the way to go. There are tons of stations, tons of trains and they are easy to navigate.

If you are with a group though, you might want to download the Uber app. You’re always a couple of minutes away from an Uber and most of the drivers speak English and are more than willing to share local tips with you! Uber is definitely my preferred method of getting around Lisbon and back to the airport at the end of your vacation.

Of course, I can’t leave trams off this list! Lisbon is known for trams, especially the famous bright yellow ones that roll around the old town. They are included in your 24-hour travel card, so go crazy!

Best Neighborhoods in Lisbon and Where to Stay

Lisbon is made up of what seems to be hundreds of neighborhoods… it’s not really, but it’s ridiculously overwhelming when you are trying to figure out where to stay and what’s the “main” neighborhood when it’s your first time in Lisbon.

Hopefully, I can help… a little.

Think of Baixa and Chiado as the center and everything branches off. No need to hunt these neighborhoods down because you will not miss them!

You’ll read a lot about Alfama because it’s the only original part of Lisbon that didn’t get destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. You will find tons of restaurants with live Fado music here.

Bairro Alto is a hotspot for the “younger” crowd because there are a ton of restaurants, bars, and clubs. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit! It doesn’t get rowdy until the evening! Just be aware if your hotel or apartment is in this area… it could get noisy at night.

Belém is on the other side of the city, just a short Uber ride away. I don’t recommend staying here because it’s “out of the way”, but definitely set aside a morning to come here and visit the Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery and take in the views from the top of the Monument of Discoveries.

Cais do Sodré is the area by the riverside under Chiado. It used to be a shady area of Lisbon, but has turned itself around to become one of the trendier parts of Lisbon. I highly recommend staying here! This is where I stayed and it was super safe, it felt like it was the center of the action without being loud and obnoxious, and it’s a great location!

Free Museum Entry

Much like Barcelona, Lisbon offers free entry into museums and some attractions on the first Sunday of every month.

Included are the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, Jerónimos Monastery, and the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia.

Just check the website because some museums have certain free hours or different days when they are free.

If you are on a budget then you might want to plan a trip at the beginning of the month so you can take in a little bit more of the city.

Lisboa Card

Another budget-friendly tip comes in the form of a city card. And if it’s your first time in Lisbon and you’re unsure of what attractions to visit or nervous about fiddling around with metro cards, this card could take some stress off you.

You can purchase the card on the Lisbon Card website before your trip (so you can include the cost of this card in your plane ticket budget!). You’ll get a voucher in your e-mail and you take that to the Lisbon Airport or Visitor Center and exchange it for your card.

You can purchase a 72-hour card (£36.75) or a 48-hour card (£29.23).

The card includes public transportation (including Tram 28) and 26 museums and monuments! Including the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, and the Elevador de Santa Justa.

What to do if it’s your first time in Lisbon

Viewpoints

Being the city of 7 hills means you’ll find viewpoints ALL OVER the city! There’s everything from rooftop bars to observation decks to countless miraduoros (viewpoints).

You can find them for yourself (most of them are marked so you don’t miss them) or check out some of these:

• Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
• Miradouro das Portas do Sol
• Miradouro de Santa Luzia
• Miradouro de Graça
• Miradouro de Santo Estêvão

For other great views, head up the Santa Justa Lift or the Monument of Discoveries. If you want a cocktail with a view, head over to Park, Java, or Café Principe Real.

Eat and Drink EVERYTHING

You’re gonna have to eat at some point, right? Why not dig into the local food!?

Portugal is known for great seafood and it does not disappoint! If you are a fan of cod, then you’ll be happy to know that cod comes in multiple forms in Lisbon – cod cakes, salted cod, grilled cod… anytime you see bacalhau on the menu, that’s cod.

The Portuguese coast is filled with sardines and you can find shops packed with sardine tins more than likely every restaurant you walk into will have some form of sardines on the menu. There’s even a massive sardine festival in Lisbon known as the Feast of St. Anthony.

If you want to get adventurous then try some grilled octopus! DELICIOUS!

If you’re not a seafood fan then Lisbon has plenty of meat offerings too! Umm.. hello, fire-grilled chorizo on toast!

Meat sandwiches are VERY popular in Lisbon and you can find them just about everywhere. Look for prego (beef) or bifana (pork). The pork sandwiches are accompanied with mustard and the beef sandwiches are more garlicky.

And we can’t forget Lisbon’s famous Pastéis de Nata! These little custard treats were invented by the monks at Jerónimos Monastery. They used egg whites to starch their robes and had LOTS of leftover yolks… the monks would make pastries and cakes and the Pastel de Nata was born. If it’s your first time in Lisbon, you HAVE to try one… or ten… I won’t judge.

Attractions, Museums, and Monuments… oh my!

Putting everything that you can do in Lisbon onto one list is VERY hard. Lisbon has so much to offer everyone.

Tram 28

It’s no secret that Tram 28 is the MOST popular tram line in Lisbon. It winds through all the popular neighborhoods, passing by major attractions and super cute tiled houses.

If you’re not into trams, then you can always admire them from the outside and follow the same route on foot. You’ll get to explore Alfama, Baixa, Graca, and Estrela!

Belém Tower

The Belém Tower is one of Portugal’s most famous landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a MUST-SEE for everyone’s first time in Lisbon!

The tower was built as a fortification against threats and attacks. It replaced the ship that was parked in the middle of the Tagus River as a more permanent structure.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos (The Monument of Discoveries)

Portugal is very proud of their discoveries and expeditions during the Age of Discovery and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos showcases 33 prominent figures during the period including Henry the Navigator.

You can go to the top of the monument via elevator and the 360-degree views are MAGICAL! Definitely worth it!

Jerónimos Monastery

The monastery was commissioned in 1496 as Portugal got further into the Age of Discovery and some of the funding came from the expeditions to other countries. The monastery took over 100 years to build and survived the 1755 earthquake.

The monastery is a beautiful example of Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style and the two-story cloisters are stunning on a sunny day.

Santa Justa Lift

The Elevador de Santa Justa was built in the early 1900s to connect the neighborhoods of Baixa and Bairro Alto.

The lift is still in use today as a connection between the two neighborhoods, but it’s one of the most photographed attractions in Lisbon.

The line can get SUPER long for this. If people are queuing past the staircase, the wait is too long. If you have to wait more than 15 minutes, don’t bother, but if you go early in the morning or around sunset then the line should be ok.

You need cash to pay for the ride up and the views over Lisbon are amazing!

If you are already up top then you can walk onto the observation deck.

Castelo de Sao Jorge

St. George’s Castle sits on the tallest hill overlooking the city. The original castle dates back to the 6th century but has since gone through many changes and earthquakes. The castle that watches over Lisbon is a 20th-century restoration of the original. If you are really pressed to visit then grab some skip-the-line tickets (because no matter what time of the year it is, there will always be a massive line) and go for it.

The views over the city are worth it, BUT you can get great views from the castle’s church tower and you won’t have to wait in line! AND it’s only 5 euros (and you get a complimentary drink)!!

Pink Street and Blue Street

If you have an Instagram then you’ve probably seen this ridiculously attractive pink street in people’s posts.

The pink street is packed with cafes and bars and with its vibrant nightlife, it’s no wonder this street has made a name for itself.

If you want pictures without people in them, go before 10am!

The blue street (they really like painting their streets, don’t they?) isn’t as popular (in fact, I didn’t even notice I was walking on a blue road at first) but it’s a hub for great restaurants.

Museu Nacional do Azulejo

The National Tile Museum is housed in an old 15th century church and convent. It’s a great way to learn all about the azulejos you see decorating the buildings in Portugal.

It’s a little bit out of the way, but Uber will help you out! The building itself is super pretty and it’s one of the largest collections of ceramics in the world!

Plazas or Praças

You are going to run into a lot of praças in Lisbon. Big ones, small ones, busy ones… you get the point.

Here are some notable praças you can hunt down or stroll upon during your first time in Lisbon.

• Praça do Comércio
• Praça dos Restauradores
• Praça de Dom Pedro IV
• Praça do Municipio

Fado Music

As you are researching your trip to Lisbon, you will read a lot about Fado music.

This mournful and haunting music genre can be traced back to the 1820s. The music started in the port districts with sailors and the working class. The songs are sad and tortured and emotional.

When you are trying to find the perfect place for fado, don’t settle for the “popular” touristy places. You can ask all the locals (and I did) and they will tell you Alfama is the place to be for fado.

Most fado places require a minimum spend (15 euros seems normal), so don’t think you’re getting ripped off. The places that are OVER priced like 45 euros per person are just tourist traps.

Even if you aren’t hungry or don’t want to sit down anywhere to listen to fado, just walk around the streets of Alfama and the voices will echo through the alleyways! It really is something everyone should experience their first time in Lisbon.

Are you planning a trip to Lisbon for the first time? Have you been to Lisbon? What did you do your first time in Lisbon? Lemme know in the comments below!

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