You can get to know Lisbon as well or as little as you like. Everything from a deep dive into the intricacies of this fascinating city to a quick scoot around the tourist hotspots before exploring the surrounding towns, coast and countryside. From surfing inspired experiences to ancient hill towns and world-class heritage masterpieces, this place has it all.
Whether you want to get up close and intimate with Lisbon or use it as a base for adventuring, here are some cool places for Portugal day trips. Better still, none of them is more than a couple of hours from the city.
Portugal’s ex-capital Guimarães – An hour and 14 minutes by train from Porto
Guimarães was the original capital of Portugal and the birthplace of Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henriques. Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, the city centre is full of pretty rows of colourful buildings, winding lanes, cobbled squares and welcoming outdoor cafes. The symmetrical spires of the Nossa Senhora da Consolação accompany you on your wanderings.
Walk uphill to explore the brooding remains of Castelo de Guimarães then visit the Palace of the Dukes of Bragança, 500 years old and just as gorgeous as ever. Wander the beautiful gardens, then climb higher to Penha on the dizzying Teleférico de Penha a cable car to the peak at 1300 feet above sea level, quite literally breathtaking. Then go eat – this is Portugal and the food is always splendid.
Romantic Sintra – 40 minutes by train, half an hour by car from Lisbon
When you’re on holiday every journey is part of the fun. The trip from Lisbon to romantic Sintra is an adventure in itself, especially when you’re not driving. Sit back, watch the landscape unfold, enjoy glimpses of the real Portugal, the everyday stuff, and prepare for some magic at the other end.
Sintra has several well-deserved UNESCO sites to admire, set like a little jewel amid green mountains, fairytale palaces and endless natural beauty. The views from up high at the medieval Castelo dos Mouros, and the 1800s glamour of the Palácio Nacional da Pena, are outstanding. Whether you walk or catch a bus up the hill, the main road between the palaces and the town’s ancient centre is a delight, winding its way through gorgeous scenery through the slopes of Serra de Sintra to the urban hustle and bustle.
Small enough to fall in love with on foot, Sintra makes an unforgettable Portugal day trip. Add the famous travesseiros pastry, a light puff pastry affair with a sweet egg and almond filling, then taste the little queijadas de Sintra tarts, and it’s heavenly. The wine is wonderful too, another good reason not to drive.
Ancient Evora – An hour and a half bus ride from Lisbon
Take another long, relaxing bus journey from Lisbon to lovely Évora, which offers several beautifully preserved ancient Roman sites. This is yet another wonderful old town with roots going back not just centuries but thousands of years, the capital of the Alentejo region, a sunny place with dazzling whitewashed houses picked out in bright yellow.
Évora’s Roman temple is magical, made from marble and dating back to the first century. One of the best Roman attractions in the entire country, it is remarkably well preserved. But the bone chapel is the big attraction here, a 1600s horror show stuffed from floor to ceiling with bones and skulls. Apparently the idea was to remind churchgoers that life was horribly short. Thanks for the reminder… not!
The food is just as exciting as the history here, so prepare for more treats. Typical of the Alentejo region it is rich, plain, perfectly cooked and extremely tasty. Cartuxa wine is a popular choice here, and there are wine tasting experiences on tap with or without food.
Enchanting Óbidos – An hour and a quarter from Lisbon
The ultimate walled city, Óbidos is like something out of a movie. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, it’s a real fantasy of a place that draws huge crowds. The sweet cobbled streets, the immaculate whitewashed houses, and the middle bit enclosed by huge medieval walls so big you can walk along them all make it extra special.
The views from the walls are spectacular, as is the towns crowning glory: the 1200s Castelo de Óbidos, now a very smart hotel. The main road, the Rua Direita, makes for a glorious stroll alongside shops like no other, selling irresistible chocolate liqueur and the famously good sour cherry liqueur called ginjinha. Go lose yourself in the winding streets, feel like you’ve gone back in time, stop for a drink, and then go discover the thing this place is best known for; the books. Óbidos is a UNESCO City of Literature, stuffed with extraordinary bookshops. Livraria de Santiago, for example, is inside São Tiago church, built in 1186 then rebuilt in 1772, almost two decades after the powerful Lisbon earthquake.
Cool Peniche – An hour and a half from Lisbon by bus
Another intriguing bus journey awaits you, with more fabulous sights, experiences and food to try at the other end. Peniche is a world-class surfing destination all year round, with particularly good rough water in winter. One of the country’s favourite spots for the sport, it offers surfing fun for everyone from beginners to professionals via a variety of beaches and conditions.
This is where the pros experience some of the best surfing on the Atlantic Coast, and Nazare’s gigantic waves are right next door, perfect for surfer-watching. It’s amazing seeing them conquer the massive Baleal and Supertubos breaks.
The town itself is small and the beach is popular for lounging as well as water based fun. Another place low-key enough to enjoy on foot, the town centre is really old and very pretty. The ocean is constantly in the background, adding drama and spice to the atmosphere. Here’s where you can pick up a boat trip to Berlenga Grande island, whose lovely beaches and interesting wildlife reserve offer peace and calm. The brooding fortress, home to political prisoners during the dictatorship years, is now a museum, a sobering experience after all the sunshine, sea and sand.
Food-wise you won’t want to miss the local fish stew, caldeirada. If you haven’t already tried the grilled sardines yet, now’s your chance, super-fresh out of the ocean and eaten with views of the coast. Perfect.
Funky Barreiro – Close to Lisbon at just 25 minutes away by ferry
If you’ve had your fill of the old stuff, the ancient side of Portugal, make your way to Barreiro on the mighty Tagus River, not so long ago an industrial powerhouse but now known for its contemporary art scene. This is where the world-class street artist Vhils has his workshop and his work is all over the place. Genius! There are tours to explore Vhils’ work and tours focusing on the city’s industrial heritage.
There’s a nice white sandy beach at Alburrica, where there are some Instagrammable windmills. People surf the river here, which is fun to watch, using the wakes of the rush hour ferries to ride the waves.
The food here is influenced by Algarve cuisine and the recipes of Alentejo, brought here by generations of factory workers. Pick one of many excellent restaurants along the beach, on Avenue Bento Gonçalves, for generous helpings of tasty typical Portuguese food, majoring on the ever-present and ever-delicious local fish.
If you’re in Lisbon for seven days, that’s five of your days packed with discovery and adventure. If you’re here for two weeks, there’s a whole lot more to see. This is just the start of it.
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