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Is Lisbon on your wishlist of places to see this year? Let me help you plan your trip by lifting off some pressure by providing some helpful information and tips. Here we go!
What is the Best Time to Visit Lisbon?
The best time to escape most of the tourist crowd in Lisbon is early spring and mid-fall (March through April and September through October). Although winter is still a good time to visit Lisbon when the city is lit up with its beautiful Christmas decorations and the weather is still considerably warm for Europe, November and December are the wettest months. Not to mention the flood that happened this year in December (2022). I visited Lisbon during early November, and the rains didn’t hamper my plans much, and I still got to do everything I had planned.
Starting late spring through the early fall, when the weather is warm and days are long, you can expect some never-ending queues in all the tourist attractions. The stay could be more expensive than the off-peak season.
During summer, the beaches are too crowded to enjoy any beach days. To be honest, there are plenty of other things to do in Lisbon besides the beaches.
How to Best Explore Lisbon?
For all my travelers who want to use public transport when you visit Lisbon, I am gonna tell you all about it. The city is filled with various forms of public transport from buses, trains, metro, and of course trams.
You could also use Uber, taxis (inexpensive), and tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks are a great way to explore the old city, but there are better ways for a general commute as Tuk-tuks are not cheap (tourist priced).
There are also other options like hop-on hop-off buses or even a tram car tour with an audio guide, which takes you through some of the popular areas of Lisbon.
Note! If you are taking the tram car tour, be aware that the trams don’t make any stops from April to October.
There are also boat tours and ferry options to sail in the Tagus river.
How to Use Public Transport in Lisbon?
The transport card used in Lisbon is called Viva Viagem. You can purchase the card at any metro or ticket vending machine.
Tip! The ticket vending machines have the English version, so you can quickly buy it yourself.
Cost! One card costs €0.50, and each person must use their own card.
You directly load tickets into the card or load money and use it as you go (Zapping).
There are two variants of this card, green and white (the only difference is that the white card cannot be used in public transport south of river Tagus).
Ticket Fares
A single ticket costs €1.50 (Carris/Metro)
Suggestion! If you are not going for the Lisboa Card, consider getting the 24hr ticket on your viva viagem card, which will cost a lot less than purchasing single tickets.
Day Ticket Options
Option 1: €6.5 for unlimited travel (24 hours) on the Carris, including metro, buses, trams, funiculars, and lifts.
Option 2: €10.50 for unlimited travel on Suburban trains (Sintra, Cascais, Azhambuja lines), in addition to all the ones mentioned above.
Tip! Consider getting Option 2 only on the day you plan to visit Sintra or Cascais. You can mostly get around by metro, trams, or buses for other local trips when you visit Lisbon.
You can recharge viva viagem by zapping for any amount starting from €3. You can directly tap this on the go and use public transport.
Good to know!
- Most ticket vending machines accept cash and cards, but some have issues with the card, so carry some cash around when you visit Lisbon. (Mostly, the vending machines on Sintra do not accept cards).
- This is for people who are used to tapping their travel card in/out on buses and trams. Since Lisbon follows a single price per journey irrespective of the distance, there is no need to checkout.
What is the Lisboa Card?
The Lisboa Card was handy during my trip, so I will share more information on the card, its usage, and things to know before purchasing one.
With the Lisbon Card, you can access all of Lisbon’s public transport for free, including metro, buses, trams, funiculars, and trains to Sintra, Cascais, and the south margin of Tagus river.
It also includes free entrance to various popular attractions like Jerónimos Monastery, Belem Tower, Santa Justa Elevator, Pilar 7 Bridge, Lisboa Story Center, National Tile Museum, and National Coach museum.
Check the complete list of benefits the Lisboa Card has to offer. It also comes with a city guide, which contains the details of the places with the opening and closing hours.
Tip! The Lisboa Card also offers discounts for various tours, hop-on hop-off bus tours, and many more. Before booking your tours or any entry tickets, check with them if you can avail of any discount with your Lisboa Card. You can also check it from here. But to me, it’s easier to directly ask than read through an extensive list of items. (I’m too lazy that way!)
Good to know!
- It is possible to directly buy your Lisboa Card (24hr, 48hr, and 72hr) online.
- Pick up your physical card from one of their pickup points when you visit Lisbon.
- Plan to get your card before, as most pickup points do not open until 10 in the morning, and all the major attractions will have a massive line by then.
- If you lose your physical card, you can no longer use the same online purchase id to get a new card.
Pro Tip! If you are planning to visit Pena Palace and Castle of Moors, buy the combo ticket while purchasing your Lisbon card. It will get you discounts on Pena palace and Castle of Moors entry and a discount when purchasing a Lisbon card.
Where to Eat in Lisbon?
Lisbon has tons of good places to eat. Not only will you find good Portuguese food, but you will find enough places serving your choice of cuisine when you visit Lisbon.
Good to know!
Most popular restaurants get busy and require you to make a reservation much earlier.
Where Did We Eat in Lisbon?
Before getting to the first place, I would like to tell the story of how we got there.
Story Time
We learned about a famous fado restaurant in Bairo Alto and immediately decided to check that out.
We had already prepared ourselves for a little crowd (that is a given in all the famous ones). We arrived 20 minutes before the opening time only to see that people were already lined up in front of that place. Also, it was raining at the time. We didn’t give up yet and stood in line, hoping to get a table as soon as the place opened.
Psst! If you are standing in one such line and the people from the surrounding restaurants are trying to lure you to their restaurant, don’t give in. They are usually not very good and are expensive.
We expected a restaurant with so much popularity to be a little more organized. The place opened only a little past the opening time. As the line started moving, we felt more hopeful about getting a table. As the line moved forward, we saw some people who looked disappointed and some a little furious, but we were not sure till we were close to our turn. We then realized that the place did not have an online reservation and this entire queue was for making reservations for the upcoming days. They were already full for the night.
That is when we lost it, it was not because we didn’t get to eat there; it was because they had no information about this anywhere.
Limoncello (Bairo Alto)
Moving past the big disappointment, we started looking for a drama-free place with good food. We then stumbled upon this place called Limoncello (which also offers reservations through Google).
We were lucky enough to get a table without a reservation, although the place did not have many free tables.
We did not set our expectations relatively high after the previous experience. Still, to our surprise, the food was absolutely amazing.
It is a cute little Italian restaurant with a pleasant ambiance. The waiters also recommended some of their best dishes that could match our preferences. The food was delish, and we just ate our hearts out and were also happy about discovering this place eventually.
If you enjoy Italian food, I highly recommend checking out this restaurant in Bairo Alto.
Suggestion! In the tourist popular tascas, you could face ridiculously long lines just to pre-book, like the experience we had. If you are wondering about the restaurant’s name, it is called Tasco do Chico. I heard it is super popular among tourists and was once loved by locals. But from my experience and reviews from other fellow travelers, I highly recommend not wasting your time and money there.
If you want to try Portuguese food in Lisbon, I recommend going to a tasca in a non-touristy area. These tascas are comparatively better in terms of price and food quality (Of course, with the fado performance as well).
Delta The Coffee House Experience (Avenida)
This favorite coffee house of mine is right in the middle of one of Europe’s most expensive shopping streets (very close to Rossio square). They are also located in three other locations in Lisbon. The coffee here is good (they have such wide varieties), but their pastries are fantastic. We absolutely enjoyed their red velvet and lemon-flavored cupcakes. You can also try the famous Portuguese Pastel de Nata (must try), which is a tart with egg custard filling and also has a smoky flavor to it.
We went twice here to enjoy their drool-worthy food.
Best time to go: You could go anytime, but I suggest having breakfast or brunch here. It opens a little before all the other cafes in the area.
The Fifties American Diner (Av. Dom Joao II)
This diner is a very short walk from Oriente Metro station. If you are around this area when you visit Lisbon, please check it out. As the name suggests, it is a restaurant with a 1950s American theme. It looks so darn cute and will also be a perfect place for your gram. It is not just the theme; they also serve super yummy food. Make your reservation in advance, as it is mostly full. We were lucky enough to get a table without a reservation in just 15 minutes. The waiting time flew by quickly as we were soaking in the 50s vibes sitting on a cute little Teal colored sofa with a mannequin of Elvis Presley performing.
We were elated to find good options for vegetarian food, and their mushroom burger and nachos were too good.
Must try! Strawberry shake with a dollop of whipped cream.
Where to Stay in Lisbon?
The best areas to stay in Lisbon are in the middle of downtown, in the Baixa and Chiado areas. Everything is pretty close from here. Also, Rossio square and Avenida (most luxury options are around here) are other good options to stay when you visit Lisbon.
Bairo Alto is the place if you want to enjoy a lot of nightlife, filled up with socializing events and fado performances and bustling with tourists in the late evenings.
You could also stay in the old towns of Alfama in Lisbon. You get to see the lovely skyline of Lisbon and soak in some historic charm from the top of the steep hill. Still, it might not be the best place to go in and out as the roads are very steep around this area. (I prefer to stay in a more convenient location for easy access, taking a quick break, or refreshing myself when exploring the city especially.)
Where Did We Stay in Lisbon?
We stayed between Rossio square and Avenida at Marino Lisboa as we wanted closer proximity to trams, metro, and buses. It was a cute hotel with a lovely shared terrace.
Pros: Location, transportation, and fits in the budget.
Cons: It is not suitable for families with kids. Also, the bathroom is not well separated from the sleeping area.
Alternative Options
Budget
Mid-Range
- Casa Balthazar
- Lisboa Carmo Hotel
- Casas da Baixa – Lighthouse Apartments
- Ferraria XVI FLH Hotels Lisboa
- Hotel da Baixa
Luxury
Want to explore more options? Please search in Booking.com here. We use Booking.com to book all our stays and have always had a good experience.
Okay, that was a lot of information! We have now come to the end of this post. You are all set to enjoy this wonderful city, and I hope the information and tips provided are helpful to you. Also, do check out the best things to do when you are in Lisbon.
Great tips! And good news, the sun is back! Looks like you had a great time in Lisboa!
Yeah, the trip was awesome! We missed the sun but got lucky with a little bit of sunshine when we were in the monastery. 😀
The Lisboa Card sounds like the way to go for transit. Thanks for the tips!
But omg, the story about attempting to eat at Bairo Alto sounds infuriating! I am glad you found somewhere good in the end. That would have left me so hangry!
The Lisboa Card is indeed worth it and we’re glad that you liked the tips! 🙂
Yeah, sometimes the popular places are not worth the hype and we’re so glad that we were able able to find a good place to eat at the end.
Great tips for visiting Lisbon! I especially love the tip about the Lisboa card. That’s something I would definitely get and use often while in Lisbon.
We’re glad that you liked our tips! 🙂
Yeah, the Lisboa Card is worth it and very useful.
Thanks for such a complete guide, everything anyone needs to know is right here! Definitely super helpful to have before visiting!
Glad you liked our post and found it useful! 🙂