10 Best Day Trips from Lisbon, Portugal

Are you looking for the best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal? Well, my friend, you’ve come to the right place. Now don’t get me wrong, the city of Lisbon is absolutely lovely, and makes for a great long weekend trip. However, if you have some extra time, definitely check out these day trips!

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Best Day Trips from Lisbon, Portugal

If you’re looking for the best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal, you’ve come to the right place! Here are 10 of my favorites and a map of the destinations to help you get your bearings.

1. Berlengas

If you love gorgeous green water, stunning scenery, and some unique history, look no further than Berlengas. I met up with Around Lisbon (and our awesome guide for the day), and our small group headed up to Peniche and caught the ferry over to the island of Berlengas. Be warned that the ocean on the ferry ride over can get pretty rough, but fortunately it just put me to sleep…turns out the ferry is an excellent spot for a nap.

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

Upon arrival, I took approximately 10000000 photos because yes, it’s just that gorgeous. Take a ride in a glass-bottom boat and get up close and personal with the caves. Next up, head over to the Fort. The fort used to be a luxury guesthouse, but is now run by the Friends of Berlengas and is a hostel. Yes, you can sleep in an ocean-front fort. The hostel is relatively bare-bones, but it books up quickly, so make sure to book ahead! It’s also only open May through September, since being on a large rock in the middle of winter sounds pretty unappealing.

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

After exploring the Fort, take a swim in the water, and get ready to hike over to the other side of the island. During peak season, a restaurant will be open, but I was there on literally the last day of September, so nothing was open…in hindsight, this worked out really well because the island was basically deserted and I could enjoy the natural beauty without thousands of my closest friends.

2. Óbidos

Another of the best day trips from Lisbon is definitely Óbidos. This turned out to be one of the most picturesque little towns I’ve ever seen. At some points, I kind of felt like I was in a small town in Greece.

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

When you’re in Obidos, climb the walls of the town, take wayyyy too many pictures of the houses, and go shopping on Rua Direita. Trust me when I say you won’t need to ask for directions…it’s a very small little town. Make sure to try out Ginja (cherry liquor served in little chocolate cups); it’s one of the drinks Obidos is best known for. I tried it, and am still unsure how I feel…the liquor was strong for 11:00AM, but you can never go wrong with chocolate.

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

Obidos is a go-slow kind of village, so enjoy a quiet lunch while people watching. To get to Obidos from Lisbon, hop on the “Rapida Verde” (Green Express) bus. It leaves from the Campo Grande station in Lisbon, and only takes an hour!

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

3. Arrábida National Reserve Park

Arrábida National Reserve Park is a magical place with breathtaking views. You’ll almost feel like you were transported with the Caribbean once you see the water! It is nice to take a break from the sightseeing and the cities; go snorkeling on this tour in the crystal clear blue waters and discover the remarkable landscape of Arrábida.

4. Cascais

Next up is the beach town of Cascais, which has a great laid-back vibe. The downtown area is great to explore, but make sure to set aside plenty of time for the beach. Check out the (extremely photogenic) lighthouse, and rent a bike to explore some of the outlying areas. Cascais is the perfect escape from Lisbon on a steamy summer day! Even when I went at the beginning of September, Lisbon hit 93 degrees, and believe me, it was hot. To get to Cascais, you can take the regional Comboios do Portugal (CP) train; first buy a reusable Viva Viagem card (€ 0.50  for the card) and load it with two one way tickets. As a side note, all of the machines have an English button, so push that. (I didn’t notice the first time, which made everything much more difficult.)

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

Another option, which I 100% recommend, is to take a tour with Pictours Portugal. I had a one-on-one tour with Fernando, and he not only gave me some awesome photo tips, but took me to some stunning spots tourists don’t usually get to see. We had the luxury of a car, so we could drive from town to town without having to rely on public transportation. I also loved some of the views he showed me that I never would have seen if I tried to navigate on my own. In the course of a day, we explore Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Rocsa, Azenhas do Mar, Praia Grande, and Praia de Meces. Honestly, each of these could be a day trip on their own, so keep on reading for ideas of what to do in the following spots!

5. Sintra

Sintra is a town of palaces set in the picturesque covered hills of Portugal. Make sure to visit Sintra Village (it’s adorable), Monserrate Palace, Pena Palace, and the Moorish Castle. Fun fact: Madonna owns a house (more of a mansion/estate) in Sintra, so keep an eye out for it! We drove past it on our way through the hills, but sadly couldn’t see any of it from the road. To get to Sintra, you can take the regional Comboios do Portugal (CP) train; first buy a reusable Viva Viagem card (€ 0.50  for the card) and load it with two one way tickets.  If I were going to go back, I’d definitely plan to stay in Sintra for at least a night or two…there are so many beautiful places to see there.

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

6. Cabo Da Roca

If you’re in Lisbon, Cabo da Roca is a must-see. It’s the most western spot in mainland Europe and is absolutely beautiful. My visit happened to be on an extraordinarily windy and foggy day, but the cliffs were beautiful nonetheless. I’d definitely recommend packing layers (maybe a parka…only kind of kidding) because it does get significantly colder than Lisbon.

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

7. Belém

Belém is probably the easiest day trip you can choose. Hop on the 15 tram or 728 bus from Lisbon to Belem. Must-do activities in Belem are visiting the beautiful Torre de Belém, snacking on a Pastéis de Nata, and taking in the extravagance of the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos. Fun little story about the monastery: I must have been half asleep when I entered the place, because after an hour or so of exploring, I could not find the exit for the life of me. I think I walked around for easily another 30 minutes just looking for the exit. Not sure if I was just having a blonde day or what, but if this happens to you, now you’ll know it wasn’t just you! As a helpful hint, the exit is right next to the bathrooms, and there are plenty of signs for them!

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

In any case, Belem is a delightful little town to explore for a half day or full day, and with frequent trams and buses, it is extremely easy to get to from Lisbon. Another option is to take a guided tour of Belem, where you could learn a bit more about the history of the city and Portugal.  If you choose, you can even escape the hustle & bustle of Lisbon for a few nights, and take advantage of the beautiful Belem hotels.

8. Fátima

Fátima is the global center of Catholic pilgrimage. The Capelinha das Aparições is the location where an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared. The city is home to many other sacred sites and religious marvels, including the Museu de Arte Sacra e Etnologia, the Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Rosário, and the Church of Igreja da Santíssima Trindade.

9. Évora

Évora is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and you can see why when you visit its monumental churches, historic squares, and narrow medieval streets. Plus, this tour offers wine tasting after, and everything is always better with wine!

10. Azenhas do Mar

You can find Azenhas do Mar on a cliff only 30 kilometers from Lisbon. It’s definitely one of the top day trips from Lisbon and is known for its beautiful scenery. If it’s not too cold, take a dip in the ocean, or simply sunbathe on the beach. Or do as I did with Pictours Portugal and go hunt out the best view of the town…this shot was my fave!

Explore the 10 best day trips from Lisbon, Portugal! Visit Berlengas, Obidos, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca from Lisbon, and many more!

Once you finish up with the lovely city of Lisbon, make sure you head up to Porto, Portugal! I absolutely loved my time there and have some wonderful suggestions for you (hint: it includes delicious food, wine, and adventure!)

Where to Stay in Lisbon, Portugal

Local Stay: If at all possible, I love staying in a local’s house or apartment to get the best flavor of the city. My pick for Lisbon is this Nova Inspirada home located right by the poshest shopping street in all of Lisbon. The home is stunning with tons of natural light – and best of all – it has a huge private terrace where you can sip a lovely evening cocktail. Take advantage of the peace and quiet here while still enjoying a central location to explore Lisbon.

Image: Plum Guide

Budget: As a solo traveler, I’d recommend Yes! Hostel Lisbon, and I LOVED it! It possibly tops my list for favorite hostel ever. Not only does it have a fantastic location near Lisbon’s main sights, but it’s incredibly clean and has such a social, fun atmosphere. Every night, there was a family dinner (€10 for dinner and unlimited sangria/wine/beer.) Turns out this is an excellent way to make friends!

Affordable: An awesome option for a hotel is Hotel Avenida Palace, which is a beautiful old hotel building in the middle of Lisbon. Another top rated hotel in Lisbon is Residentas Apóstolos, spacious and luxurious apartments in the Chiado neighborhood of Lisbon. You get a fully equipped kitchen, and Barrio Alto (aka the fun nightlife spot in Lisbon) is only a 3 minute walk!

And there you have it, my suggestions for the best day trips from Lisbon! What are some of your favorite day trips from Lisbon?

Read More:

For some more travel inspiration, check out some of the posts below!

Lisbon, Portugal: Top 10 Instagrammable Locations in Lisbon
Porto, Portugal: Porto, Portugal 3 day itinerary
Bucket List: Ultimate Guide to This Year’s Travel Destinations

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26 Comments

  1. I feel like we definitely didn’t do Lisbon justice after we were there for New Years! We only made it to Pena Palace and now wish we’d made more of an effort to get to some of these other places. Guess we’ll just have to go again!?

  2. I absolutely love Lisbon! I went there for a few days last year and was so in love with the city I didn’t want to leave it! Next time I go, I’ll have to check out these day trips. Especially Azenhas do Ma, that looks like my kind of place 🙂

  3. Wow you’ve managed to hit up so many places – I loved Belem and Sintra but didn’t get the chance to go to the others – Cascais would have been super fun and the others you mention look amazing! Lisbon and the surrounding area is so rich in places to see and things to do!

  4. What’s wrong with me? Why haven’t I ever been to Lisbon?!? You have really inspired me to look at this area for a future trip.

  5. These pictures are absolutely amazing. It makes me want to go!! Also, it’s awesome that you have a logistics section because that makes travelling a bit more approachable. This is great!!

  6. Hi! Stumbled across your blog and this is so great. I am having a destination wedding in the Lisbon area. Would love to direct our guests to your blog for ideas/inspiration on day trips.

    On a side note, Arrábida is not a UNESCO World Heritage site….their application to be recognized as one was withdrawn.

  7. Hi! Glad to know that you love my Country! There are so much to see! Next time go to North only take 3h from Lisbon to Porto. It’s absolutely amazing, see Douro river and its vineyards.
    You should go to the South too and find Costa Vicentina and Alentejo, Beautiful cities with a great sight to the see.
    Susana

  8. I’ve been to Portugal at least 20 times over the past 25 years, and all these places are very familiar to me. These pictures just scratch the surface. Portugal has become a great food destination as well as a world-class sight-seeing destination. The enormous variety of things to do and see in such a small country is mind-boggling. And, don’t forget the islands. Madeira and Las Açores (the Azores) are not to be missed. The Algarve (in the south) is very touristy, and VERY popular with the Brits. Lisboa (Lisbon), Coimbra (in the middle), the Serra da Estrela, Oporto (in the north) and the ancient capital of Guimarães, and the Rio Douro wine-growing region are all well worth the trip.

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