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Find the perfect itinerary for you
One day in Lisbon means making hard choices. Whether you're a solo traveler seeking iconic photos and cultural immersion, a family needing kid-friendly highlights, or a history buff hungry for centuries-old stories, we've optimized three distinct routes below. Each itinerary uses the Hop-on Hop-off network to deliver maximum impact in minimum time.
For solo travelers
For families
For history buffs
Morning (7am - 11am)
Breakfast: Nicolau Lisboa in Baixa is a modern cafe with specialty coffee and avocado toast, which makes for the ideal fuel for your packed day ahead.
Castelo de São Jorge (St. George's Castle)
Perched on Lisbon's highest point, this ancient citadel provides sweeping panoramas and a tangible connection to the city's medieval roots.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Castelo S. Jorge
- City Sightseeing: Martim Moniz (requires an uphill walk or a tram)
Highlights:
- Capture sunrise over the city if you arrive at opening time (9am).
- Explore the shaded pathways where peacocks wander freely among olive trees.
- Use the Camera Obscura to see live projections of distant street scenes.
Pro tip: Beat the crowds by arriving exactly when the gates open. You'll have the ramparts virtually to yourself for 30 golden minutes.
Suggested time to spend: 1.5 hours
Time to next stop: Hop on the bus heading toward Belém.
Afternoon (12pm - 3pm)
Lunch: Antiga Confeitaria de Belém, adjacent to the Jerónimos Monastery, offers quick counter service that keeps you moving while delivering authentic flavors.
Jerónimos Monastery
A UNESCO masterpiece representing the pinnacle of Manueline architecture, funded by the wealth of Portugal's spice trade empire.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
- City Sightseeing: Jerónimos Monastery
Highlights:
- Admire the intricately carved South Portal, which takes several minutes just to fully appreciate its detail.
- Spot the ethereal double-decker cloister with its unique maritime-themed stone tracery.
- Pay respects at the elaborate tombs of Vasco da Gama and poet Luís de Camões.
Pro tip: Visit the church first (free entry, no line) while you wait for your timed cloister ticket slot.
Suggested time to spend: 1.5 hours
Time to next stop: 5-minute walk along the waterfront.
Evening (4pm - 7pm)
Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
A tiered viewpoint garden in Bairro Alto, offering a postcard-perfect vista across to the castle you visited in the morning.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Príncipe Real
- City Sightseeing: Restauradores (take Glória Funicular up)
Highlights:
- Scan the azulejo tile map, identifying every landmark in your view.
- Admire the changing light as sunset approaches, painting the city in amber and rose.
- Soak up the informal atmosphere where locals gather with beers from nearby kiosks.
Pro tip: Arrive around 6pm for the sweet spot between harsh daylight and full sunset crowds.
Suggested time to spend: 1 hour
Time to next stop: Explore Bairro Alto on foot.
Late Night (8pm - 12am)
Dinner: Bairro do Avillez by celebrity chef José Avillez offers multiple food concepts under one roof, which means you can choose your vibe, from casual tapas to refined dining.
Morning (7am - 11am)
Breakfast: Padaria Portuguesa near Parque das Nações offers fresh pastries and quick service to get your morning started smoothly.
Oceanário de Lisboa
One of Europe's premier aquariums, built around a colossal central tank, mesmerizes visitors of all ages with its marine biodiversity.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Oceanário
- City Sightseeing: Oceanário
Highlights:
- Observe the hypnotic main tank where massive sunfish drift past graceful manta rays.
- Check out the playful sea otters who tumble and swim in their dedicated habitat.
- Walk through the temperate section where fish swim overhead in a tunnel effect.
Pro tip: Pre-book tickets online with a time slot to bypass the ticket counter entirely.
Suggested time to spend: 2 hours
Time to next stop: Quick 5-minute walk to the cable car station.
Afternoon (12pm - 3pm)
Lunch: Pizza Hut Express or Pans & Company in the Vasco da Gama shopping center offer fast, familiar, and kid-approved meals.
Telecabine Lisboa (Cable Car)
A scenic gondola ride floating above the riverfront, offering effortless sightseeing with minimal physical effort.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Oceanário / Vasco da Gama Tower
- City Sightseeing: Parque das Nações
Highlights:
- Soak in the thrilling sensation of gliding over water and watching boats pass below.
- Spot the incredible length of the Vasco da Gama Bridge stretching to the horizon.
- Admire the comfortable enclosed cabins that protect from wind while maintaining clear views.
Pro tip: Take the round-trip option rather than one-way, as kids love riding it twice, and it returns you to the transport hub.
Suggested time to spend: 30 minutes
Time to next stop: A 25-minute ride.
Evening (4pm - 7pm)
Monument to the Discoveries & Waterfront
A dramatic limestone ship monument honoring explorers, set on a plaza where kids can run freely along the river.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Padrão dos Descobrimentos
- City Sightseeing: Belém
Highlights:
- Admire the enormous compass rose mosaic on the pavement, perfect for walking along its lines.
- Watch the boats pass on the Tagus while learning about the Age of Discovery.
- Spend some time in the open space, allowing kids to stretch their legs after museum time.
Pro tip: Skip going up the monument as the lines can be slow. The plaza level offers plenty of engagement for families.
Suggested time to spend: 45 minutes
Time to next stop: Grab a snack or catch the bus back to central Lisbon.
Late Night (8pm - 12am)
Dinner: Time Out Market at Cais do Sodré offers diverse food stalls, ensuring that every family member finds something they'll eat, and that the communal seating feels relaxed.
Morning (7am - 11am)
Breakfast: Café Martinho da Arcada in Praça do Comércio, established in 1782, is Lisbon's oldest cafe and a living piece of history.
Castelo de São Jorge
The strategic hilltop that defined Lisbon's power for millennia, from Phoenician traders through Moorish emirs to Portuguese royalty.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Castelo S. Jorge
- City Sightseeing: Martim Moniz
Highlights:
- Discover the excavated archaeological site revealing distinct occupation layers dating to the 7th century BC.
- Admire the Moniz Gate, named after the knight who legendarily breached the Moorish defenses in 1147.
- Check out the preserved foundations of the Alcáçova (royal palace) that housed Portuguese kings until the 16th century.
Pro tip: Spend extra time in the Nucleo Museologico museum building. The pottery and artifacts contextualize the hilltop's strategic importance.
Suggested time to spend: 2 hours
Time to next stop: Walk downhill through Alfama or catch a bus toward Belém.
Afternoon (12pm - 3pm)
Lunch: Beira Gare near Santa Apolónia station is a traditional tasca serving workers' lunches. Head here for honest, historic Portuguese cooking.
Jerónimos Monastery
The architectural crown jewel of Manuel I's Reign, commemorating Vasco da Gama's voyage to India and Portugal's subsequent empire.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
- City Sightseeing: Jerónimos Monastery
Highlights:
- Explore the Portuguese royal pantheon, including the tomb of Sebastião, the Disappeared King, whose death led to Spanish rule.
- Admire the chapter house ceiling, an astonishing feat of stone vaulting without central support.
- Check out the nautical symbols throughout, armillary spheres, twisted rope columns, and coral motifs, celebrating maritime supremacy.
Pro tip: Look for the confession booth built into the church wall near Camões' tomb. This is an intimate architectural detail often overlooked.
Suggested time to spend: 2 hours
Time to next stop: 5-minute walk.
Evening (4pm - 7pm)
Monument to the Discoveries
A 1960 monument commemorating Prince Henry the Navigator and the figures who expanded European knowledge of the world.
Nearest stops:
- Yellow Bus: Padrão dos Descobrimentos
- City Sightseeing: Belém
Highlights:
- Identify the 33 historical figures carved along the monument's sides, from explorers to cartographers to chroniclers.
- Admire the wind rose mosaic below, showing the routes and dates of Portuguese discoveries spanning the globe.
- Step on the viewing platform at the top and align your perspective with the river route the explorers themselves took.
Pro tip: The mosaic is most dramatic in the late afternoon light. Photograph it from the monument's base, looking down.
Suggested time to spend: 45 minutes
Time to next stop: Take the bus back toward downtown for dinner.
Late Night (8pm - 12am)
Dinner: Tavares Rico in Chiado is Portugal's oldest restaurant (1784), offering refined cuisine in rooms decorated with gilded mirrors and crystal chandeliers.