How Many Days in Lisbon Do You Really Need?

Planning a trip to Lisbon, but not sure how many days you need in Lisbon? You’ve come to the right place!

In this article you will find the most thorough answer to the question; “How many days in Lisbon do you really need?”

I will give you a heads up now though; it’s not a straight forward answer and there isn’t a single perfect amount of time to spend in Lisbon.

How many days you should spend in Lisbon ultimately depends on your personal interests and travel style.

Lisbon is one of my favourite European cities. It’s a very liveable city, with a rich history, a fun vibe, lots of interesting things to discover and great food.

Here you will find a detailed breakdown of how much you can realistically see in Lisbon every day from one to five days, as well as what you need to take into account when planning your trip.

I also include advice on the best things to do in Lisbon, the best time to visit, the best way to travel around the Portuguese capital and make the most of it, regardless of how long you spend here.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in and discover how many days you should spend in Lisbon!

How many days do you need in Lisbon at a glance?

Figuring out how many days to spend in Lisbon begins with knowing what you can realistically expect to see in different amounts of time.

Whether you’ve got one day or five days in the city, you’ll still be able to see Lisbon – just different amounts of it!

1 day in Lisbon

Having one day in Lisbon means you’ll be spending most of your time in the centre of the city, which is where you’ll find the top attractions.

You’ll get to take in the views from the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcantara, see Rossio Square, and Rua Augusta, the main shopping street of the city, before swinging by the Alfama neighbourhood.

2 days in Lisbon

Two days is how many days in Lisbon I recommend if you’re especially short on time. It is possible to see the city in a weekend, especially if you’ve never been before and mainly want to hit up the main sights. 

You’ll get to see the Lisbon city centre sights as you would if you had one day, but you’ll also get to visit Belem on your second day, home to Jeronimos Monastery and the iconic Belém tower. And eat a pastel de nata (or five!).

READ MORE: THE ULTIMATE LISBON 2-DAY ITINERARY! 

3 days in Lisbon

Three days in Lisbon is dreamy. Having that extra day means you can see the sights at a much more relaxed pace.

You won’t need to rush as much, you’ll be able to hit up a few museums and go inside some attractions, try a dining experience or two, see an unforgettable fado show, and maybe check out the Almada.

4 days in Lisbon

Having four days in Lisbon is, of course, even better than three days in Lisbon. The extra day means having the added bonus of a visit to Sintra on the cards.

Sintra is a beautiful town around an hour away from Lisbon by train. It’s packed with history – from the ruins of a 10th-century Moorish castle to the picture-perfect neo-Gothic mansion of Quinta da Regaleira, or the colourful Pena Palace.

It’s a must-see on every Portugal itinerary, so if you can extend your Lisbon trip to include a visit to this unique town, trust me when I say it will be worth it.

5 days in Lisbon

If you’re worried about not having enough time in Lisbon, and want to extend to five days, that’s also a good choice.

There’s so much more to do nearby – especially in terms of day trips from Lisbon.

Beyond the sample itineraries for four days listed above, you could hop on a trip to the pretty seaside town of Cascais (around an hour away by train), see ancient history in Evora, discover the town of Obidos or go to the beach in Costa da Caparica. 

Things to take into account when choosing how many days in Lisbon

Your arrival & departure times into Lisbon

This really determines how many days you get to spend in Lisbon actually.

If you arrive late at night, this is arguably already a day wasted; same as if you have to leave early in the morning. My itineraries above are for full days.

Where in Lisbon you’re staying

Figuring out how many days to spend in Lisbon also depends on where you’re staying. Central is more expensive, yes, but you’ll also be close to everything, meaning shorter journey times.

If you stay further out for a cheaper stay, you spend more time travelling – ok for long stays, but not short ones.

Your interests

The daily overview above is a general guide for those who want to see a bit of everything. But if you have a specific interest for art, history, fashion, food or whatever else, then you might have different priorities.

Meaning, for example, that you can scratch off historic sites if you’d rather be at the beach or hiking and make the most of your time accordingly.

How do you get around

Plan on walking everywhere?

That’s great if you’ve got five days in Lisbon, but not so much if you’ve got only two or three. Catching public transport or booking yourself on a guided tour is a good way to fit more in if you’re short on time.

Time of year

If you’re visiting Lisbon in the summer months you can add some beach time, but you can obviously count this out if you’re visiting Lisbon in winter.

That means if you’re visiting in winter, you won’t need to factor in days at the beach.

How many days in Lisbon for first timers

If it’s your first time visiting Lisbon, I’d say two days. Lisbon isn’t a huge city, so it’s pretty easy to see all the main sights and some surrounding areas in a couple of days.

This will allow you to see a bit of everything, go inside the Jeronimos Monastery, and get a good feel for Lisbon’s vibe – especially if you stay central (which I recommend if you’re short on time).

How many days in Lisbon for art & history lovers

Pencil in at least three days for seeing the city’s long list of cultural and historic sights.

You might even need to make the trip a little longer if you plan on going inside all the museums and main attractions, and still want to have time for wandering around the city.

If you want to discover famous cultural sights beyond Lisbon, like Belem Monastery, the medieval town of Evora or the cute beach town of Cascais, then you’ll need even longer.

How many days in Lisbon for young party travellers

Party animals should take into consideration how much time they’re going to be out on the town vs. how much time you’re going to need to sleep off the hangover.

Lisbon has a super fun nightlife scene, so you’ll want to fully embrace it if that’s your kind of thing. 

I think you need at least three days to take in some of the city’s landmarks and to hit up the Lisbon late-night party spots. Just remember: you won’t want to set your alarm for early morning tours. 

How many days in Lisbon for a relaxing trip (and beach time)

Lisbon doesn’t have any proper beaches of its own to speak of, but there are plenty nearby to visit.

If you want to make the most of being away on vacation and need some downtime during your trip, I would say you need at least four days in Lisbon. 

That way you get to see all of the top sights and have time to spare to lie on the beach at Costa da Caparica or Cascais.

Best Lisbon tours

Regardless of how many days you spend in Lisbon, there are some tours I highly recommend you book. These tours will take you around the city, saving you time on having to arrange transport yourself.

You will also have a local guide to share with you interesting facts about Lisbon, as well as skip-the-line entrance to the main sights (a must in high season!) Here are some of the tours with best reviews online.

Lisbon Essential Tour: History, Stories & Lifestyle – This classic tour will take you to explore all of the highlights of Lisbon, perfect if you don’t have long in the city!

Click here to reserve your spot on the Lisbon Essential Tour!

Lisbon: 2.5 Hour Hills Tour by Electric Bike – This tour will take you to all the famous attractions and awesome viewpoints of Lisbon, with minimal effort since you’ll use an electric bike!

Check out prices & availability for your Lisbon e-bike tour!

Lisbon: Daytime/Sunset City Cruise by Sailboat with Drinks – See Lisbon from a different angle! I suggest the sunset cruise for the most beautiful golden hour light.

Click here to book your Lisbon sailing cruise with drinks!

Lisbon: Food and Wine Walking Tour – Because what better way is there to discover a city than eating your way through it?! This Lisbon food & wine walking tour is perfect for foodies!

Click here to book your Lisbon food & wine tour!

Lisbon: Jerónimos Monastery Entrance Ticket: If you don’t have long in Lisbon, make sure to purchase your Jeronimos Monastery ticket in advance. When we arrived there were long lines for the ticket office, and no queue for online ticket holders.

Click here to book your Jeronimos Monastery entrance ticket!

Where to stay in Lisbon

Being a fairly small city, you can stay pretty much anywhere in central Lisbon and be within walking distance of all the main attractions. Here are some of the best places to stay in Lisbon for every budget.

Budget: This Is Lisbon Hostel ­– I spent two nights in Lisbon in this hostel and loved it. They have both dorms and private rooms, a gorgeous rooftop terrace with the best views over Lisbon. Plus, it’s within walking distance of Alfama district, Castelo de São Jorge and all the most beautiful viewpoints.

Click here to see prices and availability at This Is Lisbon!

Mid-range: Alegria A Lisbon Boutique Hotel – This boutique hotel is perfect for those who want something nice, centrally located and cosy, without breaking the bank.

Click here to book your stay at Alegria A Lisbon Boutique Hotel!

Luxury: Lisboa Pessoa Hotel – If you want to treat yourself, this is the perfect place to do so. With their spacious rooms and gorgeous rooftop terrace, it’s the best place to relax after long days exploring the tourist attractions of Lisbon.

Book your stay at Lisboa Pessoa Hotel here!

Final thoughts on how many days do you need in Lisbon

There you have it, the ultimate guide explaining how many days you need in Lisbon! Have you been to Lisbon before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a straight forward answer, but as you can see, it’s not as simple as a set number of days for everyone. How many days you should spend in Lisbon depends on your interest and travel style.

In this article I tried being as thorough as possible, taking into account everything that can influence how many days you need in Lisbon, giving you also realistic examples of how much you can see every day.

In my opinion, Lisbon is one of the best cities for a European weekend getaway. It’s a fun city, with a laid back vibe and lots of interesting things to do. It’s no surprise that it features on so many Europe bucket lists.

If you have more time in your Portugal itinerary, make sure to go beyond Lisbon, and explore other beautiful destinations in Portugal, like the Algarve (especially Lagos and Benagil Cave!), Porto, the Douro Valley, Ericeira and Nazaré.

If you want to go beyond mainland Portugal, then a short flight away you’ll find the stunning Azores Islands. Here you can go whale watching, hiking, and generally enjoying the beautiful nature.

I hope you found this article useful, and that it helped you answer the question; “How many days do I need in Lisbon”?

Enjoyed reading about how many days to spend in Lisbon? Pin it!