Lisbon Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Lisbon is one of those cities that gets under your skin. You arrive expecting a pleasant long weekend, and you leave already planning the next trip.

It's warm, affordable by Western European standards, absurdly photogenic, and the food is — genuinely — some of the best on the continent.

Getting There

Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport is well connected from UK airports. The cheapest flights typically leave from London Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton, though Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh also have direct routes.

Budget airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and TAP Portugal cover the route well. Book 6–8 weeks in advance for the best fares, and avoid flying on Friday evenings or Sunday afternoons.

Getting Around

The metro is cheap, clean and covers most of the city. A single ticket costs around €1.60. For the famous hills, trams are the most atmospheric option — though Lisbon locals rarely use them (they're slow and packed with tourists). Grab an Andante card and top it up as you go.

Ubers are cheap and reliable for getting across town quickly.

Where to Stay

Bairro Alto and Chiado are the most central neighbourhoods — good for nightlife, restaurants and the best café culture. Expect to pay more here.

Mouraria and Alfama give you the old-city charm at slightly lower prices. Steep hills, narrow streets, fado music drifting out of restaurants.

Príncipe Real is the upmarket option — boutique hotels, excellent restaurants, quieter streets.

What to Eat

Start every morning with a pastel de nata from Pastéis de Belém. Yes, every morning. Non-negotiable.

For lunch, look for a tasca — a traditional, usually family-run restaurant with a short menu and no-nonsense cooking. The house wine is almost always drinkable and comes in at €1–2 a glass.

For dinner, bacalhau (salt cod) is the national obsession. There are supposedly 365 ways to cook it. Try bacalhau à brás — shredded cod with eggs and crispy potatoes.

What to Do

• Belém Tower — worth seeing from the outside; skip the queue to go in

• Jerónimos Monastery — genuinely stunning. Go early to beat the crowds

• LX Factory — a converted industrial space with independent shops, cafés and a brilliant Sunday market

• Miradouro da Graça — the best viewpoint in the city, far less touristy than the more famous ones

• Time Out Market — yes, it's touristy, but the food is excellent

Budget Tips

Lisbon is one of the more affordable Western European capitals, but it's been getting pricier. Here's how to keep costs down:

• Eat lunch at a restaurant rather than dinner — lunch menus (ementa do dia) are often half the price

• Use the metro instead of taxis

• Many museums are free on Sunday mornings

• Street food around Mercado da Ribeira is good value

How Long Do You Need?

A long weekend (3 nights) covers the essentials. A week lets you day-trip to Sintra, Cascais and Setúbal. If you're combining it with Porto or the Algarve, allow 10–14 days.