Lisbon is a fun and beautiful city to visit, but I think there’s a few things that every traveler should know before they take their trip to Lisbon. In this guide, I’m going to cover my top Lisbon travel tips so you can plan (and have) the perfect trip.
Top Lisbon Travel Tips
Of course there’s still more to know about Lisbon that what’s covered in this article. However with several trips to Europe under my belt, Lisbon didn’t feel like it had too many surprises. Still, here’s the things I wish I would have known before my trip.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time at the Airport
This should be a given, but I really want to highlight the customs and immigration lines in Lisbon. If you’re connecting to a Shengen flight, or you’re just anxious to get into the city, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to clear the various airport checks. The lines here can be crazy.
When I arrived at Lisbon’s airport, it took me just almost an hour to clear immigration and I think I got lucky. The line behind me just kept growing and growing as more and more planes landed. Plus, we were separated into different groups. The other area of arrivals was also full and didn’t appear to be moving any faster than my line.
By the time I finally cleared immigration, the bags were off the plane and the luggage carousel had stopped rotating. Then I had to clear customs which also had a line, but was thankfully much faster moving than the line at immigration.
The good news is that when I went through passport control to leave Portugal, there was no line. Granted, it was about 11:00 am on a Tuesday, but I could see the line for passport control for people entering the EU and the line looked almost as long as when I arrived a few days earlier.
Lisbon Travel Tip #1 – Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need at the airport.
Allow Plenty of Time for Transport to Belém
Many people who visit Lisbon will eventually make their way over to Belém. This is still within Lisbon, but you’ll need to take either the bus or tram to get here. Because it’s so popular, lines for the buses and trams can be long, particularly in the morning if you leave from Praça do Comercial.
So what do you do about it? First, get an early start. You’ll want to arrive in Belém before the first museum opens to avoid very long lines. Therefore, you want to leave early and allow plenty of time in case you can’t get the first bus.
I was visiting Belém on a Sunday. Buses and trams were not running frequently. I got to Belém nearly 45 minutes later than I had anticipated and I tried to leave early. It took forever for the bus to arrive and then it was packed. Instead I ended up walking to a tram stop down the road and used that. Note that Tram 15 should depart from Praça da Figueria, but due to some road works, this was not operating the full route.
Lisbon Travel Tip #2 – Give yourself plenty of time for transportation along tourist lines.
If It Rains, Watch Your Step
Hopefully when you visit Lisbon, you’ll have great weather. But that’s no guarantee, especially if you travel during the winter months. While the cold can easily be remedied by some warm layers, the bigger thing you need to be aware of is the slippery tile streets.
Lisbon not only has decorative tile lining the buildings, but also on the sidewalks and pedestrian streets. This tile is beautiful, but can be very slick. On my second day in Lisbon, it rained and let me tell you, I slid more times than I’d like to admit. I had to slow my walking pace down a bit, but after that it was better. If it rains, walk carefully through Lisbon. The last thing you need is to injure yourself by falling on the slippery streets.
Lisbon Travel Tip #3 – Lisbon streets are very slippery when wet.
Be Prepared to Show Your Transportation Ticket
When you get on the bus, you’ll tap your ticket right by the driver. When you use the metro, you’ll scan your ticket to open the gates and reach the platform. For the trams, it’s easy to just jump on and off and not pay attention. Near the doors when you walk in will be a machine that you need to scan your ticket.
But don’t put your ticket far away. Especially on the tourist routes, like Tram 15 to Belém, it’s not uncommon to find ticket inspectors. I traveled on a Sunday and there was still an inspector coming through to check everyone’s tickets and make sure that they paid their fare.
Lisbon Travel Tip #4 – On the tourist trams, you’ll be expected to show your validated ticket.
Lisbon is Very Busy, Even in Low Season
I often travel in low or shoulder season because this is my preference. There are usually fewer tourists and prices can be lower. For the most part, this has not been a problem for me. Lisbon was different and even though I traveled during the first weekend of March, I was amazed at how many other travelers were in Lisbon.
The city has only grown in popularity in recent years and that popularity doesn’t seem to be slowing at all. This means that even in what should be low season, there will still be a lot of tourists. This means that you need to make sure to give yourself extra time and that you should consider purchasing your tickets to the most popular sights (including the palaces in Sintra) in advance.
Lisbon Travel Tip #5 – There is no low tourist season in Lisbon. There is high season and very high season.
Arrive in Belém Early
The top sight in Belém is the Jeronimos Monastery. The good news is that you can purchase your ticket in advance. The bad news is that your ticket does not give you any skip the line privileges. While on the surface this doesn’t seem so bad, know that line for this sight can get very long. I visited Belém on a Sunday morning and was shocked by how long the line seemed to stretch.
So my advice is to plan your day so you arrive in Belém before the Monastery opens (so you can be in line at least five or ten minutes before and be one of the first people allowed in). The other option is to plan your visit later in the day. There’s no guarantee that this will be better, but from my experience at other sites, right when the sight opens or an hour before it closes gives the best chance for the lowest crowds.
Lisbon Travel Tip #6 – Avoid lines by arriving in Belém before museums open.
Eat Your Pastéis de Belém Warm
As you wander through Lisbon, you’ll see plenty of bakeries selling pastel de nata. This custard pastry is a staple of Lisbon and it’s absolutely delicious. But if you want a really great pastry, head to Belém. There you’ll visit pastéis de Belém. They make thousands of pastries every day and because they sell so many, no matter what time of day you visit, you’re guaranteed to have a fresh, warm pastry. It’s delicious and the best way to enjoy this treat.
Don’t buy one and take it for later, eat it while it’s fresh.
Lisbon Travel Tip #7 – Buy a pastéis de Belém, but eat it fresh.
Prices Have Increased Dramatically
When I start the initial prep for most of my international trips, I go to the library and check out a guide book. I just like browsing the physical books to get an idea of where to start and then once I have some idea of what’s available to me, I’ll supplement that with a lot of online research. Normally this is totally fine. I know that I always need to take opening hours and prices with a grain of salt, but Lisbon felt different.
Even though I used a 2023 guidebook (for an early March 2025 trip), I was shocked by how different many of the entrance fees were. Again, I expected prices to have gone up, but in my experience, it’s usually only by a euro or two. Most of the sights had increased by 4 or 5 euros between the publication of that guidebook and when I checked it out. This may not seem like a lot, but in many instances, it meant that the entrance fee was nearly double.
The point here is not not to trust guidebooks or online resources (because even travel blogs can get out of date easily). The point is Lisbon may have once been a place for a cheap-ish European vacation, but prices have increased with the rise in tourism and inflation. Budget more than you think you will need to avoid sticker shock.
Lisbon Travel Tip #8 – Check for the most up to date prices before you go.
Use the Free Elevators to Reach the Castle
Lisbon is full of hills and your legs can get a decent workout as you make your way around the city. But you don’t always need to get that workout. Of course, public transportation exists and is a totally valid option to get you where you need to go. That said, in some parts of the city, you can cut out a lot of hills for free if you do your research.
The castle is a popular place to visit in Lisbon because it offers great views of the city and the ocean. But getting there is a steep hike. For those on a budget, there are elevators that are free for public use. You just need to know where to find them (and I go into detail about it in my one day in Lisbon itinerary).
Lisbon Travel Tip #10 – Save your legs and look for free alternatives.
Sintra is Great, but Very Busy
Many travelers, myself included look for day trips from whichever city we’re visiting. In Lisbon, one of the most popular day trips is to Sintra. The city is full of stunning palaces and people want to see them for themselves. This is great, but it means that Sintra can get very busy.
My advice is to get an early start. Get to your first palace at opening time and plan your day to be efficient. That said, also pack your patience because you will be spending your day with lots of other travelers. This is especially true if you plan to visit Pena Palace or Quinta de Regaleira. And the buses to these palaces can get very, very packed. I ended up standing in the front of the bus by the driver with several other tourists because there was nowhere else for us on the bus.
Lisbon Travel Tip #11 – Be prepared for lots of tourists in Sintra.
Lisbon is Very Hilly
Lisbon is very hilly and you need to be prepared. Sure, the hills aren’t bad if you only stick to the Baxia neighborhood, but the city is beautiful and you need to go beyond that.
Public transportation is one option to help you get around, but sometimes, it’s just better to power up the hill on foot. Your legs may get a workout on some of the hills, but at least you’ll have a good excuse to treat yourself to more pastel de nata.
Lisbon Travel Tip #12 – Your legs will get a workout in Lisbon.
Load Your Navagante Card Smartly
If you plan on using public transportation in Lisbon, you’ll want to pick up a Navagante card. The card costs 50 cents and can be loaded up with money from machines at the metro stations. Then, as you board a bus or tram or enter a metro station, simply tap your card (knowing as “zapping”) and the appropriate amount (typically about 1.60 euros) will be deducted from your balance.
So what’s the catch? Any money that is on your Navagante card at the end of your trip is nonrefundable. Therefore it makes sense to be very conservative with your estimates of how much money you’ll actually need. I recommend loading less than you think you need and then just topping up as you go on.
You’ll likely end your trip with a small balance on your card, but it’s better to end with a euro or less as opposed to 10 euros (or more). Regardless of what you have on it, you can’t get that money back.
Note that as you tap your card on the buses and trams, the screen should show you your remaining balance. This comes in very handy when planning things out.
Lisbon Travel Tip #13 – Any remaining balance on your Navagante card is non-refundable. Load it conservatively.
Get off the Main Street
Like with any city, tourists have a tendency to stick to the Main Street. Go a block or two over and it’s a completely different world. Lisbon is no exception and it always amazed me how I could walk one block over and find empty streets and a more calm vibe.
This doesn’t just apply to Lisbon. In Sintra, I walked between some palaces because the distance was short. I was often by myself and that was a great way to get a break from people. For as busy as Sintra can get, this can be a sanity saver (and a great way to get a little exercise).
Lisbon Travel Tip #14 – Tourists stick to the same main streets. Venture off for a break from crowds.
Final Thoughts
That’s a wrap on my top travel tips for Lisbon. My hope is that you learned something and are better prepared for your own trip to Lisbon.
Continue Your Adventure
Lisbon: For those with limited travel time, start with my one day itinerary. For those with more time, try my two day itinerary. And don’t miss my Lisbon Budget Breakdown that’s packed full of tips.
Sintra: Sintra is full of castles and is a fantastic day trip from Lisbon. Get my detailed one day itinerary.
Spain: Portugal shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain. Take in the architecture of Barcelona, the Alhambra of Granada, the relaxed vibe of Sevilla, or one of the great day trips from Madrid.