A Lisbon Itinerary: How To Spend 36 Hours In Portugal’s Capital

36 hours in Lisbon is never going to be enough time in Portugal’s capital. However, if 36 hours is all you have, here’s an itinerary for Lisbon that will make sure you hit all the top spots, as well as the best places for pasteis de nata!

On the west coast of Portugal, Lisbon sits a few hours south of Porto and a few hours north of popular holiday destination The Algarve. Lisbon has grown in popularity, and for good reason with its vibrant food scene, walkable (and hilly) streets, and incredible view points dotted around the city. 

Under a 3 hour flight from the UK, Lisbon makes the perfect city for a long weekend. If you’re based in a central hotel or apartment, popular sights are within easy reach and trams and buses make it really easy to navigate.

This 36 hours in Lisbon is based on a 2 night stay, arriving mid-afternoon in time for check in and leaving in the morning 2 days later. So it’s technically a little more than 36 hours in Lisbon but it gives you a good idea of what you can fit into a two night stay here.

Of course, if you arrive earlier than mid-afternoon, you can easily squeeze more in or just take the activities in this guide at a more leisurely pace. This 2 night Lisbon itinerary is also based on my personal time in Lisbon but includes options for other activities which I didn’t do but you might like to include.

How To Get To Lisbon
Where To Stay In Lisbon
How To Get Around Lisbon

Day 1
Manteigaria
Arco de Rua Augusta
Alfama and Ginjinha de Se
Miradouro da Graca
Pink Street
Time Out Market
A Tabacaria

Day 2
Tram 28
LX Factory
Padrão dos Descobrimentos
Torre de Belem
Jeronimos Monastery
Pasteis de Belem
Tinned Fish
Coffee At Fabrica
Ginjinha Sem Reval
Sunset at Park Rooftop Bar
Dinner at Fabric by Fabres

Day 3
Santa Justa Lift

How To Get To Lisbon

There are options for flights to Lisbon from multiple airports around the UK. We flew from Manchester but you can also fly direct from London, Bristol, Birmingham and Edinburgh. The flight takes just under 3 hours which means it’s ideal for a quick weekend break.

Where To Stay In Lisbon

When you’re on such a short stay in Lisbon, it’s best to stay as central as possible. We stayed at Le Consulat in Bairro Alto which meant we were within 15 minutes walk of places like Time Out Market, Arco da Rua Augusta and Instagram famous Pink Street.

If you stay here, and you can afford to splurge a little, book into one of the suites with a city view. This gives you a gorgeous view across Luis de Camões square and also features bluetooth speakers, bathrobes, slippers and a nespresso machine.

Alternatively, there are lots of other options in the same area that offer the same convenient location including Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Luxury Hotel & Apartments and The Ivens

How To Get Around Lisbon

Lisbon is an incredibly walkable city. Just make sure you’re wearing comfortable footwear as the hills are hilly and you can easily do 30,000 steps walking around. 

If you want to make the most of your time in Lisbon though, public transport is easily accessible. Tickets can be bought on board buses, trams, and funiculars in Lisbon as well although they are more expensive than using cards.

You can find out more about Lisbon’s public transport system here to work out what the best way is for you to find your way around the city.

Taxis and Ubers are also well used in Lisbon but can eat through your budget quickly!

We used a taxi to get from the airport to our hotel, mainly because we wanted to make the most of our time in Lisbon, and our bags were quite heavy!

Day 1 In Lisbon

Assuming you arrive mid-afternoon, you’ll be in the city in perfect time to check into your hotel. Le Consulat was the ideal base for us for a couple of days and once we’d got into our room, we changed out of our travel clothes and headed straight into the city to explore.

Pastel de Nata at Manteigaria

Your first stop has to be to grab a pastel de nata. A Lisbon favourite, you’ll find pastel de nata shops and bakeries all around the city. I personally took it as my duty to discover all the best bakes around the city and the pasteis de nata from Manteigaria were the most delicious. Enjoy freshly baked and still warm with a sprinkle of icing sugar or cinnamon. It’s a challenge to not go back for a second straight away.

Manteigaria has several locations around Lisbon so you’re never far away from delicious Pasteis de Nata.

Early Evening Drinks In Alfama

Once you’ve had a sweet treat, take the short walk to the neighbourhood of Alfama. Take a walk to this charming area of Lisbon via Arco de Rua Augusta. This iconic Lisbon spot will more than likely have come across your radar in your Lisbon research. You can take the elevator up to the top for views over Lisbon if you have time.

We just went straight to Alfama though and I’d highly recommend just meandering the narrow streets before settling in for a late afternoon drink. We came across Ginjinha de Se and it provided the ideal little pit stop for a refresher in the early summer heat.

It doesn’t look like much but if the amount of locals stopping at this bar was a marker of how well-loved this place is, I’d say it’s a pretty good spot. It’s worth trying any drink that includes ginjinha, a Portuguese liqueur popular in Lisbon that’s a blend of ginja berries, alcohol, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. You can find this in shot form – served to sip with fruit in the bottom of the cup – in small bars around the city, but you can also enjoy it mixed in various cocktail versions at Ginjinha de Se.

Ginjinha de Se Address: R. de São João da Praça 3, 1100-253 Lisboa, Portugal

Opening Hours: 5pm to 1am, Monday to Sunday

Sunset at Miradouro da Graca

Next up, it’s time to take in the sunset from one of the city’s many viewpoints. Closest to Ginjinha de Se is Miradouro de Santa Luzia but we walked a little further and ended up at Miradouro da Graca. There is a bar up here to grab a drink under the trees but it’s just as enjoyable to stand with a loved one and watch the light of the city change beneath you.

After the sun sets, you’ll probably be ready for some food. Head to Time Out Market – go via the oh-so-photogenic Pink Street which is busy but worth seeing as it’s on your way.

Dinner At Time Out Market

When you get to Time Out Market in Mercado de Ribeira there are 26 eateries and you can get drinks from 8 bars. So if you’re struggling to decide what to eat, Time Out Market is a great place to go. It certainly gets lively in an evening so you can easily wile away a couple of hours here before bed.

Address: Av. 24 de Julho 49, 1200-479 Lisboa, Portugal

Opening Hours: 10am to 12am, Monday to Sunday

Drinks At A Tabacaria

If you fancy a nightcap, walk a couple of blocks to A Tabacaria. Grab a beer or wine and do as locals do, and spill out on the streets to enjoy a post-dinner drink.

A Tabacaria Address: Rua de S. Paulo 75 77, 1200-426 Lisboa, Portugal
Opening Hours: 6pm – 2am – Sunday to Thursday, 6pm to 3am – Friday and Saturday

Day 2 In Lisbon

Tram 28

It’s an early start today to try and be one of the first passengers on the famous Tram 28. This tram, which runs through the narrow and historic streets of Lisbon, is part of the public transport system in Lisbon but has become a tourist attraction thanks to its route between Martim Moniz Square (this is a great spot to start your journey) and Prazeres. 

I’d recommend going as early as possible to avoid most of the crowds and so you can enjoy the views out of the window. The earliest tram starts just before 6am and is used heavily by students and commuters around 8am. By mid-morning, it can get really busy so the early start is more than worth it to enjoy this journey properly.

The journey takes between 50-60 minutes so allow at least 2 hours for Tram 28. When you get to Prazeres, either hop off and explore the area or enjoy the journey back to Martim Moniz Square in the opposite direction!

Tram 28 Starting Point: Praça Martim Moniz, 1150-052 Lisboa, Portugal

LX Factory

The next stop of the day is LX Factory. Now, because you only have 2 nights in Lisbon, I’d recommend hopping off Tram 28 in Prazeres and taking the 15 minute walk to LX Factory. Alternatively, you can get here via public transport if you do take the return journey on Tram 28.

LX Factory is an old renovated factory containing over 50 restaurants, coffee shops, bars and retail outlets. You can easily spend a couple of hours here grabbing a refreshing drink, enjoying some lunch and doing a bit of shopping. 

LX Factory Address: R. Rodrigues de Faria 103, 1300-501 Lisboa, Portugal

Opening Hours: 10.30am – 10.30pm, Monday – Friday and 9am to 10.30pm, Saturday and Sunday

Visit Belem

Next on the agenda of day 2 in Lisbon is to make the journey to Belem. Now, you can go via public transport but I’d highly recommend taking the walk or grabbing a scooter to go via the walkway along the river.

It does take around an hour, and you’ll rack up the steps, but it’s worth it. You get great views of the Tagus River and the Golden Gate Style Ponte 25 de Abril bridge, as well as MAAT, Padrão dos Descobrimentos and ending at Torre de Belem. Now we didn’t buy a ticket to Torre de Belem but adult tickets are 6 euros if you do wish to go inside, you’ll just have to factor in time for this.

If, like us, you’re happy snapping a few photos, and enjoying a fresh juice from one of the many stalls in the surrounding area, you might spend around 30 minutes here at most before heading into Belem.

The main draws for Belem are the Jerónimos Monastery and trying out a pastel de nata from the famous Pasteis de Belem. 

Again we didn’t visit Jeronimos Monastery, mainly because of the huge queue and it wasn’t really on our list of things to do. I would recommend buying a ticket in advance though if you do want to visit Jeronimos Monastery – this can be bought with a combined ticket for Torre de Belem if you want to focus more of your day around these two Lisbon attractions.

The Famous Pasteis de Belem

Our main priority was heading towards Pasteis de Belem, the place where the famous Portuguese Tart were first sold thanks to a monk in the Monastery creating delicious sweet treats. They’re also supposedly the best in town so we had to try it, for research purposes of course.

I’d recommend going in for one – you can grab one to take away from a side door of Pasteis de Belem. Once you’ve demolished this, go straight back in for another because they are absolutely delicious. Controversially, and personally, I didn’t think they were the best I tried in Lisbon – that accolade goes to those sold in Manteigaria’s bakeries – but they were still divine. They just weren’t quite as sweet but they were oh so fresh and warm and delicious. Worth the walk and the visit to Belem to eat a bit of history.

Pasteis de Belem Address: R. de Belém 84 92, 1300-085 Lisboa, Portugal

Opening Hours: 8am to 9pm, Monday to Friday

By now, it’s late afternoon and your feet might be feeling weary. I’d recommend hopping on a bus back into Lisbon. We hopped on a bus back to around the Time Out Market area as we wanted to stock up on some tinned fish to take back home.

Tinned Fish and Afternoon Coffee

Now you might be thinking, tinned fish? What’s the big deal? Well, Lisbon has a history of tinning fish since 1853 and you can find anything from sardines to octopus and tuna to cod in colourful tins stacked high up in several shops around the city. 

When you’ve got more tins of fish than you can carry, it’s time to head back to the hotel to freshen up for the evening. Maybe stop by one of Lisbon’s many coffee shops for a little pick me up. We grabbed an iced coffee from Fabrica and it was the perfect little refresher in the warm weather.

Ginjinha Sem Rival

On your second and last evening in Lisbon, start the night with a visit to a local Ginjinha Bar. Ginjinha Sem Rival is a great little spot near to where you’ll have started your journey on Tram 28. Get a little shot, but sip it on the street and people watch for a while. This drink is popular all around Lisbon so you’re really enjoying a little bit of culture!

Ginjinha Sem Rival Address: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 7, 1150-264 Lisboa, Portugal

Opening Hours: 8am to 12am, Monday to Friday and 9am to 12am, Saturday and Sunday

Sunset at Park Rooftop Bar

If the timings work around sunset, make your next stop Park Rooftop Bar. It’s a 20 minute walk from Ginjinha Sem Rival, and if the timings with sunset don’t work, you can move a short stop at Ginjinha Sem Rival to later on in the evening. 

Lisbon has so many rooftop bars and Park Rooftop Bar is a great one to try out on your trip. It’s a super casual place and is the rooftop of a car park. It is a bit weird at first, it doesn’t look like there should be anything there but a helpful car park attendant will likely point you in the direction of the lift if you’re looking a little lost like we were. Once you’re up there, grab a cocktail (the margaritas are great), wine or beer and settle in for sunset. Unfortunately we weren’t there early enough to grab a seat so it’s definitely worth making time to get here early enough if you want to relax a bit. Standing wasn’t too bad though and we got the most gorgeous sunset over the skyline of Lisbon.

Park Address: Calçada do Combro 58, 1200-123 Lisboa, Portugal

Opening Hours: 4pm to 2am, Monday to Thursday. 2pm to 2am, Friday and Saturday. Closed, Sunday.

Dinner at Fares

By now, you’ll probably be hungry so head to Fares near Time Out Market. We did zero research on this place, it’s just the pizza place across the road happened to be full and this place looked popular but had room for two. Serving up small plates of Middle Eastern food, Fares is a real treat where you get to try a few things – great if you’re indecisive and hungry like me! The cocktails are also delicious – I tried a tahini espresso martini and ordered a second for dessert.

If you don’t fancy Middle Eastern food, there are plenty of eateries along this strip including Lupita Pizzeria and La Fugitiva Taco Bar.

Fares Address: Rua de S. Paulo 190, 1200-058 Lisboa, Portugal

Opening Hours: 4pm to 1am, Monday to Thursday and 12pm – 3:30pm / 6:30pm to 1am, Friday to Sunday

Day 3 in Lisbon

Sadly, today is your last day in Lisbon. After a whirlwind 2 nights in the city, you should have a good idea of what this city is about, and hopefully a hundred reasons to come back.

Santa Justa Lift

Before you depart, you might have some time to squeeze in one more thing. If the Santa Justa Lift is on your radar, make a beeline for this first thing. It’s open from 7am so it’s great if you’re able to visit early to avoid the queues. Tickets cost 5.30 euros and then it’s 1.50 euros to go to the viewpoint which has incredible views over the area of Baixa.

Santa Justa Lift Address: R. do Ouro, 1150-060 Lisboa, Portugal

And that’s 36 hours in Lisbon (plus a few extra hours) complete! What a wonderful city it is and I can’t wait to return one day to enjoy some more rooftop sunsets and explore more of the historic streets. Other activities that are on my list for next time include a visit to Sintra, a day in Cascais, Portuguese Tile Painting, a boat ride along the river, and a Pastel De Nata cooking class – and of course eating plenty more too!

Are there any other activities you’d recommend for 2 nights in Lisbon? Is there anything I missed that I definitely need to do next time?