Lisbon is the colourful Portuguese capital – a hotspot for tradition and Moorish structure. Its reddish terracotta roofs and fixed silhouette of Sao Jorge Citadel minimize a surprising backdrop in opposition to the Atlantic Ocean, and its coastal location means loads of entry to unimaginable seashores. Concerning cities in Portugal, Lisbon comes out high or within the high three each time.
In fact, simply because a metropolis is so entertaining doesn’t imply it is best to knuckle down there and never enterprise exterior metropolis limits. The most effective issues to do in Lisbon is to flee the (albeit stunning) slim streets and metropolis limits and head out on a day journey. Day journeys from Lisbon are among the many most rewarding actions when visiting the Portuguese capital.
22 Finest Day Journeys from Lisbon
This information will cowl the perfect day journeys from Lisbon – together with some severe inspiration for day journey concepts, starting from medieval previous city settings to stunning seashores. If you’d like unimaginable day journeys, you’ve chosen the proper metropolis to base your self in. Lisbon day journeys are a number of the nation’s finest, and a day tour or two might be in your playing cards after ending this information. Learn extra about Lisbon at The best way to Spend a Layover in Lisbon, Portugal
Planning Your Journey To Lisbon Proper Now?
Under are a number of the high excursions for Day Journeys from Lisbon. Don’t neglect to plan forward when visiting Portugal!
High Day Journeys and Excursions from Lisbon:
1. Sintra
Fairly Sintra will get all the eye, and if you’re searching for a tried-and-tested day journey from Lisbon, this charming village will get the highest trump. You’ll be able to admire beautiful royal residences, together with the Pena Nationwide Palace. Pena Palace is legendary for its vivid colours and daring structure and takes over 2.5 hours to tour due to all its grandeur and scale.
Nonetheless, Sinta has loads of palaces and castles, so don’t restrict your self to 1. Sintra is the place you go to to cease by a romantic palace or two and fulfill your internal childhood desires of princes and princesses. E book your Pena Palace entry ticket upfront.
Sintra is simply half-hour from Lisbon, making it half as widespread as it’s. It’s a handy but epic day journey for anybody wanting a magical day tour from Lisbon. And you’ll benefit from the novelty of palaces and romantic structure in simply half a day. Learn extra: 14 Finest Issues to Do in Sintra, Portugal
You too can guide this widespread day tour to Sintra from Lisbon. Discover Sintra in your free time and go to Quinta da Regaleira with an professional information. You’ll additionally go to Pena Palace, Regaleira, and Cascais. Examine rental automotive costs right here.
How removed from Lisbon: half-hour by automotive
2. Wine Tasting
Wine tasting is the proper Lisbon day journey. The Lisbon wine areas have three predominant teams, Bucelas, Colares, and Carcavelos. It’s famed for its whites and reds. In case you are searching for particular grape varieties, Trincadeira, Tinta Miuda, and Baga are finest for his or her reds, whereas Alvarinho and Malvasia Fina are finest amongst their whites.
Lisbon is a captivating place to guide a wine tour, due to its countryside variation. You’ll be able to have low-alcohol wines alongside its shoreline with usually crisp notes that completely match its seafood dishes. You too can discover heavier inland vines which you can attain in about an hour from Lisbon metropolis heart.
You’ll be able to take public transportation to go wine tasting on a day journey from Lisbon. Nonetheless, we’d counsel reserving an organized tour. The tour will deal with all of your transfers and transport – leaving you to chill and luxuriate in the perfect bit, tasting all of the native wines. E book this meals and wine tour to pattern Portuguese meals and wine.
How removed from Lisbon: Lower than an hour – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
3. Cabo da Roca
Should you go to Lisbon, it is best to go to Cabo da Roca. Cabo da Roca is the westernmost level of all of Europe and has unimaginable coastal views and panoramas over the ocean. One of the best ways to get pleasure from Cabo da Roca is with a coastal hike – so seize your mountaineering boots and prepare to traverse some rugged cliffs, stopping at little hidden seashores for picnics.
You’ll go the Cabo da Roca Lighthouse in your means, which was in-built 1772 and is one in every of Portugal’s most conventional and oldest lighthouses. Cabo da Roca is right should you fancy a windy time out to flee the sometimes oppressive warmth of Lisbon in summer time.
Cabo da Roca is simply half-hour by automotive and one of the vital accessible day journeys from Lisbon. Additionally it is dreamy for sundown. You’ll be able to perch alongside the rocky shoreline and admire pinks and smooth oranges, ideally with a glass of one of many aforementioned wines.
How removed from Lisbon: half-hour by automotive – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
4. Peniche
Peniche is a world-class browsing vacation spot over an hour’s drive from Lisbon. For small-town surfer vibes, you actually can’t beat it. This seashore city is likely one of the finest day journeys from Lisbon if you’re an avid surfer or simply fancying a seashore day. The lengthy stretch of Praia dos Supertubos or Praia Baleal-Sul is ideal for seashore bums glad to sit down on the sand and paddle gently within the shallows. The waves are huge, so this isn’t a swimming vacation spot, however it’s a incredible place to surf or watch the thrilling show of surfer abilities.
There are many boards to hire within the Peniche city heart. You gained’t wrestle to search out gear, so don’t let that maintain you again. And if you’re a novice, you possibly can simply put money into a surf lesson.
How removed from Lisbon: 1 hour and 20 minutes by automotive – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
5. Costa da Caparica
Costa da Caparica is the alternative of the normal previous city and rural setting vibe. As a substitute, this extroverted resort city is stuffed with trendy fads and the trendiest eateries. Costa da Caparica is the place for you if you need a spot to sip aesthetic cocktails and mingle amongst enjoyable crowds.
The city is ready alongside the Costa da Caparica shoreline – 26km of sandy seashores, and it’s equally appropriate for these wanting a seashore day with a lot house that you simply don’t want to fret about discovering a spot in peak season. Enjoyable and outgoing, Costa da Caparica has room for everybody and is a pleasant face when researching day journeys from Lisbon. Learn extra: 18 Finest Seashores in Portugal to Go to
Costa da Caparica is only a 25-minute drive or Uber from Lisbon metropolis heart. It is likely one of the closest Lisbon seashores and a possible day journey if you wish to catch an Uber with out renting a automotive or public transport.
How removed from Lisbon: 25 minutes by automotive or 1 hour by bus – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
6. Obidos
Lovely Obidos is an ultra-traditional and small medieval city that makes an epic day journey for historical past lovers. It’s the type of place it is best to head to if you’re vying for a standard Portuguese dish or a quaint little memento. However equally, it additionally has loads of oomph for sights. The Queen of Portugal beforehand owned it.
It stays one of many most interesting examples of Portuguese walled cities. Obidos is likely one of the finest day journeys from Lisbon if you need the proper mixture of historical past and aesthetics and the comfort of getting every thing inside strolling distance. Learn extra: 7 Causes You Ought to Go to Obidos, Portugal
Obidos is simple to achieve from Lisbon, taking simply 2 hours by prepare or one hour by automotive. We recommend driving, as this fashion, you possibly can detour to the Reserva Pure do Estuario do Tejo and Serra de Montejunto. There’s some gorgeous countryside en route, and you will get into the agricultural aesthetic earlier than arriving within the white-washed city of Obidos.
How removed from Lisbon: 2 hours by prepare or about an hour north by automotive
7. Evora
Evora is the historic gem of the day journeys from Lisbon and a chosen UNESCO World Heritage Web site. Town has over 2,000 years of historical past and Roman historical past that pulls within the crowds, though it’s a little much less well-known than Sintra amongst your in-and-out vacationer crowd, so it shouldn’t get as busy. It has a lovely Roman temple and an aqueduct – gorgeous examples of Roman-period structure.
It’s a miracle which you can additionally admire these ruins as we speak since an earthquake flattened virtually the entire surrounding space, Lisbon included, in 1755. Evora is sort of a fortunate attraction. And should you fancy a day amongst Roman ruins and fairly cobbled streets, it’s the good place to go to.
By bus, it’s an hour and 40 minutes from Lisbon, which could sound daunting. Nonetheless, since it is a direct service, it’s a breeze. Obtain a great playlist or audiobook earlier than you go, and also you’ll go the time rapidly. Examine rental automotive costs right here.
How removed from Lisbon: 1.5 hours by automotive or 1 hour 40 minutes by bus
8. Ericeira
Fancy an genuine Lisbon day journey? This small fishing city is located on the well-known strip of browsing shoreline simply north of Lisbon. Of all these day journey concepts, Ericeira is finest for these wanting a lowkey and genuine expertise. The city heart is stuffed with seafood eating places promoting regionally caught catch, whereas its seashores are sleepy other than the frantically zigzagging surfers chopping up waves. It’s the solely World Browsing Reserve in Europe, however not as many individuals get the memo as they do for close by Peniche. Erceira is a bit more off the crushed observe and barely nearer – an enormous win-win.
We’d advocate driving to achieve this spot, as taking public transport greater than doubles your journey time. Should you detour by Sintra, Ericeira takes 40 minutes to get to by automotive or an hour.
How removed from Lisbon: 40 minutes by automotive – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
9. Cascais
Cascais is a small city however an especially enjoyable day journey. Furthermore, this is likely one of the solely day journeys from Lisbon you possibly can take by prepare versus bus, as Cascais has its personal prepare station related by the ‘Linha de Cascais.’ It’s a scenic experience, taking you previous sandy seashores and coastal surroundings, and it solely takes 40 minutes from Cais do Sodre station in southwest Lisbon. The seaside resort is bubbly, with a enjoyable vibe and a mix of procuring streets and beachfront eating places. Its previous city is the place you’ll discover the extra ‘severe sightseeing’ alternatives, with the Nossa Senhora da Luz Fort and Citadel Palace.
Cascais is a enjoyable allrounder with an impressive stability of issues to do if you need a fast escape from Lisbon’s metropolis heart.
How removed from Lisbon: 40 minutes by prepare
10. Nazare
Nazare is one in every of our favourite off-the-beaten-track locations to go to in Portugal. It’s well-known for its large waves – truly holding a World Report for the dimensions of its waves on its wonderful seashores. Some skilled surfers try these waves, but it surely isn’t for the faint-hearted. Folks have misplaced their lives browsing Nazare, so it is a phenomenon finest skilled from the dry floor for most individuals. Sit on one of many sandy seashores and luxuriate in nature’s present with out collaborating.
The rationale behind these large waves? An enormous canyon – the most important underwater canyon in Europe, to be actual – permits for large swells to kind. It’s a incredible day journey vacation spot to understand nature’s energy whereas having fun with a stunning seashore day.
How removed from Lisbon: 1.5 hours by automotive – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
11. Fatima
Fatima is a Catholic pilgrimage website and one of the vital uncommon day journeys from Lisbon. Fatima is the proper day journey to take in your Lisbon journey if you’re religious- and even simply considering non secular historical past. Simply an hour and a half north of Lisbon, it’s inside a sensible driving distance to journey there and again on the identical day, even chopping by Caldas da Rainha, one other day journey function on this information. Fatima is one other time period for the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary was coined Our Girl of Fatima after she appeared earlier than three kids within the village and made some fairly drastic predictions that transpired to be true.
You’ll be able to go to the Sanctuary of Fatima, the positioning of the Virgin Mary’s look on the Capela das Aparicoes, and discover Catholic-related museums. Fatima is simply 1.5 hours from Lisbon by bus or automotive, so that you’ll have loads of time to spend within the city.
How removed from Lisbon: 1.5 hours by bus or automotive – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
12. Castelo dos Mouros
Castelo dos Mouros is gorgeous; significantly gorgeous. The Moorish fortress dates again to the tenth century and sits on a clifftop overlooking the encompassing cities and villages on the outskirts of the Sintra-Cascais Pure Park. If you’d like a day journey from Lisbon with a ‘wow issue,’ Castelo dos Mouros is likely one of the most spectacular day journeys you possibly can take. You’ll be able to stroll by the traditional fortress partitions and luxuriate in some dramatic views over the panorama. Be ready for a lot of steps and a few moderately dizzying views, however should you’ve received comparatively good health, you’ll be completely superb tackling this thrilling Portuguese attraction.
Castelo dos Mouros is 45 minutes from Lisbon by automotive or 1.5 hours utilizing public transport. Should you select to go by automotive, you’ll be passing by some quaint suburbs with loads of sights – even indoor skydiving services and historic palaces. Additionally it is well-combined with a go to to close by Sintra.
How removed from Lisbon: 45 minutes by automotive or 1.5 hours by public transport – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
13. Estoril
Estoril is a well-liked day journey from Lisbon, and its main declare to fame is that it was one of many On Majesty’s Secret Service filming places – a traditional old-school James Bond film. Estoril is prosperous as an space and has that glitzy coastal vibe. The glamorous attraction is right for anybody wanting a mixture of high-end delicacies and luxurious services, plus all of the enjoyment of your commonplace seashore day expertise. Estoril can be tremendous near Lisbon’s metropolis heart, making it one of the vital handy locations you possibly can go to on a day journey.
Estoril is only a 25-minute drive from Lisbon. You’ll be able to hire a automotive or guide a taxi or Uber, making it a possible detour for any traveler. You too can attain Estoril on the Cascais prepare line, with companies operating straight from Cais do Sodre station.
How removed from Lisbon: 25 minutes by automotive or 40 minutes by prepare – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
14. Setubal
Setubal is finest recognized for its Arrabida Pure Park and ferry service to Praia Troia Mar. It’s extra of a launchpad vacation spot for a lot of, however not for you; you now know higher. This city is nicely price visiting in its personal proper, and it has a powerful draw – scrumptious eating places and yummy dishes. It’s well-known for a lot of dishes (should you ask the precise crowd). You would strive candy Moscatel wine, conventional sardines, and grilled seafood. Should you want someplace for dinner, Setubal is the perfect spot. As an enormous bonus, it’s slightly below an hour from Lisbon by automotive or 1.5 hours by public transportation, so that you gained’t wrestle to get again on a full abdomen.
Setubal is widespread as a launchpad, however you’ll be well-impressed should you uncover its super meals scene.
How removed from Lisbon: 45 minutes by automotive or 1.5 hours by public transport – Examine rental automotive costs right here.
15. Azenhas do Mar
Azenhas do Mar is a tiny seaside city that sits in fairly a Cinque Terre trend on rugged sea cliffs, with homes slowly spilling down the cliff face and in direction of the beachfront. The homes are historically vivid white with orange roofing, and an unlimited sea pool is on the base close to the seashore.
Of all of the day journeys from Lisbon, Azenhas do Mar is the least prone to come up on a vacationer radar. Nonetheless, those that clock this incredible addition to our Lisbon day journeys are rewarded with photogenic streets, an Insta-appealing seawater pool, and scrumptious seafood. That is an genuine little seaside group with a timeless sense of fashion. In case you are nonetheless getting excited, you need to be.
Azenhas do Mar is simply north of Lisbon. Please don’t confuse it with the tiny Azenha do Mar additional south, nearer to Lagos. This Azenhas is only a 45-minute drive or 2 hours by public transport. It’s dreamily simple to achieve, particularly should you rent a rental automotive. And for a quiet afternoon out of busy Lisbon, you possibly can’t beat its stylish, peaceable vibe.
How removed from Lisbon: 45 minutes by automotive or 2 hours by public transport
16. Lagos
Lagos is an bold day journey from Lisbon, however we love together with additional day journey concepts for these eager to push the boat out a little bit. Lagos is the gateway to the northern finish of the Algarve, a well-known part of vivid orange cliffs, sea caves, and countless seashores. E book this Lagos Kayaking Tour to discover the caves and delightful shoreline.
It has some stunning seashores within the metropolis’s limits, with Praia do Camilo being a agency favourite due to its steep picket steps offering clifftop entry to the seashore beneath. Nonetheless, the walled city additionally has loads of cultural sights. You’ve gotten the cutesy vibe of the previous city, the Citadel of Lagos, and the Museum of Lagos, Dr. Jose Formosinho. You’ll be able to simply spend every week in Lagos, not to mention a day. However if you wish to expertise one other area of Portugal, Lagos is fabulous to squeeze in as a day journey. Learn extra: 19 Finest Issues to Do In Lagos, Portugal
Should you plan on driving from Lisbon to Lagos, it is best to insure a number of drivers in the identical automotive. That is very important to make the journey secure, as a 6-hour drive and a day of sightseeing is sufficient to make anybody woozy on the street. Rotating drivers, you possibly can undoubtedly handle the journey, although, and Lagos is so enjoyable that it’s worthwhile. Lagos
How removed from Lisbon: 3 hours by automotive and three.5 hours by bus – Examine Rental Automobile Costs Right here.
17. Porto Covo
Out of all our day journeys from Lisbon, Porto Covo is likely one of the quietest. The little former fishing village is sleepy, however all the perfect locations benefit from a siesta right here and there, proper? Porto Covo is an excellent – and delightful – spot to chill and embrace the sleepy coastal tradition. The village was demolished by an earthquake in 1755, but it surely was rebuilt excellently, and you may nonetheless discover custom in each nook. A pleasant contact is the painted homes. As soon as, blue-painted homes signaled that the home belonged to fishermen open to buying and selling provides. You too can go to Pesseguerio island to see the Fifteenth-century fort and Roman ruins simply off the Porto Covo shorelines.
Porto Covo is the place to go to zen on a seashore, eat scrumptious meals, and study extra about Portuguese traditions and tradition. It’s a low-maintenance day journey with minimal sightseeing until you need to enterprise out to Pesseguerio Island.
How removed from Lisbon: 2 hours by automotive
18. Jeronimos Monastary
Jeronimos Monastery is gorgeous – whether or not you care about non secular historical past or structure. The Gothic Manueline structure ends in substantial vaulted ceilings and gorgeous decorative designs. You would simply spend hours simply strolling the monastery halls and corridors, so forged away any church-style visions and as a substitute get wanting on the beautiful photos of this spot. When you’ve completed admiring the Jeronimos Monastery structure, you even have two museums inside its grounds. You’ll be able to head to each the archaeology and maritime museums.
You might assume this appears like numerous sightseeing on a day journey from Lisbon. That’s the place the Jeronimos Monastery’s handy location is available in. The monastery is only a 20-minute drive (or Uber) from central Lisbon or 30 to 40 minutes by bus. You’ve gotten barely any journey time, so take your time with the sightseeing.
How removed from Lisbon: 20 minutes by automotive or 30-40 minutes by bus
19. Aveiro
Aveiro is Portugal’s Venice, and if that didn’t get your consideration, the photographs of it certain will. The entire metropolis is ready on canals; historically, barcos moliceiros had been the prime transportation methodology for harvesting seaweed. These colourful boats nonetheless drift across the streets, and you may guide sure barcos moliceiros for boat rides, exactly just like the gondolas in Venice. A metropolis set on water is a straightforward promote, and Averio has a particular sense of serenity and water-caused novelty. So, the place does all this water come from? Nicely, Averio is ready inside the Ria de Averio lagoon. It’s a stunning area to go to, and it is best to dedicate a day journey to it.
Except for barcos policers, there’s additionally the Salinas de Aveiro museum – a working museum displaying the method of salt harvesting. Simply 2 hours away by quick prepare or 2.5 hours by commonplace prepare or automotive, Averio is nicely price visiting from Lisbon.
How removed from Lisbon: 2.5 hours by automotive or 2 hours by quick prepare
20. Tomar
Tomar is a dream; laidback and stuffed with slim walkways and mosaic tiles. It has the type of aesthetic that you simply see in motion pictures, with cutesy bright-white buildings and turreted orange roofs. There’s even a checkerboard floored public sq.. The entire city is ideal for wandering or sitting exterior with a espresso. It additionally has some medieval-style sights, together with the Convent of Christ and Almourol Citadel. Almourol Citadel is probably the most distinctive caste wreck within the Lisbon ‘day journey area,’ constructed on an island and solely accessible by water.
Tomar is ideal to wander round and drop into just a few totally different picturesque sights. Plus, it’s accessible by way of public transportation in just a bit longer than it takes by automotive. This implies you possibly can chill, learn a guide, and never fear about renting automobiles and driving licenses.
How removed from Lisbon: 1 hour and 40 minutes by automotive or 2 hours by prepare
21. Batalha
Batalha is most famed for Batalha Monastery – a UNESCO World Heritage Web site – and is simply an hour and 40 minutes north of Lisbon by automotive. As a day journey from Lisbon, it has some spectacular buildings and Gothic grandeur, and its predominant sights every justify a day tour in their very own proper. Coin Caves are one other widespread cause to go to Batalha, and the limestone cave has gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites. Batalha is a historic city with a wonderful decide and mixture of sights with a powerful sense of oomph and identification. Batalha is ideal should you fancy a time out studying about caves and stalactites within the morning and spiritual historical past and structure within the afternoon.
It takes an hour and 40 minutes to achieve Batalha by automotive from Lisbon. Nonetheless, don’t be delay by this. Relying in your route, you’ll go some unimaginable spots, together with Fatima, Obidos, and Nazare.
How removed from Lisbon: 1 hour and 40 minutes
22. Arrábida Pure Park
Arrábida Pure Park is gorgeous. The pure park is nicknamed the Silver Coast and has white sand seashore after white sand seashore tucked alongside its shores. If you’d like a lovely seashore, Arrábida Pure Park has many candidates. The pure park covers an enormous space of round 69 sq. miles and, in true Portuguese Catholic model, is dwelling to a convent courting again to the 1500s. Spirituality isn’t removed from areas of pure magnificence, particularly in Portugal. You too can discover various native wildlife, together with caves stuffed with uncommon species of bats.
Mountaineering trails finest discover Arrábida Pure Park. Nonetheless, don’t get delay by the prospect of big, daunting walks. There are many shorter routes should you simply fancy a brief stroll after which a seashore day – get searching by the route choices.
How removed from Lisbon: 1 hour and quarter-hour by automotive
Day Journeys from Lisbon: FAQs Me
Lisbon day journeys are one thing particular, as you now know. And with these top-day journeys from Lisbon, you possibly can embrace a lot extra Portuguese tradition and increase your vacationer expertise. Earlier than you go, try these generally requested questions so you might be as ready as doable.
What’s the hottest day journey from Lisbon?
Sintra is the most well-liked of the Lisbon day journeys. This recognition is due to its colossal palace – Pena Nationwide Palace – and in addition its cobbled avenue aesthetic. It’s seen as a spot of historical past and lingering heritage, and as an enormous bonus, it’s lower than an hour north of Lisbon.
What cities can I go to from Lisbon?
On a day tour, you possibly can go to the traditional metropolis of Evora and the medium-sized metropolis of Caldas da Rainha from Lisbon.
Are you able to do a day journey from Lisbon to Spain?
In case you are feeling bold, certain. Badajoz is the simplest Spanish day journey vacation spot from Lisbon, and it takes 2.5 hours to achieve a technique by automotive. It might be a enjoyable day journey to arrange if you wish to mix two nations in a single journey.
Ought to I do a day journey to Porto from Lisbon?
We didn’t embody Porto amongst our main suggestions for day journeys from Lisbon as a result of it takes 3.5 hours to get there by prepare. Moreover, it is best to permit just a few days to discover Porto. Nonetheless, if you’re okay with spending 6-7 touring in a day, it’s doable to take a day journey to Porto from Lisbon. Inside a day, you might see a number of museums, the long-lasting Ponte da Arrabida, and pattern some ports.
To Conclude
Whether or not you head to the Nationwide Palace or Evora’s Roman temple, taking day journeys from Lisbon will open you as much as much more pure magnificence, tradition, and Portuguese historical past. It is likely one of the finest methods to maximise a go to to Lisbon. Even with only a layover in Lisbon, you might plan a day journey – so get inventive with squeezing day journeys into your itinerary.
As you possibly can see, there are a great deal of choices. And since Lisbon is positioned in central Portugal, it’s handy to take day journeys utilizing public transport as a result of every thing is so well-connected. You would head over into Spain even should you needed – the Spanish border cities and cities are simply 2-3 hours away by automotive. A metropolis break isn’t only a metropolis break, and when visiting Lisbon, it is best to maximize your stick with exceptional day journeys. The encircling areas have every thing from pure parks to seashore cities, mountain-top forts, and monasteries.
Have an exquisite time visiting Lisbon, and luxuriate in sampling all these totally different day journeys. Relying on what number of you select, it is best to look into automotive leases to make life simpler for your self. Portugal is a incredible place to embrace street journeys and day journey detours. The choices are countless.