Crafting the perfect itinerary for 3 days in Lisbon was exactly what I needed when searching for my next solo travel destination back in early 2023. I already had an incredible lineup of group travel planned for the year—including a deeply moving Belgium Battlefield tour, a rugged Dolomites trek, and a classic Canadian Rockies road trip with my partner and family—but I really craved a trip just for me.
I wanted to explore a vibrant new city at my own pace and fully immerse myself in the culture. It turned out my choice for a Lisbon city break was slightly trendsetting amongst my friends! After returning, I had multiple people ask for my exact route. This guide is the refined version of that trip, covering the best things to do in Lisbon, essential walking logistics, and the absolute must-do day trip to Sintra.
3 Days in Lisbon Itinerary
Here is the most popular Itinerary I’ve created. My research of attractions, restaurants and a Sintra day trip ensured I made the most of my short 3 days in Lisbon. The daily challenge was to find the best Patel de Natas! I can safely say I’ve had my fair share of these tasty tarts. Find out my favourite place later…
Planning 3 days in Lisbon
Before you pack your bags and set off for Portugal, there are a few crucial logistical details that will make or break your Lisbon and Sintra itinerary, especially if you are travelling solo. Use these tips to make the most of 3 days in Lisbon and a day trip to Sintra.
When is the best time to visit Lisbon? If you want to avoid sweltering temperatures and overwhelming crowds, the shoulder seasons are your best friend. April to May and September to October offer beautifully warm, sunny days perfectly suited for sightseeing without the suffocating heat of August. If you do visit in mid-summer, be prepared to start your days very early, especially for the Sintra day trip.
Navigating the City (and Those Hills!) Lisbon is famous for being the “City of Seven Hills,” and trust me, your calves will feel every single one of them.
- The Lisboa Card is a Must: As you can see in my budget breakdown, the 72-Hour Lisboa Card (£45) pays for itself. It gives you unlimited free access to the metro, buses, and trams (including the iconic Tram 28), plus free or discounted entry to major sights like the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower.
- Beware the Calçada Portuguesa: The beautiful, polished mosaic cobblestones that line the streets of Lisbon are incredibly charming, but they are also notoriously slippery—especially if it rains. Leave the flat-soled fashion sneakers at home. This is the perfect city to wear a stylish trail runner (like the Altra Lone Peaks) with genuine grip.
Where to Base Yourself as a Solo Traveller: Choosing the right neighbourhood dictates the vibe of your entire 3 days in Lisbon trip:
- Baixa & Chiado: The downtown core. Perfect if you want to be centrally located near the main train stations (including Rossio Station for your Sintra trip) and major plazas.
- Bairro Alto: The undisputed nightlife capital. The streets here are quiet during the day but absolutely explode with energy, outdoor bars, and Fado music at night. Great for meeting people, but not ideal if you are a light sleeper!
- Alfama: The oldest, most atmospheric district. It is a labyrinth of steep, winding alleys and spectacular viewpoints (miradouros).
- Solo Tip: I highly recommend booking a highly-rated social hostel. I stayed at the Home Lisbon Hostel, which was exceptionally clean, centrally located, and made it incredibly easy to meet other backpackers for evening drinks and day tours.
The Golden Rules for the Sintra Day Trip. Sintra is a magical microclimate of palaces and pine forests, but it requires a bit of tactical planning to complement 3 days in Lisbon with a day trip to Sintra.
- Take the Train, Do Not Drive: The roads in Sintra are narrow, steep, and have zero parking. Take the direct 40-minute train from Rossio Station in central Lisbon.
- Start Early: Aim for the 08:50 AM train (or earlier). You want to be hiking up to the Pena Palace right as the gates open to beat the massive tour bus crowds.
- Pre-Book Pena Palace: You must buy a timed-entry ticket for the National Palace of Pena online in advance. If you show up without one during peak season, you will likely be turned away.
Packing List
For the 3 days in Lisbon, I used my trusty Packing List for Hostelling as I needed minimal gear, and with the hot weather, I travelled very light without layers. And this gave me extra space for a couple of souvenirs.
Hostelling Essentials
Day 1 – Castelo & Time-Out
To start this perfect 3 days in Lisbon trip, I flew from Heathrow to Lisbon International Airport and got the Lisboa card collected at the Airport. After arriving at the centre from the airport, I scouted out where the hostel was and dropped off the bag. I was now free to discover the beautiful city of Lisbon. I first noticed the lack of supermarkets to grab a cheap lunch in the centre, but made do at a small café before heading to Praça do Comércio. I took in the vast square and the Tagus riverfront before heading to conquer the castle.
I followed Google Maps along the crowds up the winding roads and was amazed by the orange rooftops and views over the city. The Castelo de São Jorge is a magnificent and well-kept ancient fortress perched on the hill. I spent hours roaming around the groups, absorbing the panoramic views and evading the roaming Peacocks.
After the Castelo, I walked down to the Pantheon to climb the dome and see the crypt. I used my Student ID to get a 50% discount, so it was only £3.50 to see the epic interior architecture and to climb to the roof terrace, which offered great views over the river and up to the hill. After a quick stop off at the hostel to relax and recharge, I ventured out for an evening walk to Time Out Market and, as mentioned above, tried out Asian Lab for dinner.
After that, I had a short stroll to the pink street, then into a sports bar to watch F1 and met some locals who were watching the Fusball Champions League final, which was more interesting than the Premier League game. Finally, I headed back to the Hostel after a long 1st day in Lisbon.
Day 2 – Lisbon Tour & Belem
To start the second day of the 3 days in Lisbon, I ate the best pancakes I’ve ever had from Nicolau Lisboa, and then I walked past the central station to Praça Luís de Camões for the Free Walking Tour with Fraga. I found this tour and booked it via Guruwalk. It was fantastic to learn about the origins of Lisbon, its relationship to the Spanish, architecture, the famous people, and the highlight was the free Pastel de Nata!
On this tour, I started chatting to an Australian backpacker called Harrison and then met another Londoner called Nicole. After checking out a great viewpoint near the Castelo, we grabbed a bite to eat, then Nicole and I got the train to Belem while Harrison explored the Castelo. We scouted out the Jerónimos Monastery, but it was busy, so we went to the best Pastel de Nata place in Lisbon… Pastéis de Belém. This place has 82K reviews on Google and is worth the hype. I enjoyed all 6 of the delicious tarts I bought for a reasonable price!
The next stop was to see Belem Tower, which was unfortunately shut by the time we arrived, and then I took pictures of the Discovery Statue. We got a busy commuter train back to the centre and headed to Time Out Market for food and drinks once Harrison eventually found us. This led to a night of drinking tasty Portuguese wine and a horrible hangover the next day.
Day 3- Sintra Day Trip
Sintra was one of the main reasons for visiting Lisbon, and I found useful tips for when to see the Palace, Castle and other sites! The Sintra day trip is well worth an extra day on top of the 3 days in Lisbon. I planned the trip for a solo excursion, but Harrison was keen to join, so we met at the station, narrowly missing a train thanks to missing my alarms. I had pre-booked my time slot at Pena Palace for an early slot, and Harrison had a slightly later slot, which was booked while in Lisbon. After a quick Starbucks to rid the hangover and charge the phones, we got on the train and ventured to Sintra.
Palace of Pena and Moorish Castle
First was a fast march from the station to the palace, as I only had 30 mins to hike up 300m hill. We shaved off 20 minutes from Google’s estimates after ignoring the tempting taxis. We arrived with minutes to spare to see long queues, a welcome break. The Palace was hidden in fog, which gave it a magical feel despite the queues. The cloister was the best of the interior palace, but it was slow to follow people around.
I preferred the outside views where you could appreciate the vibrant colours. I met Harrison after his tour, and we went off to the Moorish Castle, which was a quick 15/20min walk. I preferred the Castle to Pena Palace because it was less crowded and it had better views of the Palace in the fog. It was a fun castle to walk the walls of before descending the hill to Quinta da Regaleira.
Quinta de Regaleira & Sintra Palace
Quinta da Regaleira was the only place I had not pre-booked and was glad to visit. The exterior Gothic architecture of the main house is captivating with the green surroundings. The main attraction is the Initiation Well, an inverted tower you descend down away from the daylight. The decor is typical of Quinta de Regaleira, with beautiful carvings along the staircases. By the bottom, it is cool and damp with a feeling of being submerged underground.
It is quite unlike any human structure I have visited, which ended in exploring tunnels and underground pools. After Quinta, we had a quick lunch stop for a burger to refuel before our final stop at the Palace of Sintra. The Sintra Palace is less grand than Pena but has an impressive throne room and 2 conical chimneys towering above. It capped off a busy day in Sintra before we walked downhill to the station and went back to Lisbon.
A quick recharge in the Hostel before meeting Harrison for dinner at Lisbon Tu & Eu 2. A tiny restaurant with long queues for a reason. A fantastic place for local Portuguese cuisine, and we were lucky to get a table, but this was my most memorable dinner. After we went to Cerveja Canil for craft beer, and then an ice cream to top off a wonderful day.
Day 4 – Jerónimos Monastery
On the final day of my solo trip and 3 days in Lisbon, I could enjoy the city to myself. I started with an early morning walk to the start of the No.28 Tram from Martim Moniz and enjoyed the journey through Alfama, Braixa, towards Bairro Alto. I got to the tram stop around 8:30 and managed to get a seat, so I would recommend going before rush hour. I walked back via the Elevador de Santa Justa but did not ride up it as I had to get back to the hostel to finish packing, put my bag in the storage room and check out. My last proper excursion out was to visit Jeronimos Monastery and the stunning cloister.
I jumped on a bus near Praça do Comércio, and it took about 30mins along the riverfront to arrive at Belem. What I hadn’t expected was a huge Police Parade outside the Monastery with huge crowds. A little warning, it was not clear which queue was for tour groups, which for the monastery and which for the Church of Santa Maria (with the tomb of Vasco de Gama). I queued for 45mins and was nervous as I expected my Lisboa card to expire at 11 am, so I got in with minutes to spare.
Jerónimos Monastery
The Jerónimos Monastery’s cloister, over 2 storeys, is one of the most beautiful and intricately detailed architecture I have seen, simply breathtaking! The Cloister was my favourite attraction to visit in the 3 days in Lisbon, and I saved the best until the end. After the monastery, I enjoyed the parade with a prime view to see the vehicles, horses, patrols and dog units march past, it was a very elaborate parade!
It was a scorching hot day, so after a supermarket lunch outside Belem monastery gardens, I decided to take a 6.5km walk along the river back to the Baixa area. The highlight was the Ponte de 25 Abril Bridge, which made me feel like I was in San Francisco and the nice, relaxed stroll along the promenade.
Lisbon Cathedral
I fancied a spot of souvenir shopping, where I picked up cork and ceramic tile gifts, typically Portuguese. Then, with the remaining time, I visited Lisbon Cathedral after snapping iconic Tram pics out front. It was a few euros entry with beautiful stained glass and lots of history, so highly worth it and quieter than other attractions. After I collected my Backpack from the Hostel, I grabbed an early dinner at Boa Bon for Lebanese food, which was tasty and reasonably priced but not mind-blowing like some of the other dishes.
Before leaving Lisbon, with the little change I had left, I treated myself to one final Pastel de Nata at Manteigaria, which was my 2nd favourite after Belem. Then on the metro at Baixa Chiado (2 euros) to the airport for my evening flight back to the UK. Overall, the 3 days in Lisbon and Sintra day trip were the perfect solo travel.
Trip Budget & Costs
Overall, this was one of the cheapest and best-value trips I have done, with the overall cost around £450 (£112 per day approx.) for 3 days in Lisbon. The food and drink are where these costs fluctuate, but the Lisboa card and the Sintra attractions were reasonably priced.
The Hostel
Home Hostel Lisbon
I went off Hostelworld reviews, and with a 9.6 rating, over 12.5k reviews and multiple awards, Home Hostel had a fine reputation. The hostel has a fantastic location close to Castelo de São Jorge & Praça do Comércio. It had a classic wooden decor, and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. I used the bag storage to then go explore before checking in. There were lots of people around, with nice-sized rooms and plenty of wash facilities. I did not make the most of Momma’s Dinner and socialising with other guests, but felt it was a great base and worth the £37/night price for 3 days in Lisbon.
Note: There’s a mandatory 5 euro cash refundable key deposit required upon check-in
Food & Drink
Lisbon surprised me with the quality of the food during the 3 days in Lisbon! I was slightly worried that most of the food would be fish, but there were plenty of vegetarian options, and I had the best pancakes I’ve ever had in a cafe…. which happened to be next to the Hostel! The queues for Nicolau Lisboa are definitely justified. I went as soon as they opened to beat the crowds and would have gone back more if not for plans!
Time Out Market
Time Out Market Lisboa is the go-to place to explore the cuisine with only 3 days in Lisbon. The building has a real atmosphere and can be challenging to find a seat on the benches, which only indicates popularity. But the quality of the food far exceeded my expectations. The 1st night, I had Veg Gyoza and a Tofu Pad Thai at Asian Lab, which had a nice balance of spice and tang. My friend tested my itinerary out a week before I went, and his Vegetarian wife raved about Asian Lab, and I can second that recommendation. The 2nd night, I tried Marlene Viera’s stand, which had a nice chowder dish but lacked carbs and didn’t blow me away compared to the day before.
Tu & Eu 2 & Pastel de Nata
After Sintra, Harrison (new Aussie mate) and I luckily got a table at Lisboa Tu & Eu 2, which was the culinary highlight for me. We shared bread, ordered beer, and I had Veggies à la Bras, which is made of shredded leeks and potatoes. I was surprised by the flavour of such a simple dish; when combined with the small restaurant and graffiti walls, it was a true Portuguese experience. The real reason to visit Portugal was for those small flaky pastries, custard-filled delights known as Pastel de Nata. On average, they cost around 1 euro and were worth every bite, in particular when still warm, and I recommend sprinkled with cinnamon.
Journal Sketches
Lisbon lessons & Next Time
Lisbon is simply amazing, and for solo backpacking, it has numerous quality and affordable hostels. The nightlife is active, and the drinks are cheap (compared to my benchmark of London). As someone who enjoys climbing mountains, Lisbon was fun to walk up the hills and narrow streets, but it should be said that the hills are STEEP! My average steps were well over 30,000 a day, and even though I had the Lisboa Card, I enjoyed discovering the districts on foot.
My main takeaway from my 3 days in Lisbon was that the quality of food was higher than most places I’ve been to, with great local produce and incredible flavour. There is a diverse range of attractions and history to embrace. While I tried to pack in as much as possible during my 3 days in Lisbon, I could happily go back to properly visit Belem Tower, Carmo Archaeological Museum, and ride the Santa Justa Lift. As mentioned, I could have made more of the hostel I stayed at to meet more people, but it was nice on a solo trip to meet people naturally on a walking tour, and then making plans to explore the city and Sintra.
I will say the lack of convenient shops/supermarkets in the centre meant food was mainly from cafes and restaurants, which isn’t bad given the good prices and flavour. Overall, this itinerary ensured I made the absolute most of my time, and I highly recommend it if you are wondering how to spend 3 days in Lisbon!
Summary
Spending 3 days in Lisbon stands out as one of the most phenomenal European solo trips you can take. The incredibly welcoming culture, the safety of the winding streets, and the affordability of world-class food (you will eat more Pastéis de Nata than you thought humanly possible) make it a perfect destination, whether you are an experienced solo traveller or heading out on your very first trip.
Furthermore, dedicating one of your 3 days in Lisbon to escape the city limits and explore the misty, fairy-tale microclimate of Sintra completely elevates the experience. The region offers a brilliant mix of historical depth, vibrant nightlife, and coastal relaxation.
Have you ever travelled solo to Portugal, or are you planning your first trip? Let me know your favourite spots in the comments below! If you found this guide helpful, please share it with your friends and subscribe to The Journal for more monthly travel itineraries.
FAQs
How many days do you need for a Lisbon and Sintra itinerary?
We recommend an absolute minimum of 3 days in Lisbon. This allows you to dedicate two days to exploring the distinct neighbourhoods of Lisbon (like Alfama and Bairro Alto) and one full, uninterrupted day for the train trip to Sintra. If you want to include a beach day at Cascais, extend your trip to 4 or 5 days.
How do you get from Lisbon to Sintra?
The easiest and cheapest way to get to Sintra is by train. Direct trains depart frequently from Lisbon’s Rossio Station (located right in the city centre) and take about 40 minutes to reach Sintra. You do not need to book this train in advance; you can simply tap your contactless card or buy a ticket at the station for a few euros.
Is Sintra actually worth a day trip?
Yes, it is arguably the best day trip from any European capital. The UNESCO World Heritage town is nestled in the pine-covered hills of the Serra de Sintra and is dotted with extravagant 19th-century palaces, ancient Moorish ruins, and hidden grottos. The colourful Pena Palace alone is worth the journey.
Is Lisbon a good destination for solo travel?
Lisbon is consistently ranked as one of the best and safest European cities for solo travellers. The hostel culture is legendary, making it incredibly easy to meet people, and the cafe culture means you will never feel out of place dining alone. Just make sure you pack shoes with excellent grip—the polished cobblestones and steep hills are notoriously slippery!
