Best Day Trips from Lisbon in 2025

Lisbon is often the first city tourists visit in Portugal, and it’s no mystery why: it’s the country’s capital, with direct flights from around the world, and is full of must-see places and charming spots like the Alfama district, the birthplace of fado in Lisbon.

While it’s hard to resist Lisbon’s appeal, it’s worth setting aside a day or two for some nearby excursions to explore charming cities close to Lisbon. Each one offers its own unique charm and can easily be visited as a day trip.

The Best Day Trips From Lisbon

If you’re looking to explore Lisbon and its beautiful surroundings, here are some of the most scenic towns and the best day trips you can visit in just one day. Once you’ve discovered them, you may want to add a few extra days to your itinerary!

Sintra

The Pena Palace in Sintra

 

Sintra is one of the most beautiful towns near Lisbon—a hidden gem and exceptional tourist destination full of unique history, enchanting beauty, and a lot of magic.

If you’re wondering what to do in Sintra, start with a full day English tour that includes a visit to the Pena Palace, one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. Then, visit the Moorish Castle for the best views of the Sintra Mountains, and continue to the National Palace of Sintra, a former royal palace dressed in white.

Don’t miss the curious and iconic Quinta da Regaleira, one of Sintra’s most famous landmarks. This luxurious palace, built by eccentric millionaire António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a stunning example of Romanesque, Gothic, and Manueline architecture. 

 

Quinta da Regaleira

 

Taking the Sintra tour from Lisbon also lets you travel along the Atlantic coast and pass through Cascais and Estoril, seeing Guincho Beach and the Estoril Casino—a fantastic half-day experience.

A Free Walking tour of Sintra is another wise choice if you want to just focus on its most important places and monuments, as well as learning about its history, from its beginnings to its romantic splendor of the 19th century. 

Fátima 

 

Fátima is Portugal’s top destination for historical and religious significance. According to the story that attracts millions of faithful each year, the Virgin Mary appeared to three young shepherds in 1917, revealing three prophetic secrets over six visions.

Taking a tour to Fátima from Lisbon will let you marvel at the grandeur of the Sanctuary, located where the first apparition took place. Its immense plaza and two basilicas—one Neobaroque and the other modern—are the main sites to see in Fátima.

Óbidos

 

This historic, picturesque medieval town is known as one of the most beautiful villages near Lisbon. With impressive walls and an incredible 13th-century Roman-origin castle, Óbidos is another of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. Taking a tour to Óbidos from Lisbon is a fantastic plan if you want to immerse yourself in Portuguese history and culture.

Its cobblestone streets and white houses with blue accents give it a unique charm and invite you to discover landmarks such as Rua Direita, which connects to the Sé Cathedral; the aqueduct; Santa Maria Church; and São Pedro Church.

To make your experience unforgettable, try the Ginja d’Óbidos, a delicious cherry liqueur typical of Portugal’s western region. Check out all the things to do in Óbidos.

Évora

 

The UNESCO World Heritage city of Évora offers an exciting blend of history, architecture, and landscape. Its most famous attraction is the Roman Temple, a Corinthian structure from the 1st century dedicated to the Roman goddess Diana.

Évora University, founded in 1559, is Portugal’s second oldest, only behind the University of Coimbra, another town worth seeing midway between Lisbon and Porto.

Don’t miss the eerie Chapel of Bones, built with thousands of real skulls, and Évora’s impressive Cathedral, with Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque elements.

Finally, if there’s something to see in Lisbon and its surroundings, it’s wine — and plenty of it. So, you can venture into a local wine tasting and thus put the finishing touch on this day trip to Évora.

Belém 

The Tower of Belém

 

Belém used to be an important maritime port and district of Lisbon that today is home to a large number of museums and historic monuments. There are several iconic monuments in Belém worth visiting, such as the Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Tower of Belém. Both are in the Manueline style and were built in the 16th century.

The Monument to the Discoveries, one of the most important in Portugal, is also located here. It was built on the banks of the Tagus River in honor of the country’s maritime history and includes a viewpoint at the top of the structure.

A guided tour of Lisbon and Belém is the ideal option if you have very little time in the capital, where you can also try one of the best-kept secrets of its gastronomy: the pastéis de Belém, a unique portuguese custard tart that has become a symbol of Lisbon. You won’t be able to eat just one!

To learn more about Portugal's golden age of exploration and visit historic sites such as the Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery on a budget, join a Free Walking tour of Belém, with local English speaking guides.

 

We’ve given you a varied selection of activities and excursions you can enjoy in Lisbon and its surroundings, but this major European capital has much more to offer. Discover more about these and other sites to see in Lisbon and the surrounding areas by exploring our tours in Lisbon.