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Looking for the best day trips from Lisbon? This list of the best day tours from Lisbon according to travel bloggers has got you covered!
With lots to see and do, the Portuguese capital is one of the coolest and most beautiful European cities. It’s also a must-visit in your Portugal itinerary, and a great base to explore more of the country.
From medieval towns and historic cities, romantic palaces, and Unesco sites, to picturesque beach towns and world-class surf destinations, there’s no shortage of options at Lisbon’s doorstep for a great day or two outside the city.
To help you choose, I asked fellow travel bloggers about their favorite day trip from Lisbon.
So without further ado, here are the top 10 day trips from Lisbon as recommended by travel experts.
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10 Best Day Trips From Lisbon:
Óbidos
Recommended by Cath from Passports and Adventures
The walled, medieval town of Óbidos is the perfect place to visit on a day trip from Lisbon. Located 85km north of the Portuguese capital, a journey that will take just over an hour from Lisbon, Óbidos was the site of a Roman settlement.
Óbidos is best reached by car, but there are public transport buses that pass through Óbidos on the way to Caldas da Rainha which will take on average two hours, depending on where in Lisbon you are traveling from. There are also organized day trips from Lisbon to the town. With a few transport options, it is very accessible from Lisbon.
The town of Óbidos is not very big but is very pretty. The medieval town is still located within the walls leading to Óbidos Castle, which is now a hotel, while there is more of the locality located outside the walls.
The streets within the medieval town are narrow, and only inhabitants of that part of Óbidos are permitted to drive through the streets, making it ideal for wandering through safely. This also makes it an ideal destination in Central Portugal to visit with kids.
Things to do in Óbidos include walking around the castle and through the town, which is very picturesque. Be warned, around every corner you will be stopping to take pictures. Óbidos is so pretty you just won’t be able to stop yourself.
You can also walk along the medieval walls and there are lots of souvenir shops selling local crafts and produce. Stop for a coffee and a pastel de nata in one of the cafes or try a ginja, the local Óbidos liquor that is served in a chocolate cup.
Obidos is a place for exploring on foot and soaking up the chilled atmosphere of this old town.
You can book your day trip from Lisbon to Óbidos here.
Sintra
Recommended by Derek and Mike from Robe Trotting
A must-do experience for any traveler visiting the Portuguese capital is a Lisbon to Sintra day trip. The romanticism of the village is unforgettable and if you have the time, visiting Sintra is the perfect way to spend a day.
Getting there is simple, it’s only a forty-minute train ride from Lisbon, yet you’ll feel like you’re entering another world. Trains depart every 30 minutes from the Rossio Station and the fare is €4.30 round trip. Alternatively, you can also join an organized day trip from Lisbon to Sintra.
Once in Sintra, you’ll be dazzled by palaces, castles, and gardens from every stage of Portuguese history.
One of the highlights of Sintra is the colorful and famous Pena Palace, one of the seven wonders of Portugal. It sits upon the highest peak of the mountains around Sintra and the terraces and chapel can be toured through Pena Park. The staterooms are incredible and can be viewed through a private tour.
The palace of Sintra is also a must-visit site and it’s located right in the village center. It’s the best-preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal and a historic house museum. The country’s nobility resided in this palace from the 15th to 19th centuries.
Unlike Pena Palace, it has a minimalist gothic exterior. Inside you’ll find decorative staterooms and it’s a great attraction if you enjoy Medieval architecture, museums, and history.
Even just a stroll through the narrow cobblestone streets of Sintra’s center is worth the day trip. Sintra will not let you down when you’re looking for a day trip from Lisbon.
Marvão
Recommended by Ellie from Ellie’s Travel Tips
Nestled on top of a granite hill overlooking the vast plains of Alentejo, Marvão is an excellent day trip from Lisbon. This charming village is only one of a handful of towns still surrounded by historic defensive walls.
With three popular ways to get from Lisbon to Marvão, this day trip is ideal for a memorable escape from the city. A quick 2.5-hour drive via car or a 4.5-hour ride on a bus or train will bring anyone from Lisbon to Marvão with ease to explore the unique, ancient city.
Mentioned in the New York Times bestselling book “1000 Places to See Before you Die”, Marvão is well worth the journey. Featuring narrow cobblestone streets lined with white-washed cottages, Marvão captures the hearts of visitors with its red terracotta roofs and well-preserved architecture.
The castle in the village, constructed back in the 13th century by Dom Dinis, is well-known as the top attraction in Marvão. While this castle may be ancient, it still retains the original structure, massive cistern, and some historic cannons that remain pointing towards Spain.
Aside from the magnificent village itself, Marvão offers a couple of sights like the town museum and the historic 15-century Igreja Matriz. The town museum, primarily focused on local archaeology, can be found in the former church of Santa Marta.
You can book a private day trip from Lisbon to Marvão here.
Coimbra
Recommended by Lotte from Phenomenal Globe
While Coimbra is a bit of a drive from Lisbon (2 hours by car or campervan and 2h15min by train), it’s still very doable as a day trip from Lisbon.
Coimbra is a lovely city to visit and home to the oldest university in Portugal (and one of the oldest in Europe). Besides the University there are many other things to see and do. Plenty of reasons to add Coimbra to your Lisbon day trip list!
The first place to visit in Coimbra is the beautiful University which was established in 1290 and is still a very popular place to study, both for Portuguese students as well as international students. The University is not just one building, it’s a collection of imposing structures and it takes at least half a day to visit.
The most popular attraction on the University premises is the amazing Biblioteca Joanina, where you can admire thousands of old books on exquisitely carved wooden shells. Inside you’re not allowed to take any pictures in order to protect the books.
Fun fact: there is a bat colony living inside of the library that eats insects that could potentially damage the books.
Other University buildings to visit are the colorful Capela de São Miguel, the imposing Torre da Universidade, which offers a splendid view over Coimbra city, and the Paço das Escolas, where traditional academic ceremonies are held until this day.
There are many other sights to visit in Coimbra, such as the Museu da Ciência, the Botanical Garden, and Portugal dos Pequenitos, where you can find miniature versions of Portuguese monuments and landmarks.
Nazaré
Recommended by Ella from Many More Maps
If you’re in Lisbon during the summer, chances are you’ll want to go to the beach to escape the heat. The town of Nazaré, on the west coast of Portugal, is the perfect beach day trip from Lisbon, with a twist.
Although Nazaré is a fun day trip by itself, the reason people head here is to visit the Nazaré giant waves! It’s here in Nazaré that Brazilian Rodrigo Koxa broke the world record for the biggest wave ever surfed – a staggering 80 feet!
To go to the spot where all the huge waves are, you’ll want to visit the Praia do Norte beach and the Nazaré lighthouse.
It costs €1 to enter the Nazaré surf museum at the lighthouse, and it’s here you can learn why the waves get so huge and the history of big wave surfing here. There’s even an exhibition of surfboards and jet skis used by the surfers to tackle the waves.
If you’re not interested in surfing, head to Praia da Nazaré to lounge on the town’s beach before heading to Casa Pires for the best grilled sardines in town.
In the afternoon, take the Nazaré Funicular up to the area of the town called Sitio, where you’ll find amazing viewpoints over the city and ocean.
To get to Nazaré from Lisbon, catch the Rede Expressos bus, which takes around 1 hour and 50 minutes. For a quicker journey, hire a car and drive to Nazaré, which will take around 1 hour 25 minutes.
You can book a day trip from Lisbon to Nazaré, Fátima, and Óbidos here.
Fátima
Image: Guide Your Travel
Recommended by Victoria from Guide Your Travel
Fátima is a small town in central Portugal located just over an hour north of Lisbon. This is a fantastic place for a day-trip because Fátima is quite small and you can see most of its attractions in one day.
The town is a famous pilgrimage site for Christians around the world and one of the most visited religious sites in all of Portugal.
According to the legend the Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children here and a selection of miracles occurred including the miracle of the sun which was witnessed by 70,000 people.
But even if you do not subscribe to the Christian faith you shouldn’t miss out on this amazing day trip destination from Lisbon. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima is an incredible sight and well worth the visit.
This giant plaza has a beautiful old church, shrines, and much more. You can visit this pilgrimage complex for free although it’s important to be respectful and remember that this is a religious site.
Make sure to stop by the Museu Interativo, a small museum that explains the history of Fátima and its significance.
Around 2 to 3 hours are sufficient to visit this incredible town. Make it a stop on your Portugal road trip and enjoy a day in beautiful Fátima.
Alternatively, you can book a tour to Fátima here.
Cascais
Recommended by Ucman from BrownBoyTravels
Cascais makes the perfect day trip from Lisbon for so many reasons: food, ease, architecture, and most importantly weather and beach.
This little town is an easy train ride away from Lisbon. Take a train from Cais do Sodré train station and head to Cascais. It only takes 40 minutes, and the trains are local and comfortable. There are also many organized tours from Lisbon to Cascais and Sintra.
Halfway through the journey, the town of Belém comes but more about that later.
The train station is located in the center of this small beach town. A mere 10 minutes walk will lead you to the beach for some morning sun and coffee. The beautiful breeze on the skin is the perfect way to start a day of exploration.
The town is quite small and you can walk through the center in an hour. There’s plenty of shops and small stores that offer unique shopping opportunities.
Head to the beach through the narrow winding streets to see the Seixas Palace which stands proudly on the waterfront. The beach around here is the quietest and the view is perfect.
Crossing the road towards the marina will lead you to the Citadel Palace and fortress. The nearby park of Marechal Carmona is the perfect t place to chill and give yourself some rest.
There are many beautiful bars and restaurants in Cascais offering fresh seafood and Portuguese cuisine for a perfect lunch by the sea.
Once you have had your fill, head back towards Lisbon but stop at Belém to enjoy its famous trio of attractions; the Belém Tower, the Jerónimos Monastery, and the delicious Pastéis de Belém.
Book your day trip from Lisbon to Cascais and Sintra here.
Peniche
Recommended by Milene and Paul from Surf & Unwind
Located on a peninsula along the Silver Coast, just over an hour drive north of Lisbon, Peniche is an off-the-beaten-track beach town renowned for its good waves and unspoiled scenery.
You can get to Peniche by hopping on a regular coach service, by taking a tour that will usually include on its itinerary neighboring cities like Óbidos and Nazaré, or by driving, which is the best way to get around the area.
The main sites of interest are located in and around Peniche’s Old Town and can be easily reached on foot like the 16th-century São João Batista’s Fortress, Museu de Renda de Bilros, the uneven rock formations at Cabo Carvoeiro, and the UNESCO’s World Biosphere Reserve Berlengas Islands.
Peniche’s main beaches, Baleal and Supertubos, sit on either side of the Old Town.
Baleal is the name of a small rugged headland that splits the coastline into two beaches called Baleal Norte and Baleal Sul. Their unique position, with each facing opposite directions, means that when the waves are great for surfing on Baleal Norte, the waters on Baleal Sul will be more suitable for swimmers and vice-versa.
Supertubos is another long stretch of sandy beach and pristine coastline in more developed surroundings, with a greater choice of shops and accommodation options than Baleal. Every November, Supertubos also attracts thousands of surf fans to its shores when it holds MEO Rip Curl Pro, a World Surf League competition, that brings the best names in the sport.
You can join a full-day tour from Lisbon to Peniche and the Berlengas Islands here.
Tomar, Alcobaça, and Batalha
Recommended by Cath from Moving to Portugal
One of the best day trips from Lisbon is the triangle of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Tomar, Alcobaça, and Batalha. These three historic sites can be visited in one day from the Portuguese capital and are a must-see, especially for those interested in architecture.
The best way to reach the monasteries of Alcobaça and Batalha and the convent at Tomar is by car or on a guided tour of all three. While there is public transport to these places, connections between the three towns are sporadic if available at all.
Tomar lies one and a half hours from Lisbon and is best visited first if you are touring the sites yourself. Batalha is 35 minutes west of Tomar and from there Alcobaça is 25 minutes south.
The Convento do Cristo in Tomar was originally a 12th-century stronghold of the Knights Templar until it was dissolved and the Order of Christ was initiated.
The Monastery of Batalha is a Dominican convent established in the 14th-century, while the Monastery of Alcobaça was established in the 12th-century and its church and monastery were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal, making them historically important.
With these sites, the main church can be viewed free of charge, but the best architecture lies in the cloisters and other parts of the convents and monasteries and is payable. There is a ticket available which gives entry to all three sites and a small discount compared to buying individual tickets.
It is worth paying to see behind-the-scenes as the architecture is incredible. You can also get a feel for what life was like for the inhabitants of these holy places with the kitchens, dormitories, and other everyday areas open to the public.
The Monastery of Batalha also served as the burial site of Portuguese royalty in the 15th-century.
With so much history and architecture to discover in three sites, this is one of the best day trips from Lisbon to take.
Ericeira
Recommended by Bilyana from Owl Over The World
While you can easily fall in love and spend weeks or months in Ericeira, one of the most popular ways to visit it for the first time is as a day trip from Lisbon.
Located only 50 km away from the Portuguese capital, Ericeira is a small fishing town that attracts surfers from all over the world with its coastline of world-class surfing beaches.
Ericeira is the second place worldwide to be distinguished as a World Surfing Reserve and the only one in Europe.
While surfing is its top attraction (you can book a surf lesson here), there are other fun things to do in Ericeira, too. You can wander around the traditional white and blue houses and narrow cobblestone streets that form its Old Town, you can skate at the Boardriders Quicksilver shop (the biggest skate park in Portugal), and you can also practice paddleboarding or kayaking.
The beautiful coastline of Ericeira can easily be explored on foot. Fisherman’s Beach is perfect for sunbathing and swimming, Foz do Lizandro is the largest sandy beach in the area and Ribeira d’Ilhas is considered to be the best surfing beach in Ericeira.
Lisbon and Ericeira are well connected by bus. The buses depart from Lisbon Campo Grande station (connected to the yellow and green lines of the metro) and arrive at the bus station in Ericeira.
The bus station in Ericeira is right next to the city center. From there you can easily explore the town on foot.
You can also visit Ericeira on a day tour from Lisbon, including Azenhas do Mar and Mafra Palace.
So there you have it – the best day trips from Lisbon according to travel bloggers.
From the romantic village of Sintra to the lovely medieval town of Óbidos, the picturesque beach town of Cascais, or the giant waves of Nazaré, this comprehensive list covers all the best places to visit on a day trip from Lisbon.
Which one will you choose?
Have you taken a day tour from Lisbon? Share in the comments section below!
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