Lisbon in itself is absolutely magical. We loved every minute of it! But the city center isn’t the only thing that is worth visiting. There are some absolutely amazing day trips from Lisbon that we did and think are absolutely worth sharing with all of you!

From coastal beach towns to magical castles, these Lisbon day trips are likely unlike anything you’ve seen before.

And as a bonus, busses and trains are quite good in Portugal (especially from Lisbon) so it is quite easy to go visit some of these amazing places. In this post, you can find 3 day trips that absolutely blew us away and it would be a bummer if you don’t get a chance to do them while you’re in Lisbon!

Pin for Pinterest of day trips from Lisbon.

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Here are 3 adventurous day trips from Lisbon

Portugal is known for its beautiful cities like Lisbon, Porto, and Braga. But it’s also known for its beautiful castles, delicious wine, and amazing coasts.

So for this post, we’re going to get out of the main cities and explore a few adventurous day trips from Lisbon.

All three trips are quite unique, different, and bring something special to your whole experience of Portugal and that’s part of the reason why we chose them.

All three can easily be done as day trips from Lisbon but can also be done as weekend trips as well. It all depends on how much time you have to explore these little wonders of Portugal.

#1 A beach filled day trip to Cascais

Famous lighthouse in Cascais.

Time from Lisbon: It’s about 45 minutes to get to the center of Cascais from Lisbon by train.
Best way to get there: Train is the quickest and cheapest (Roughly 3$ each way)
More information: Click here to read our blog post about our day trip from Lisbon to Cascais.

Looking to get out of the city and explore some amazing beaches? Cascais is this totally awesome coastal city that is known for being a resort town. The city center is vibing with a bunch of delicious places to eat and explore. 

Take your time roaming the cute streets of Cascais that are filled with cafes, cute shops, and delicious restaurants. Once you’ve had enough of that check out one of the many beautiful beaches in the city. 

We have a few places that we recommend checking out in Cascais. Our favourite would have to be the hidden beach on the edge of the city. Bring some sunscreen and water and enjoy the ocean away from the crowds. 

You can find everything on this day trip here: Is Cascais the Best Day Trip From Lisbon?

Things to see in Cascais:

  • Explore the city center
  • Citadel of Cascais
  • Casa de Santa Maria
  • Boca de Inferno
  • Delicious food at House of Wonder

#2 A fun day trip to a colorful castle and beautiful town of Sintra

The beautiful Pena Palace in Sintra Portugal.

Time from Lisbon: It’s about 45 minutes to get to the center of Sintra from Lisbon by train.
Best way to get there: Train is the quickest and cheapest (Roughly 3$ each way)
More information: Click here to read our blog post about our day trip from Lisbon to Sintra.

Everyone said while you’re in Portugal you have to visit Sintra. We didn’t know too much about Sintra but once we realized it was less than an hour away we made sure to make a day trip out of it. 

Sintra is full of beautiful things to see. The famous Pena Palace and Castle of Moors are two of the iconic stops to make while visiting Sintra.

We love to hike so of course we hiked up to the Castle of Moors and it was so much fun. You get away from the busy crowds this way and get to spend some time in the Sintra National Park.

You’ll be blown away by how beautiful this part of Portugal is. It’s so green and lush and the history in this area is so interesting with Pena Palace and the other castles in Sintra.

There is so much just waiting to be explored in this part of Portugal. I mean we spent a full day just in Pena Palace and then had to come back later to hike up to the Moorish Castle.

If you get a chance to leave Lisbon early in the morning then we really recommend it.

This way you’ll beat all the crowds to the iconic spots around Pena and Moors. Plus you won’t have to queue up for tickets and you’ll have a much more enjoyable day.

You can find everything on this day trip here:
The Best Day Trip From Lisbon to Sintra: An Unforgettable Day Trip Full of Castles

Things to see in Sintra:

  • Walk the walls of Castle of Moors
  • Explore Pena Palace 
  • Hike up to Cruz Alta
  • Sintra National Palace
  • Explore the streets of Sintra 

#3 Visit the most western point, Cabo de Roca 

Amazing view from the Praia da Ursa hiking trail near Cabo da Roca

Time from Lisbon: It’s just under 2 hours to get to Cabo de Roca by train and bus.
Best way to get there: Train is the quickest and cheapest (Roughly 5$ each way)

Yup! You can visit the most western point of mainland Europe right here in Portugal. Cabo da Roca is one of Portugal’s most iconic points because of its westernmost point. It’s also one of the most magical coastlines you’ll ever see. 

There’s a lighthouse right on the coast that began operation in 1772. It must be one of the best sights of the Atlantic Ocean from the top of the lighthouse.

Since you’ll be about 150 meters above sea level you’ll have a breathtaking panoramic view over the Atlantic Ocean. Easily one of the best views in all of Portugal. 

Cabo de Roca also has some great walking trails so you can explore the area and get a feeling for Portuguese nature.

We chose to hike to Praia da Ursa and it was hands down one of the best hikes we’ve ever done in Portugal.

The hike leaves from the lighthouse and you’ll end up at the Praia da Ursa Beach. Along the way, you’ll have some pretty amazing views along the coast. If you get the chance you have to do it!

By chance, if you go in the evening then wait until sunset because Cabo da Roca’s sunsets are absolutely incredible.

Amazing sunset of the coast of Portugal.

Things to see at Cabo de Roca:

  • Check out the lighthouse
  • Hike to Praia da Ursa Beach
  • Go on a hike in the natural park
  • Visit one of the local beaches
  • Go into the tourist office
  • Read the Cabo de Roca poem

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Recap of all the best day trips from Lisbon

Visit four of Portugal’s most beautiful sites in one day

Get out of the city with a day trip from Lisbon to some of Portugal’s most charming coastal villages, including Fátima, Batalha, Nazaré & Óbidos.

This guided day trip from Lisbon includes inter-city transport and a local guide to share the secrets and stories of each destination.

❗️ Use Tiqets promocode ‘RWADVENTURES5’, which offers a 5% discount on all products (except City Passes) until December 31, 2024.

So there you have it! 3 easy-to-get-to and fun day trips from Lisbon.

We mixed a bit of outdoor adventure, castles, and beautiful cities to have a little mix of things to do. Portugal has it all and it was hard to choose just which day trips to recommend.

We’re just scratching the surface with this post because there are awesome vineyards, hiking areas, and (of course) awesome surf towns that are all manageable as day trips from Lisbon.

For each trip we mentioned, the best and most affordable way to get there using Omio since they compare and find the cheapest way to get to each destination. Public transport is great and not too expensive in Portugal. Each day’s trip is easily accessible by public transport.

We didn’t include accommodation since these are all-day trips but a few of the trips could definitely be done over a few days. We recommend checking Airbnb and Booking.com for great accommodation options. 

Well, enjoy these trips and let us know in the comments which ones you end up doing and which are your favourites!

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Must do day trips from Lisbon Pin for Pinterest.
Must do day trips from Lisbon Pin for Portugal.

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