Lisbon, the beautiful capital city of Portugal. Known for its hills, famous yellow trams, a bridge that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge, and some of the most beautiful viewpoints (especially in the Alfama district of the city).

We’re packing them all into a 2-days in Lisbon guide!

In this post, you will find some more hidden gems and not just the average tourist spots that you should visit in Lisbon.

There are a few touristy spots that are worth checking out as well and they’ll be sprinkled into all the stops in this post.

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Everything you can do and see in Lisbon in 2 days

Jo exploring a weekend in Lisbon.

Lisbon has so much to offer and even though we’d recommend spending a few days or even weeks in Lisbon, it is possible to see a bunch in just two days.

We went to Lisbon for a full week in May and we have a bunch of touristy spots to share with you along with some awesome more hidden gem kinds of places that we found while we were exploring the city. 

Even though there’s quite a few stops and places to see on this list it’s definitely doable if you’re in Lisbon for just a weekend, as long as you get up early.

If you’re spending some time in Lisbon though, you may also want to check out this post about the most awesome day trips from Lisbon.

Also, you can do our list in no particular order. We want to just give you an idea of all the awesome things you need to see throughout the weekend.

Also read: 3 Full Day Trips From Lisbon You Can’t Miss

How to get around Lisbon?

The famous 28 tram in Lisbon.

To make the most out of your day we recommend you buy a full-day ticket for public transport in Lisbon. You can use it as much as you want to ride the bus, trams, and metros, so you will save a bunch of time and money by buying this pass. You can also use it to experience the famous yellow 28 tram that goes through Lisbon city centre.

Trams in Lisbon run every 10 minutes during rush hour and every 15 minutes for off-peak hours. All trams in Lisbon are part of the same public transportation system, which means that ticket prices will be the same for each of them. Again, if you buy a full-day ticket, this ticket is valid for all trams as well.

You can buy a public transport card (Viva Viagem card) which cuts the price in half for single rides, and it can also be used to purchase 1-day tickets. You can find all the famous 28 tram stops here on this map .

The tram stays quite central so it will bring you close to lots of the main attractions and viewpoints in Lisbon.

Also read: 5 of the Best Viewpoints in Lisbon

Want the tour organized for you?

If you prefer to have a dedicated tour, you can get a private guided tour in an eco-friendly tuk-tuk for you and 2 friends. This tour follows the route of Lisbon’s historic tram 28 through the Baixa, Graça, Alfama, Chiado and Estrela neighbourhoods of Lisbon.

Check out the 2-Hour Historic Tram 28 Tour by Eco Tuk-Tuk tour here.

Where to stay in Lisbon?

There are so many cool and unique places to stay in Lisbon. It can be hard to pick where to stay but below we have a few options for you depending on your budget.

What to do in Lisbon for 2 days?

Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon.

Day 1: Explore the Alfama district and Santuario de Cristo Rei

The first day is filled with viewpoints in Lisbon, yummy food, and a few iconic lookout points. Most of the day is catered towards the Alfama district with a few things in the Cacilhas area. So get ready for some amazing sights!

These 5 activities mixed in with a few stops for food, coffee, and water will keep you busy for the day.

These activities also aren’t in any specific order. They are more activities and stops to give you inspiration while you’re planning your weekend trip to Lisbon but all 5 of these can definitely be done in a day.  

#1 Stop and indulge in the best donut in the world – Scoop n Dough

Ok, we’re not foodies and we’re not going to pretend like we are but we know an AH-MAZING donut when we see one, and Scoop n Dough literally blew us away!

It’s this cute vegan donut shop that we stumbled upon just walking downtown. As we took a step closer we learned that, apparently, this is the best vegan donut in the world (as per Happy Cow).

We both tried a donut and they were sooo good. We would highly recommend getting at least one classic and one flavour to just experience the deliciousness of the donuts!

#2 Take in the views in the Alfama district – Miradouro de Santa Luzia

Jo exploring Lisbon in Alfama.

This district is probably our favourite district in Lisbon. It is located right along the 28 tram line and it’s probably one of the reasons why the tram is so famous.

The tram stops right at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia which is one of the most famous viewpoints in the city. (We also talked about the different viewpoints in Lisbon in this blog post.)

On a clear day, you’ll be able to see all of Alfama from the rooftops to the narrow hilly streets that make the Alfama district famous.

You’ll be able to see far into the ocean and even get some amazing views of the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge which is inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. You’ll understand why once you get there! 

But back to the viewpoint… it’s absolutely magical. The azulejo artwork which is famous in Portugal is all around you with all the beautiful flowers and plants. So to us, this is a very special spot that overlooks Lisbon.

You can take the tram right to the viewpoint or if you’re exploring the narrow streets of Alfama you’ll eventually find your way to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia.

Fun fact: Did you know that Lisbon was nominated as one of the friendliest cities in the World in 2023?

#3 Enjoy the most delicious pastéis de nata – Pastelaria Alfama Doce

Ok, you’ve probably heard of pastéis de nata before since it’s basically a Portuguese delicacy. They’re the absolute most delicious dessert you can find in Portugal. The hardest part is finding the shop that can make the most delicious pastéis de nata. 

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and ate our way through Lisbon’s pastéis de natas. And we can tell you that we might’ve found the best ones…

In the Alfama district, you can find the cutest little shop called Pastelaria Alfama Doce that sells them and they are freaking delicious.

It’s this little shop on this random narrow road in the neighbourhood that you’d most likely just pass by if you only had a weekend in Lisbon. But it’s totally worth the stop and you’ll be more than happy you did it once you take your first bite.

#4 Take a ferry to Cacilhas – Walk along the seafront and take in the views 

Amazing views during our 2 days in Lisbon.

The ferry from Lisbon to Cacilhas is super quick and the easiest way to get to Cacilhas which is a district just south of the Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge. The Cacilhas district is known for its delicious food and yummy seafood restaurants right on the water. 

If you’re a seafood fan you will love the market and restaurants in this area. It’s also a great place to walk around. One of the best views of the Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge is actually in this area. So walk around and explore the views of Lisbon from this side!

#5 Go find big Jesus – Santuario de Cristo Rei

View of Santuario de Cristo Rei in Lisbon.

If you take the boat across the water and visit Cacilhas you might as well go make your way to the big Jesus statue because you’re already halfway there. The views from the viewpoint area are absolutely incredible. 

Once you’re up there you have a few options. You can either just explore the garden area outside like we did and take in all the views. Or you can actually pay to enter inside the sanctuary where an elevator will take you to the viewpoint with a birdseye view of the city. It only costs 6€ which is quite fair for such an iconic lookout point over Lisbon.

Want to see it from the water instead?

Then go on a boat tour! If you prefer to have a dedicated tour, you can do a Sailing Tour on the Tagus River instead! There are multiple different tours to pick from so you can pick whichever you prefer but we would personally recommend doing one of the sunset tours!

Check out the sailing tours in Lisbon here.

Day 2: A day designated to beautiful architecture and IG worthy spots

The second day is a little more around the center of town, visiting markets, viewpoints, famous monuments, and even a very colourful street in downtown Lisbon.

We recommend walking a little bit from viewpoint to viewpoint because there’s a few food places on the list today and they’re all too good to say no too haha!

#1 Admire one of the symbols of Lisbon – Belém Tower

The beautiful Belem Tower in Lisbon.

We start with the Belem Tower because it’s the furthest sight from the city center and it’s beautiful to visit this area in the morning before all the people come later in the day. 

Belem Tower is an iconic symbol of Lisbon right on the seafront. Unfortunately, you can’t go inside but it’s cool to admire from the outside and then maybe walk around the beautiful park with a nice coffee.

#2 Looking for delicious pastries in Lisbon – Pastéis de Belém

Yes we know we already mentioned pastries and pastel de nata for the first day but this bakery is something else. You’ll see a line out front at almost all hours of the day because this place is so good. 

Of course, you can try the pastel de nata again here which we absolutely recommend. But there are also plenty of other delicious pastries like pies and other desserts. 

Disclaimer: There might be a LONG lineup in front of the place but there’s a reason for that… not all pastry shops have over 50,000 reviews on Tripadvisor. We’re not kidding – check it out for yourself here.

#3 Cool arts center with shops and eateries – LX Factory

Jo exploring Lx Factory on our 2 days in Lisbon.

An industrial warehouse turned into a creative hub is the best way to describe the LX Factory. There are so many unique shops, delicious restaurants, bars, and cafes.

In between all those you can find a mix of art exhibitions and random quirky shops that seem random but fit in perfectly. 

The market is located right under the Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge and you get some cool views while you walk around this industrial warehouse.

The only challenging thing about exploring this gem is figuring out where to eat or grab a drink. But we’ll let you figure that out for yourself because honestly, every place looks so good.

You’ll have to share with us your favourite place after! 😉

#4 Explore the most colourful street in Lisbon – Pink Street

The famous Pink Street in Lisbon.

Instagram definitely made Pink Street famous and after seeing all the photos we had to make a stop here. The whole street is painted Pink and fits right into Lisbon’s vibrant and fun atmosphere.

There are restaurants on both sides of the street and Pink Street has become quite the place to come hang out, enjoy a drink or two, and take in the cool vibe of the area. Don’t miss this one if you only have 2 days in Lisbon.

#5 See Lisbon from the sky – Santa Justa Lift

View of the famous Santa Justa Lift.

The Santa Justa Lift is a piece of art! It’s a beautiful piece of architecture and it offers one of the best views of Lisbon all in one. Located right in the heart of Lisbon this lift will take you high above the city skyline. If you’re looking for a panoramic view of Lisbon then this is it.

Unfortunately, when we went in May 2021 it was closed due to Covid but it’s also beautiful to capture this piece of architecture from down low as well. It stands out among all the Portuguese buildings downtown and can be seen from far away. You don’t really know what it is until you reach it and then realize that it’s a lift. It’s simply magical.

#6 Yummy bread and coffee – Copenhagen Coffee Lab 

No, we’re not biased because one of us is Danish ;). You have to try it for yourself but Copenhagen Coffee Lab is actually the BOMB. There’s a reason why there’s multiple CC Labs around Lisbon.

There’s actually one just a few minutes walk from the Santa Justa Lift which has one of the best views of the city and you can actually see the lift from the shop. But there is also one in Alfama, one along the 28 tram route, and a few others situated around the city. 

Definitely a great place to stop for brunch or a quick coffee.

We definitely recommend walking wherever you can so you can build up an appetite for all the delicious food that you’ll consume at all these places on day 2. There’s just so many delicious and cool places in Lisbon that are so tempting so we had to try them all out and recommend the best ones!

Want to go on a guided tour in Lisbon?

If you like having someone who takes you around the city, then there’s definitely a ton of options for that! We personally love GetYourGuide’s tours in Lisbon. They have everything from guided walking tours and river cruises to food tours, cooking classes, and even day trips out of the city.

Check out their tours here.

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Recap of 2 days in Lisbon

Dom and Jo exploring Lisbon in 2 days.

As you can see there’s so much to do in 2 days in Lisbon. There are also a bunch of awesome day trips from Lisbon that we didn’t even get a chance to mention because there’s so much to do in just the city alone.

Enjoy all the sights, viewpoints, local gems, and even the random places that you’ll stumble upon throughout your weekend trip to Lisbon. We had the best time and hope you do the same!

Have fun!

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