15 Awesome Day Trips from Lisbon

This blog post is all about 15 awesome day trips from Lisbon.

This is my list of 15 awesome day trips from Lisbon. Some of the locations are easy to get to on public transportation, but some are much easier if you go via vehicle. We rented a hybrid car for a month so we could explore more of Portugal. Our teens convinced us to do day trips rather than longer overnight trips so we could come back to our apartment in Lisbon each night to sleep in our own beds. Every place that we have visited in Portugal has been spectacular. This list of 15 places is listed in a geographically logical order. It’s not an order of favorites because they are all amazing and special in their own right.

All of the day trips listed below can be reached in 1.5 hours or less (most 1 hour or less) via vehicle. Since we moved from the great state of Texas, these trips are considerably less than almost any day trip that you can take in Texas! Without further ado, here are the highlights from each place.

CASCAIS – there are so many fun things to do in Cascais and I even wrote a blog post dedicated to just Cascais. Check it out here: CASCAIS. You can take the metro to Cais do Sodré in Lisbon and then catch the train that goes to Cascais every 20 minutes from there. It’s an enjoyable 40-minute train ride along the river and then along the coast. The train arrives right in the middle of town which is super convenient.

WHAT TO DO IN CASCAIS:

Mercado Da Vila for the best fruits and veggies and to see the painted stairs. Walk around downtown (it’s very small). Walk the promenade from Praia dos Pescadores to Praia Tamariz and back. Stroll along the marina. Go to the Citadel and check out the used bookstore, Deja Lu, and the hotel, which sells used books too. Explore Marechal Carmona park. Walk from the park to Boca do Inferno and if you still have energy, walk to Casa da Guia and enjoy a beverage at Palaphita. The best food in Cascais is at Dona Flor. You must go here! The food is innovative, unique and full of flavor and the owner/chef is attentive and welcoming. Sadly, Dona Flor is no longer open. OR, you can do this awesome tour from Lisbon! TOUR

2. SINTRA – Sintra is also very easy to get to via a 40-minute train ride from either Rossio or Roma/Areeiro train stations. This charming place is an amazing, story-book type of town where you feel like you are in a fairytale. It’s beautiful and enchanting. The town is small and doesn’t take much time to explore.

WHAT TO DO IN SINTRA:

The top things to do in Sintra are to visit the palaces, of course! Pena Palace is the most popular and for good reason – it’s truly breathtaking. The other palaces which are in the same area are: The Moorish Castle, Quinta da Regaleira, and Monserrate Palace. If you don’t want to walk in between all of the palaces, you can buy a bus pass that allows you to hop on/hop off by all of the palaces. This is highly recommended, especially during the high season – summer. If you are super fit and up for the challenge, you can walk to the palaces from the town. You could easily spend 2-3 hours at each palace so it’s difficult to visit them all in one day. Since we live in Lisbon, we have spaced out the visits to each of these castles over several months. Read about our first-day trip to Sintra! This TOUR would be amazing too!

3. CABO DA ROCA, PRAIA DO GUINCHO – You can reach both of these places via bus, but since we have had the rental car for a month, we took advantage and drove here. The drive itself is magnificent with low-hanging clouds and mist sprays from the ocean giving a feeling of wonder and fascination.

WHAT TO DO IN CABO DA ROCA/PRAIA DO GUINCHO:

Drive to Cabo da Roca and get out to look around the area. Or take this awesome tour! TOUR The views are stunning and it’s cool to know that you are at the westernmost point of mainland Europe. The lighthouse is beautiful and there are clifftop trails that you can explore. After spending some time at Cabo da Roca, a drive to Praia do Guincho is lovely. Praia do Guincho is surrounded by soft white sand dunes and in the background, the lush green rolling hills of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. You can easily spend a couple of hours here watching the waves slap the surface, while cute sandpipers scurry about digging up their meal.

4. ERICEIRA – Ericeira is a 40-minute drive from Lisbon or you can take a 52-minute bus ride from Campo Grande in Lisbon. This place is gorgeous and a surfer’s paradise. There are many surf schools and camping areas in Ericeira and the vibe is very laid-back. The beaches are surrounded by cliffs and an adorable town above the cliffs.

WHAT TO DO IN ERICEIRA:

Go to the beach. There are 5 beaches to choose from and they are all outstanding. The choices are: Praia dos Pescadores, Ribeira d’Ilhas (the best surfing beach), Praia do Foz do Lizandro (farther away), Praia de Sul, Praia do São Sebastião, and Praia do Algodio. Keep in mind that the Atlantic Ocean is very cold so if you are going to surf or spend a lot of time in the water, you will most likely want to rent a wetsuit from a surf shop. We ate at a vegan deli shop called Be U that was a short walk from town, but definitely recommended. This would be a fantastic tour!

5. Praia Grande, Praia Das Maçãs, Azenhas do Mar – these areas are best reached via vehicle. The drive from Lisbon to Praia Grande is 40 minutes and there is parking at the top of the hill, near Hotel das Arribas. We definitely plan to return during the summer so we can swim in the huge saltwater pool at Hotel das Arribas next to the ocean.

WHAT TO DO IN PRAIA GRANDE, PRAIA DAS MAÇÃS, AZENHAS DO MAR:

Spend time on the beach, dip your feet in the water or go swimming. As mentioned above, this is the Atlantic Ocean and therefore, extremely cold! Praia Grande has a very steep stairwell leading up to the clifftop trails. I’m too afraid of heights to go there, but Fernando greatly enjoyed exploring the clifftops. There are 11 identifiable dinosaur tracks on the South cliff. The colorful murals on the promenade are interesting too.

Praia Das Maçãs is a popular area during the summer. Hot tip: You can take a 40-minute scenic trolley ride from Sintra to Praia Das Maçãs. Azenhas Do Mar has a natural pool alongside the cliff at the bottom of the town with a lovely waterfall running into the ocean. The bright white town above is truly a sight to see and a great place to take gorgeous photos. This tour would be awesome from Lisbon! TOUR

6. OBIDOS – Óbidos is a picturesque medieval town that is a short 1 hour drive from Lisbon. Park in the parking lot at the bottom of the hill, near the aqueduct (you can’t miss it) and then walk inside the town walls.

WHAT TO DO IN OBIDOS:

Óbidos is an exquisite, well-preserved little town inside castle walls that resembles a Renaissance fair, but real and without costumes. Once inside the town, walk up and down the streets, checking out the shops and bookstores. Óbidos is known as a literary town so there are many bookstores to peruse. We especially liked the bookstore with the organic market inside. Fernando and the kids walked along the castle walls for a bit while I walked in the delightful town and then we met up to walk on the outside of the walls with sublime views of the agricultural surroundings.

After walking all around, we were hungry and found delicious food at Avocado – a great place for tasty vegan food. Make sure to walk around the patio to find the adorable flower-covered wooden swing, which makes for a charming photo. You could also hit a lot of hot spots in the area on this TOUR!

7. CALDAS DA RAINHA/FOZ DO ARELHO: Caldas da Rainha is an alluring town just a little over 1 hour drive from Lisbon. Like Óbidos, you can take the bus, but as we had a rental car, we drove there. Caldas Da Rainha is about a 5-10 minute drive from Óbidos so if you go early to Óbidos, you can easily go to Caldas da Rainha on the same trip. Foz do Arelho is a 10-minute drive from Caldas da Rainha and a must-visit!

WHAT TO DO IN CALDAS DA RAINHA AND FOZ DO ARELHO:

Caldas da Rainha – Parque Dom Carlos I, Museu de Cerâmica, and Praça da República are must visits. The amazing Parque Dom Carlos I is incredibly delightful and it’s easy to spend a couple of hours here. We walked around, took photos, watched the swans, saw the silly-looking furry chicken, and sat on a bench to observe daily life in Caldas. After the park, we ate a scrumptious lunch with our friend, Christy at Botellini’s. This TOUR looks amazing!

After spending a couple of hours in Caldas da Rainha, we drove 10 minutes to Foz do Arelho. This is such a cool spot to hang out or walk around to see the Óbidos lagoon running into the Atlantic Ocean. The difference in the flow of water accentuated by the small colorful river rocks and soft golden sand is so interesting.

8. PENICHE – Peniche is a popular surfing area about an hour’s drive north of Lisbon. It’s also quite close to Óbidos and Caldas da Rainha and could be explored the same day you explore the other towns, depending on how much time you have.

WHAT TO DO IN PENICHE:

Praia dos Supertubos for huge surfing waves or just to see them. You could take a surf lesson HERE. Cabo Carvoiero is a majestic cape with 25-meter cliffs that have unique karst formations on the top and face a limestone stack, the Nau dos Corvos. Fortaleza de Peniche – go to the roof to see the fantastic ocean view and check out the museum inside. Baleal is a small, rugged peninsula jutting out between two white sandy beaches which is a former whaling station and is now a tiny coastal village. Berlengas Archipelago is a natural reserve with a colony of puffins and rich marine life in the water and can be reached via ferry or small boat. Praia da Consolação – People come to soak in the iodine-rich waters, which are supposed to help with bone conditions and thyroid problems. It’s also a lovely beach to just hang out.

9. NAZARE – Nazaré is a delightful 1.5-hour drive from Lisbon and is known for huge waves where daring and courageous surfers attempt to beat the 100-foot wave record.

WHAT TO DO IN NAZARE:

Praia do Nazaré – Here you can find a calmer beach and older locals wearing the traditional clothes of Nazaré. Praia do Norte – check out the surfers and huge waves here. Nossa Senhora do Nazaré Sanctuary – an extremely old and well-preserved monument. Miradouro do Suberco – Get a bird’s eye view of Nazaré and some great photos of the beach. Sao Miguel Arcanjo Fort is a great place to see Praia do Norte and watch the daredevil surfers. Nazaré Funicular – This funicular climbs up the cliff from the center of Nazaré to the Sítio promontory at the top affording spectacular views along the way. São Martinho do Porto – check out this ultra-calm and wave-free beach which is a sheltered bay. Fantastic TOUR that hits many hot spots in this area!

10. LEIRIA – Leiria is a short 1.5-hour drive north from Lisbon. It is a well-known area for amazing castles and architecture.

WHAT TO DO IN LEIRIA:

Leiria Castle – Few medieval castles have been adapted into palaces as well as the magnificent Leiria Castle, and it’s among the most notable in Portugal. It’s a must-visit! Leiria Cathedral – This hardy cathedral has survived an earthquake and a fire and still stands today. Praça Rodrigues Lobo – this is the main square in Leiria and is the perfect place to hang out, and watch the view and daily life. Pinhal de Leiria – This is the perfect place to meander amongst the immense pine trees and breathe in the fresh forest and ocean air.

Monastery of Batalha – a short 15-minute drive south of Leiria, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the country’s most cherished monuments.

11. Setúbal – Setúbal is a 40-minute drive from Lisbon or a direct 59-minute train ride from Roma/Areeiro train station. It’s a charming fishing town with an adorable and easily walkable downtown area.

WHAT TO DO IN SETUBAL:

Monastery of Jesus – it’s worth a look inside this monastery just to see the incredible azulejos tile work and intricate design; Mercado do Livramento – this is the largest indoor market in Portugal and has a colorful array of fruits and veggies, plus Bloomy’s Market is attached and the best place to get a delicious vegan meal. Avenida Luisa Todi – This is a great place to meander and feel the rhythm of city life. Casa da Baia – This is an 18th-century mansion converted into a tourism office. The architecture alone is worth the visit! I also cannot WAIT to do this dolphin estuary tour!! DOLPHIN TOUR

Praia do Troia – Take the ferry to this glorious beach on the tip of the Tróia Peninsula and you will definitely feel like you are somewhere tropical. Sado Estuary – Discover myriad species of birds and several dozen dolphins amid marshes, sandbanks, rice paddies, and a vast area of woods and reed plantations.

12. Almada/Costa da Caparica – Almada is the first city you will encounter after crossing the 25 de Abril bridge from Lisbon. It’s a 20-minute drive via car or a ferry ride or train ride from Lisbon.

WHAT TO DO IN ALMADA:

Cristo Rei – This monumental statue is slightly smaller than the Rio landmark that inspired it, and stands at just under 80 meters. You can take an elevator and some stairs to reach the top for fantastic views of Lisbon and the 25 de Abril bridge. Cacilhas – Rua Cândido dos Reis is pedestrian-friendly and replete with restaurant terraces, while the riverside Rua do Ginjol has a different atmosphere with decaying old warehouses and whimsical views. This nighttime cruise on the Tagus River is so much fun!

Casa de Cerca is a renovated mansion turned contemporary art center. It has majestical views of Lisbon. Parque da Paz – This immense park is the darling of Almada. I could spend days here walking the trails and watching the ducks, loons, and geese in the small lake. This river sailing trip is amazing too!

what to do in COSTA DA CAPARICA:

Fonte da Telha is a lovely area with golden sand dunes and fragrant eucalyptus and pine trees. Solar dos Zagullos – this is an 18th century mansion converted into a cultural center. Walk along the promenade or rest along the beach.

13. SESIMBRA – Sesimbra is a fishing port/beach area that is a 40-minute drive from Lisbon or an hour train/bus ride.

WHAT TO DO IN SESIMBRA:

Sesimbra Castle – Most of the castle is in ruins, but the remaining parts are interesting and the views of the ocean are spectacular. You could do this spectacular tour from Lisbon and see all the hotspots! TOUR Igrega do Nossa Senhora do Castelo – check out the incredible azulejos inside the cathedral. Sesimbra beach – Walk along this wide, sandy beach and breathe in the fresh ocean air. Further away is Cabo Espichel where you can explore this ancient lighthouse, wander around the sanctuary, and enjoy the panoramic views of the ocean. Next time we go to Sesimbra, we are definitely doing this kayak tour! KAYAK TOUR

14. Arrábida Forest + beaches – Arrábida forest and beaches are simply sublime! The beaches are unspoiled and the views of the forest in the background are enchanting. It makes you feel like you are in a different world where nature is king. This area can be reached in 45 minutes by car from Lisbon.

WHAT TO DO IN ARRABIDA FOREST/BEACHES:

Go to the following beaches: Figueirinha, Galápos, Galapinhos and Creiro beaches (Portinho da Arrábida). There are many hiking trails in the Serra da Arrábida that you can check out using the All Trails app. The drive from Arrábida and the beaches to Setubal is incredibly scary and not for those afraid of heights! Thank goodness that Fernando isn’t afraid of heights because the hairpin turns and sheer drop-offs were frightening. If you want to avoid driving in this area, which is recommended during the summer, take a bus from Setubal. This dolphin-watching tour is SO much fun too!

15. ÉVORA – Évora is a 1.5-hour magical drive through the Alentejo region from Lisbon. It’s a must-visit!

WHAT TO DO IN EVORA:

Évora Roman Temple – This Corinthian temple was built in the 1st century and is unbelievable to see in person. Another must-visit is Évora Cathedral. This unique cathedral was built in phases so it has several architectural styles – cavernous Gothic nave, Manueline choir with dainty vaulting, and Baroque chapels. Évora University – This is Portugal’s second oldest university and the architecture is a sight to behold. Historic Center – meander through the old town to discover the walled in town and if you’re hungry, eat the delicious buffet at Salsa Verde. Praça do Giraldo; Capela dos Ossos – this is the weirdest, most unique chapel that I’ve ever seen. This is a chapel using human bones and skulls from over 2,000 monks. It was so strange, yet incredibly fascinating! If you don’t want to drive to Evora, you could do this fun tour! EVORA TOUR

If you want to spend more time in any of these places, below is a list of some great places to stay.

where to stay in portugal:

Booking.com

These are 15 awesome day trips that you can take from Lisbon! Have you been to any of these places? If so, what did you think?

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THE 5 ITEMS WE WERE SO HAPPY TO HAVE FOR ALL OF OUR TRIPS:

Merrell women’s light hiking shoes – these are amazing because they are lightweight, but are extra grippy and helpful! I also have this pair that I always get compliments on: Merrell Rainbow shoes. Fernando loves his Asics trail runners which are also grippy and perfect for walking on cobblestone streets.
Thermoflask water bottle – like a Hydroflask, but more affordable! We don’t go anywhere without these water bottles full of purified water.
North Face Aphrodite 2.0 capris – Seriously, I wear these pants every.single.day! I couldn’t live without these ultra-comfy, lightweight pants that dry so quickly. They are 100% worth the money!
Osprey Day Pack – this is an awesome lightweight backpack! We easily put the belongings we need at hand for traveling around the city and on public transportation.
Travel-friendly chewable toothpaste tablets – these are so fantastic for keeping your teeth clean on the go!

OUR FAVORITE EUROPEAN SERVICES:

DISCOVER CARS – If you want to rent a car while you’re in Europe, our favorite car rental aggregator is Discover Cars. We frequently rent cars, and they always have the best prices and great quality vehicles.
iTalki – if you want to learn another language before traveling to Europe or while you’re there, we love iTalki. We highly recommend their language services.
NORD VPN – perfect to use your technology in other countries!
Airalo E-Sim – this let’s you use your phone anywhere in the world without having to get a physical sim! We use this all the time when we travel outside Europe!
For fun activities in each city, check out Viator and their recommendations.
Big Bus Tours – the perfect way to see the city when you first arrive!
Get Transfer – transfers between all of the airports and cities

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15 Awesome Day Trips from Lisbon

This blog post is all about 15 awesome day trips from Lisbon.