Key facts
Lisbon Metropolitan Area at a glance
Areas and places
Lisbon Metropolitan Area area by area
Each area has its own page, with its own character, plans and map.
38.70° N · 9.42° W
Cascais and Estoril
Car-freeBy carBy plane
38.64° N · 9.24° W
Costa da Caparica
By carCar-freeBy plane
38.96° N · 9.42° W
Ericeira and Mafra
By car
38.73° N · 9.15° W
Lisbon
Car-freeBackpackingLuxuryBy carBy plane
38.54° N · 8.96° W
Palmela and Azeitão
By carLuxuryBy plane
38.48° N · 8.99° W
Serra da Arrábida
By car
38.44° N · 9.10° W
Sesimbra
By carCar-freeBy plane
38.52° N · 8.89° W
Setúbal and the Tróia Peninsula
Car-freeBy carBy plane
38.80° N · 9.39° W
Sintra
Car-freeLuxuryOn footBackpacking
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Getaways from Lisbon
Plan the trip
Lisbon Metropolitan Area, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Lisbon Metropolitan Area
From March to June and in September and October: gentle warmth, long light and shorter queues. In July and August Lisbon is hot and full, and the Arrábida beach road is closed to cars. In winter it rains on and off and fog covers Sintra, but there are very few people.
How you travel
Lisbon Metropolitan Area your way
The ways of travelling that suit Lisbon Metropolitan Area. We are writing a guide to each one: where to stay, how to get around and which services you will need.
By carBy planeBackpackingCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
Nearby
Near Lisbon Metropolitan Area
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
39.83° N · 8.52° W
Centre
By carBy planeCar-freeLuxuryOn foot
38.80° N · 7.55° W
Alentejo
By carBy planeLuxuryBy motorbike
37.18° N · 8.37° W
Algarve
By carBy planeBy campervanCar-freeLuxuryBy bike
39.20° N · 6.15° W
Extremadura
By carCar-freeLuxuryOn footBy bike
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Buy your Pena ticket in advance
In Sintra, buying the Pena ticket online requires a date, and in summer Pena and Regaleira fill up. Go first thing.
- 2Use the boat to cross the Tagus
The boat to Cacilhas runs on the same card as the metro and gives you Lisbon seen from the river for little money.
- 3Don't drive up the Arrábida in summer
From June to mid-September the beach road is closed by day. Leave the car in Setúbal.
- 4Start early in Alfama
The viewpoints and narrow streets are best enjoyed before ten, without groups.
Sleep in Lisbon and make Sintra and the Arrábida day trips. You save packing and unpacking your suitcase and everything is within an hour by train.
After ten, the queue at the terminus in Martim Moniz can cost you more than the ride. Take it before nine or walk the same route through Alfama and Graça.
What to choose in the Lisbon region?
The Lisbon region is the capital and everything around it within an hour: to the west, the Sintra hills and the westernmost cape in Europe; to the south, across the Tagus, the Setúbal peninsula with the Arrábida mountains. With a week you can see all three without rushing and almost without a car.
- Lisbon, three or four nights. Seven hills above the Tagus estuary: Alfama and Graça with their viewpoints, St George's Castle, the trams that climb single-lane streets and the Manueline monuments of Belém beside the river. For families, the Oceanário; to cross the river, the boat to Cacilhas.
- Sintra, one or two days. The former summer residence of the court, in a misty range: Pena Palace, the Moorish Castle, Quinta da Regaleira with its tunnels, Monserrate and, nearby, Cabo da Roca. It is a World Heritage Site and can be reached by train.
- Serra da Arrábida, two or three days. A limestone range that drops onto coves of still water between Setúbal and Sesimbra, with dolphins that live all year round in the Sado estuary, kayaking and coasteering beneath the cliffs and Cabo Espichel at the end.
If you only come for a long weekend, stay in Lisbon and give a day to Sintra. With a week, add two nights in Setúbal or Sesimbra for the Arrábida.
How do you get there from Spain?
By air, Lisbon has flights from almost every large Spanish city. The airport is inside the city: the red metro line takes you to the centre in about 20 minutes, with one change.
By car, Lisbon is about 630 km from Madrid and about 225 km from Badajoz, via the Elvas and Évora motorway. From Seville it is about 460 km. Portuguese motorways are toll roads and some are electronic only, with no booths: register your plate before crossing. In Lisbon a car is a nuisance: leave it in the hotel car park and get around by public transport.
How do you get around the region?
In Lisbon, on foot and by public transport. The Navegante or Viva Viagem card, bought at the metro, works for the metro, bus, tram and the boat to Cacilhas, and the 24-hour pass costs €7.25.
To Sintra, take CP's train from Rossio, right in the centre, or from Oriente and Entrecampos: a little under an hour. Up there, Pena and the Moorish Castle do not admit private cars: you go up on bus 434 or on foot.
To the Arrábida, take the Fertagus train from Lisbon to Setúbal, or drive over the 25 de Abril or Vasco da Gama bridge. From 4 June to 15 September, from 7:00 to 20:00, the beach road is closed to private cars: park in Setúbal and take buses 4474 and 4470, included in the Navegante card.
How much does it cost?
Accommodation weighs most: Lisbon is among the most expensive places in Portugal, especially in summer and in the historic centre, and it pays to book ahead. Eating costs less away from the busiest tourist streets. Transport is cheap if you use the rechargeable card instead of paying on board.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need?
Three or four for Lisbon, one for Sintra and two for the Arrábida. With a long weekend, Lisbon and a day in Sintra.
Do I need a car?
Not for Lisbon or Sintra. For the Arrábida it helps outside summer; in summer, the beach road is closed to cars.
How do I get from the airport to the centre?
By metro: the red line reaches the centre in about 20 minutes with one change.
Can you see Sintra in a day from Lisbon?
Yes. The train leaves from Rossio and takes a little under an hour. Choose two or three palaces: there is no time for all of them in one day.
Where is there a beach near Lisbon?
In the coves of the Arrábida, to the south, with calm water. In summer you get there by bus from Setúbal.
Which transport card should I buy?
The Navegante or Viva Viagem, rechargeable at the metro. It works for the metro, bus, tram and the boat to Cacilhas.