Esplanada Furnas
What to order: choose the fish of the day from the display case at the entrance and order some clams à Bulhão Pato to start.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 38.96° N · 9.42° W
A Sunday in Mafra and Ericeira, an hour from Lisbon.
The Mafra palace and its library in the morning, fish on the rocks at Ericeira and an afternoon among white houses and surf waves. An hour from Lisbon.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Lisboa fromSevilla 1 hMadrid 1 h 15Málaga 1 h 15Asturias 1 h 30Alicante 1 h 45Bilbao 1 h 45Valencia 1 h 45Barcelona 2 hGran Canaria 2 h 30Tenerife Sur 2 h 30
Part of Ericeira and Mafra
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car45 min each way
WalkingAbout 2 h spread through the day
DifficultyEasy
ClosedMafra palace, on Tuesdays
Bus2751 from Campo Grande
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave Lisbon 45 min by car
along the A8 and A21, or on the 2751 from Campo Grande
-
1
Mafra National Palace, basilica and library
palace, basilica and library · 2 h
- 12 min by car10,4 km
-
2
Ericeira's centre and the fishermen's beach
park up top · Praça da República and Largo das Ribas
- 5 min on foot
-
3
Esplanada Furnas
fish by the kilo on the rocks · open on Sunday
Rua das Furnas, 2, 2655-288 Ericeira · +351 261 864 870
Restaurant €€€Book - 8 min by car4,5 km
-
4
Ribeira d'Ilhas beach
surfing from the cliff, 3 km north
-
Back home
you reach Lisbon around 19:00
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Mafra National Palace, basilica and library
A day trip from Lisbon to the north-west: in the morning, the 18th-century Mafra palace-convent, with one of the most beautiful libraries in Europe; at midday, the fish of Ericeira on the rocks; in the afternoon, the white and blue village and the waves of the World Surfing Reserve. They are 10 km from each other and an hour from Lisbon.
The day, hour by hour
8:45 · Departure. By car, along the A8 and A21, with tolls. Without a car, Carris Metropolitana bus 2751 leaves from Campo Grande and stops in Mafra before reaching Ericeira; check the Sunday timetables.
9:30 · Mafra National Palace. It opens at 9:30; the last entry is at 16:30. The visit goes through the royal rooms and the friars' infirmary and ends in the Rococo library. The basilica is open from 9:30 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:30. Closed on Tuesdays.
12:15 · To Ericeira. Ten kilometres towards the sea. Park up in the centre.
12:45 · The centre. Praça da República, the Santo António chapel and Largo das Ribas, the viewpoint over the fishermen's beach.
13:30 · Lunch at Esplanada Furnas. On the Furnas rocks, five minutes' walk away. You choose the fish by the kilo at the entrance and they grill it for you. It is open every day at midday and in the evening.
16:00 · Ribeira d'Ilhas. Three kilometres to the north, the beach with Ericeira's most famous wave. Watch the surfing from the cliff, beside the road.
18:00 · Heading back. You are in Lisbon around 19:00.
With children
The palace, on a short visit: the library impresses them. In summer, swap Ribeira d'Ilhas for Foz do Lizandro, with a calm-water river beside the sea.
Time2 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Onda D'Mar by Furnas
What to order: a seafood rice to share or the grilled fish.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Ericeira and Mafra
All year round, except Tuesdays, when the palace is closed. In summer Ericeira fills with Lisboners at the weekend: eat early.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Get to Mafra when it opens
In the morning there are fewer groups.
- 2Do not go on a Tuesday
The palace and the basilica are closed.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Lisbon to Mafra?
About 40 minutes by car; to Ericeira, about 50.
Is Mafra palace open on Sunday?
Yes, from 9:30 to 17:30. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Can you go without a car?
Yes, on bus 2751 from Campo Grande.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/ericeira-and-mafra/itineraries/palace-fish-and-waves-from-lisbon
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.