# Cerca de Lisbon

Lisbon is a base for two coasts and the interior. By train you reach Sintra and Cascais; south of the Tagus await Setúbal, the Arrábida and Sesimbra; to the north, via the A8, Óbidos, Peniche and Nazaré, and via the A1, Fátima, Tomar and Coimbra.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/lisbon/getaways

## Planes de un día
- [Costa da Caparica: Cristo Rei, surf and caldeirada](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/costa-da-caparica/itineraries/beach-and-surf-from-lisbon.md) (30 min en coche): The Cristo Rei viewpoint, a two-hour surf lesson at Praia de Santo António, caldeirada at O Barbas and sunset at the Capuchos. Half an hour from Lisbon.
- [Cascais: bay, Boca do Inferno and Estoril](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/cascais/itineraries/boca-do-inferno-and-estoril.md) (35 min en coche): Cascais is 40 minutes by train from Lisbon. The Cidadela and the bay, the Boca do Inferno, fish above the cliff and the seaside promenade to Estoril.
- [Sintra: Pena, Regaleira and Piriquita](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/sintra/itineraries/pena-regaleira-and-travesseiros.md) (35 min en coche): Train from Rossio to Sintra, the Pena first thing with a booked ticket, lunch in the centre and Quinta da Regaleira in the afternoon, with Piriquita's travesseiros.
- [Palmela and Azeitão: castle and wineries](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/palmela-and-azeitao/itineraries/wine-moscatel-and-castle-from-lisbon.md) (35 min en coche): Palmela castle above two estuaries, a moscatel tasting at José Maria da Fonseca, lunch at its Wine Corner, the Bacalhôa museum winery and Azeitão tortas. Half an hour from Lisbon.
- [Sesimbra: market, castle and cape](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/sesimbra/itineraries/market-castle-and-cabo-espichel.md) (40 min en coche): The fish market and the sea museum in the morning, fried cuttlefish at O Rodinhas, the castle above the bay and sunset at Cabo Espichel. 40 minutes from Lisbon.
- [Guincho: surf lesson and cycle path](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/cascais/itineraries/surf-and-bike-at-guincho.md) (40 min en coche): Train to Cascais, bike along the coastal path to Guincho, a group surf lesson and seafood facing the Atlantic. An active day 45 minutes from Lisbon.
- [Setúbal: dolphins and catamaran to Tróia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/setubal-and-troia/itineraries/sado-dolphins-and-troia.md) (45 min en coche): A boat to see the Sado dolphins in the morning, the market and fried cuttlefish, and the catamaran to the white-sand beaches of Tróia. 45 minutes from Lisbon.
- [Arrábida: coves, fried cuttlefish and Cabo Espichel](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/itineraries/mountain-road-coves-and-cuttlefish.md) (50 min en coche): The Arrábida ridge road, a cove of still water, fried cuttlefish in Setúbal and Cabo Espichel at sunset, 50 minutes from Lisbon.
- [Mafra and Ericeira: palace and surf village](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/ericeira-and-mafra/itineraries/palace-fish-and-waves-from-lisbon.md) (50 min en coche): 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.
- [Óbidos: Vila Natal and Rua Direita](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/obidos/itineraries/christmas-with-children-at-vila-natal.md) (1 h 3 en coche): The Óbidos Vila Natal Christmas park with an ice rink, lunch on Rua Direita, the bookshop inside a church and a ginja. An hour from Lisbon, in December.
- [Óbidos: walls, ginja and lagoon](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/obidos/itineraries/walls-ginja-and-foz-do-arelho.md) (1 h 5 en coche): A walk round the Óbidos walls, a ginja in a little chocolate cup, the bookshop inside a church and the afternoon at the Foz do Arelho lagoon. An hour from Lisbon.
- [Berlenga: island, fort and fish in Peniche](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/peniche-and-berlengas/itineraries/berlenga-day-trip-from-lisbon.md) (1 h 20 en coche): Drive to Peniche, a 45-minute boat to the Berlenga, five hours on the island and its 1651 fort, Cabo Carvoeiro at sunset and a fish dinner by the harbour.
- [Batalha, Fátima and the Mira de Aire caves](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/fatima-and-batalha/itineraries/mira-de-aire-caves.md) (1 h 25 en coche): Batalha monastery first thing, Fátima sanctuary at midday, traditional lunch at Tia Alice and the Mira de Aire caves in the afternoon.
- [Nazaré and Alcobaça: monastery and waves](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/nazare/itineraries/monastery-funicular-and-praia-do-norte.md) (1 h 25 en coche): The Cistercian monastery of Alcobaça when it opens, the funicular up to the Sítio de Nazaré, the fort facing the giant waves and the afternoon on the village beach.
- [Nazaré: surf, seafood and waves](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/nazare/itineraries/surf-lesson-and-seafood-rice.md) (1 h 30 en coche): A surf lesson on Nazaré's sheltered beach, seafood rice facing the sand, the funicular to the Sítio and the fort from which you see the giant waves.
- [Évora: cathedral, temple and bones](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/alentejo/evora/itineraries/from-lisbon-temple-cathedral-and-bones.md) (1 h 35 en coche): Évora is an hour and a half from Lisbon by car or train. Cathedral with a rooftop terrace, Roman temple, Alentejo lunch, Chapel of Bones and the aqueduct.
- [Tomar: convent, banquet and boat](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/tomar/itineraries/medieval-banquet-and-castelo-de-bode.md) (1 h 37 en coche): The Templar Charola of the Convent of Christ first thing, the 15th-century synagogue, a medieval banquet with music and theatre, and the afternoon by boat on the Castelo de Bode reservoir.
- [Tomar and Almourol: the Templars](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/tomar/itineraries/convent-of-christ-and-almourol.md) (1 h 40 en coche): The Convent of Christ and its Templar Charola first thing, the oldest synagogue in Portugal and the ferry to Almourol Castle, on an islet in the Tagus.
- [Coimbra: Joanina, brunch and fado](https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/central-portugal/coimbra/itineraries/university-brunch-and-fado-from-lisbon.md) (2 h en coche): Train or car to Coimbra, the university and the Joanina Library in the morning, brunch at Quinta das Lágrimas and the Sunday fado session at Café Santa Cruz.

## Several routes start at a station

There are direct flights to Lisbon airport from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, Seville, Bilbao, Asturias, Gran Canaria and Tenerife South. For most of the plans on this page you do not need a car for the first days: the city is a good base and several routes start at a station.

From Rossio station the train to [Sintra](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/sintra) leaves, and from Cais do Sodré, the one on the [Cascais](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/cascais) line, which runs beside the estuary. The Intercidades leaves from Oriente for [Évora](/en/portugal/alentejo/evora); the Alfa Pendular and the Intercidades reach [Coimbra](/en/portugal/central-portugal/coimbra), and there is a direct CP train to [Tomar](/en/portugal/central-portugal/tomar). For the south coast of the Tagus there are buses: the 3721 from Sete Rios to [Sesimbra](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/sesimbra) and the 4720 from Oriente to Setúbal. To Mafra and Ericeira goes the 2751 from Campo Grande.

With a hire car, each route leads to a type of plan. The 25 de Abril Bridge and the A2 cross to the south, towards the [Costa da Caparica](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/costa-da-caparica), the [Arrábida hills](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida) and [Setúbal and Tróia](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/setubal-and-troia); the Vasco da Gama Bridge and the A12 lead to [Palmela and Azeitão](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/palmela-and-azeitao). The A8 goes up the west coast to [Óbidos](/en/portugal/central-portugal/obidos), [Peniche and the Berlengas](/en/portugal/central-portugal/peniche-and-berlengas) and [Nazaré](/en/portugal/central-portugal/nazare); the A1, to the centre of the country, to [Fátima and Batalha](/en/portugal/central-portugal/fatima-and-batalha), Tomar and Coimbra.

## The Costa da Caparica, half an hour away, with surfing from age six

**Less than an hour away** is almost everything you can do by train or bus. The Costa da Caparica, 30 minutes, with surf lessons from age six; Sintra and Cascais, 35; the Palmela and Azeitão wineries, 35; Sesimbra and Guincho, 40; the Sado dolphins from Setúbal, 45, and the Arrábida and [Ericeira and Mafra](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/ericeira-and-mafra), 50.

**With one or two hours by car** the Sunday goes north or inland. Óbidos and its walls are 65 minutes away; the island of Berlenga, 80 counting the road to Peniche; Fátima and Batalha, 85; Nazaré, between 85 and 90; Évora, 95, and Tomar, 100. Coimbra, two hours away, is the limit of what fits into a day. Several of these places have a version with a night: [one night in Óbidos](/en/portugal/central-portugal/obidos/itineraries/one-night-with-walls-and-canoe) with a canoe on the lagoon, [Nazaré and Alcobaça in two nights](/en/portugal/central-portugal/nazare/itineraries/weekend-giant-waves-alcobaca) or [Templar Tomar](/en/portugal/central-portugal/tomar/itineraries/templar-weekend-with-almourol) with Almourol and Castelo de Bode.

**About three hours away** is the long weekend: the [Costa Vicentina](/en/portugal/algarve/costa-vicentina/itineraries/two-nights-with-sagres-and-surf), with Sagres and a surf lesson, in two nights and by car.

## In a storm, the giant waves of Nazaré

In winter, the sea rules. From October to March, if there is a storm, the giant waves of Praia do Norte are seen from the fort on the [Sunday in Nazaré and Alcobaça](/en/portugal/central-portugal/nazare/itineraries/monastery-funicular-and-praia-do-norte). Évora is enjoyed from October to June. In December, with children, there is the [Christmas in Óbidos](/en/portugal/central-portugal/obidos/itineraries/christmas-with-children-at-vila-natal), with the Vila Natal park open from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Sintra is often foggy, but there are very few people.

In spring, from March to June, it is the season for [Sintra](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/sintra/itineraries/pena-regaleira-and-travesseiros), the [Arrábida](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/arrabida/itineraries/mountain-road-coves-and-cuttlefish) with the beach road open, and Tomar without the heat in the convent.

In summer the coast wins. The [Berlenga in a day](/en/portugal/central-portugal/peniche-and-berlengas/itineraries/berlenga-day-trip-from-lisbon) only has a boat from 8 May to 30 September, and in July and August you book weeks ahead. The beaches of Tróia and the coves of Sesimbra are at their best, and at Caparica it is best to be back before 17:00 to avoid the bridge jam. From 4 June to 15 September the Arrábida beach road is closed to cars by day. At Guincho, bike in the morning: the north wind blows almost every afternoon. Évora is not recommended in July and August.

In autumn Sintra and the Arrábida return, and in September is the grape harvest at the [Palmela and Azeitão](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/palmela-and-azeitao/itineraries/wine-moscatel-and-castle-from-lisbon) wineries. Coimbra, with the students back, has more life.

## Seven flat kilometres to the Boca do Inferno

- **Without a car, in a day:** [A Sunday in Cascais](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/cascais/itineraries/boca-do-inferno-and-estoril). Train from Cais do Sodré, about seven flat kilometres along the promenade and the Boca do Inferno, which in a swell is more impressive in winter.
- **By car, in a day:** [Dolphins and Tróia from Setúbal](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/setubal-and-troia/itineraries/sado-dolphins-and-troia). 45 minutes away, a two-hour boat trip on the Sado in the morning, with less wind, and a catamaran to Tróia for the afternoon.
- **With two nights:** [Sesimbra and Azeitão](/en/portugal/lisbon-region/sesimbra/itineraries/two-nights-with-coves-and-moscatel). 40 minutes away, also reached by bus 3721; coves by boat from June to September and moscatel on Sunday.