6 Days in Lisbon: First-Timer Plan
Six days means the whole city, not just the greatest hits: hilltop old town, a full Belem day, and four more days working through museums, markets and a ferry crossing most visitors never make time for. Shorter trip? See 5 days . Have a full week? Go all in .
Book these before you go:
- Skip the line at Belem , timed entry only, both sites
- Reserve a small fado show for one of your six nights
- Book a sunset Tagus cruise
- Check hotel rates in Chiado , central for a six-night stay
| Day | Focus | Cost to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfama, Baixa and the Castle | ~15 EUR (castle) plus meals |
| 2 | Belem: monastery, tower, pastel de nata | ~18-33 EUR (monuments) plus meals |
| 3 | Graca, Mouraria and the Miradouros | mostly free, flea market bargains |
| 4 | Chiado, Principe Real and the Gulbenkian | ~10 EUR (museum) plus meals |
| 5 | LX Factory, properly, and Parque das Nacoes | ~15 EUR (aquarium) plus meals |
| 6 | Cacilhas and a second look at Alfama | ~1.72 EUR (ferry) plus meals |
Getting in from the airport is simple once you know the Aerobus doesn’t run anymore, it was cancelled in 2022, so ignore anyone still recommending it. Take the Red Line metro instead, roughly 25-30 minutes into Rossio or Baixa with one change, and load a Navegante card with Zapping credit as soon as you land, you’ll be using it every single day of this trip.
Where to Base Yourself for Six Nights
Baixa or Chiado is the smartest base for a trip this length: central, flat-ish by Lisbon standards, walking distance to the metro hub, and close to Bairro Alto for the nights you want to stay out late. Alfama is more atmospheric but means real stairs to your door every night, worth it if you don’t mind the climb. If you’d rather trade a short tram ride for more space and a lower nightly rate, Alcantara near LX Factory is a solid alternative for six nights. Check rates in Chiado before you commit.
Day 1: Alfama, Baixa, and the Castle
Climb into Alfama early, before the streets fill up. The Se Cathedral, a Romanesque fortress-church from the 12th century, sits free to admire right at the neighborhood’s edge. Keep climbing to Castelo de Sao Jorge (around 15 EUR) for the best rooftop view of the city and the Tagus, ideally before midday. Lunch at a small family-run tasca off the tram route rather than anything facing Rossio Square; a bacalhau plate runs 10-16 EUR, and remember the bread and olives on your table aren’t free, that’s the couvert, a per-person charge you can send back.
Spend the afternoon walking Baixa, the grid rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, down to Praca do Comercio on the river. In the evening, take Tram 12E over the famous 28, same steep Alfama views with far fewer pickpockets than the 28’s notorious Martim Moniz-Se stretch. End in Bairro Alto, silent by day, loud with bars after dark; book a small casa de fado if you want the music close.
Day 2: Belem
Belem sits apart from central Lisbon, reached by tram 15E or train rather than on foot. Start at Jeronimos Monastery, 18 EUR monastery-only, the limestone showpiece built to honor Vasco da Gama’s voyage. A combined ticket with Belem Tower runs 33 EUR, not really a discount over the two separately. Walk ten minutes to Belem Tower next, a separate site with its own ticket, not part of the monastery. It reopened in May 2026 after a year of conservation work, runs timed entry capped around 900 visitors a day, and costs 15 EUR. Book ahead, people without a slot have already been turned away on busy weekends.
Eat your pastel de nata warm at Pasteis de Belem, the original bakery, worth the line once. In the afternoon, wander LX Factory for a first pass, free and busiest on weekends, or hit Time Out Market near Cais do Sodre before noon or after 9pm for a seat.
Day 3: Graca, Mouraria and the Miradouros
Start at Miradouro da Graca or Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte, viewpoints that somehow avoid the crowds Sao Jorge pulls, then wander Graca itself, which feels like Alfama did before the tram tours arrived. Cut through Mouraria, fado’s original neighborhood. If it lands on a Tuesday or Saturday, detour to Feira da Ladra, the flea market near the National Pantheon.
Day 4: Chiado, Principe Real and the Gulbenkian
Visit the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian for serious art without the lines, around 10 EUR, or walk Parque Eduardo VII for open green space and a straight sightline down Avenida da Liberdade to the river. From there, Principe Real is a short walk, leafy and upscale, full of boutiques and a strong LGBTQ+ bar scene around its square, a good pick for a slower dinner. Loop back through Chiado for a coffee at A Brasileira.
Day 5: LX Factory, Properly, and Parque das Nacoes
Give LX Factory the morning it deserves this time, the bookshops, the vintage stores, and the Sunday market if your timing lines up. In the afternoon, cross the city to Parque das Nacoes, built for the 1998 World Expo: glass towers, a cable car over the water, and the Oceanario de Lisboa, worth two hours for around 15 EUR. It sits on the same metro line as the airport.
Day 6: Cacilhas and a Second Look at Alfama
Take the ferry from Cais do Sodre to Cacilhas, covered by the same Navegante card as everything else, for a view of Lisbon from across the water that almost nobody bothers with. Climb up to the Cristo Rei statue for the widest river panorama of the whole trip, then head back for a slower second pass through Alfama, this time on foot with no tram schedule to chase. The miradouros hit differently once you’re not racing to the next stop on a list, and it’s a fitting way to close out six days in one city.
Getting Around
Load a Navegante card with Zapping credit on day one for 0.50 EUR, it covers the metro, trams, buses and the Cacilhas ferry, dropping fares to about 1.72 EUR for the metro and 1.35 for tram or bus versus 1.90-3.00 for loose singles. Bring shoes with real grip, the hills and polished cobblestones here are more slippery than they look in photos.
One Honest Opinion
Don’t try to fit Sintra or Cascais into this trip just because six days feels like plenty. Both need a full day of their own with a pre-booked ticket, and this itinerary is built to give you Lisbon itself at a depth almost nobody bothers with. If Portugal beyond the city matters more to you, our Lisbon and Beyond itinerary is the better fit.