A walk with the best things to see in Lisbon in one day. 24 hours in the capital of Portugal

Visiting Lisbon in one day is possible, although it should be a very superficial visit and without dwelling too much on each corner of what you have to see in Lisbon in order to get to know it well.

But if you don’t have more time to enjoy Lisbon, here we offer you a suggested one-day itinerary with which you can get an idea of ​​the city and want to return with more time.

Discover here the best things to see in Lisbon in one day so you don’t miss a thing.

What to see in Lisbon in one day

Walk through the Baixa

If you want to visit Lisbon in one day you will have to get up early to make the most of the time. And a good place to start the tour can be the Plaza de los Restauradores, in the Baixa and one of the largest squares in the city.

Almost like an extension of this square is Rossio Square, one of the most famous in Lisbon and the one with the most atmosphere. Before reaching it we can admire the Rossio Station, the most interesting railway station in the city with a great history behind it.

In Rossio Square we can admire the Doña María II National Theater and the statue of Dom Pedro IV, which is actually who the square is dedicated to and its official name.

Various streets start from there in the direction of the Tagus River. Any of them is very special with stately buildings and a special charm. But we recommend going down Rua Aurea, where the Elevador de Santa Justa is located, an elevator that connects the Baixa with the Barrio Alto and is another of Lisbon’s great attractions.

At the end is the Plaza del Comercio, another of the most famous in Lisbon, it is already next to the Tagus River and from where we can admire the grandiose 25th of April Bridge.

Alfama neighborhood

Once we have visited the Baixa we can go to the Alfama neighborhood, the most authentic in the city and the cradle of fado. We recommend any tour of it. But if we have to stay with one, the best thing is to cross the Rua Augusta Arch, walk again towards Rossio Square but turn left looking for the San Jorge Castle Elevator.

And that is where we are heading, but first we must enjoy the views offered by the first of the Lisbon viewpoints that we are going to visit, that of the elevator itself, the first time that we will see the Lisbon rooftops and the Barrio Alto and Chiado.

The Castle of San Jorge is another interesting visit. As we don’t have much time to visit the city, the best thing is that we get to know it from the outside and continue our way through the Alfama neighborhood, enjoying its narrow streets and its atmosphere until we reach the Mirador das Portas do Sol, one of the best in Lisbon..

From there the views are great, even reaching the National Pantheon, a beautiful building that we will have to settle for seeing from afar as there is not much time to get there.

Nearby is the Mirador de Santa Lucía, with similar views but with its own charm. Next to it is the Church of Santa Lucía and following the street downhill we arrive at another of the great monuments to see in Lisbon in one day, the Sé, the Lisbon Cathedral.

Here we do recommend that you enter, because the Cloister of the Lisbon Cathedral is spectacular and you should not leave this city without knowing it.

Walking through the streets we will finally leave the Alfama neighborhood and arrive at the famous Casa dos Bicos, where the José Saramago Foundation is located.

Belem neighborhood

It is time to go to the Belem neighborhood, where several of the main monuments to visit in Lisbon are located. To get there we can use public transport or go by car if we have it. In Belem there is a large parking lot.

The three great points of interest to see in Belem are very close. The Jerónimos Monastery is the first of them, simply spectacular and with a very interesting cloister.

Taking a short walk we can reach the Torre de Belem, an old defensive tower that guarded the entrance by sea to the city of Lisbon.

From there we can walk along the Tagus River to the Monument to the Discoveries that pays tribute to the great Portuguese navigators who sailed the seas. From the top of the monument there are also impressive views of the Belem neighborhood.

With this you will have been able to visit the most important things to see in Lisbon in one day. You still have a lot to see but to do so you will have to return or extend your stay in Lisbon for another day.

You can find more information on the official Lisbon tourism page.