What to see in Lisbon in 2 days. Visiting the most important of the city

If you are wondering if it is possible to visit Lisbon in two days, we must tell you that yes, of course it is possible and that in 48 hours you will get to know the most important things in the city. Of course, if you have more days it will be much better.

Lisbon is a city with very well defined neighborhoods to visit so you can focus on each one of them and get to know them. Most of the main places of interest to see in Lisbon are very close, although you will have to travel to the Belem neighborhood by car or public transport.

Pay attention to the route that we show you to see Lisbon in two days.

What to see in Lisbon in 2 days

First day in Lisbon

The first of our two days to visit Lisbon we are going to start in the Baixa, the most modern neighborhood in the center of the city located between hills where the oldest neighborhoods are located.

The beginning can be in the Plaza de los Restauradores, from where Avenida de la Libertad starts north, where the most exclusive shops and numerous hotels are located, and which ends at the Plaza del Marqués de Pombal and Parque Eduardo VII, one of the best parks in Lisbon.

Next to Restauradores Square is Rossio Station, a railway station in a very interesting building that leads to Lisbon’s most important and atmospheric square, Rossio Square.

From there we can walk to the Tagus River. The best thing is to take the Rúa Aurea, where the Elevador de Santa Justa is located, which takes you to the Barrio Alto, a neighborhood that we will visit later. At the end of the street we come to the Plaza del Comercio, located next to the river and where the Royal Palace used to be.

From there we can admire the Tagus River, the 25th of April Bridge in the distance, and the predominantly yellow buildings that surround the square. The Triumphal Arch is the most remarkable and from there begins the Rúa Augusta, full of shops and restaurants.

With this you will have visited the most important of the Baixa. It’s time to visit the first of the historic neighborhoods that make up this city. And the first that we are going to choose is the Barrio de Alfama, the neighborhood that is the cradle of fado.

To get into this neighborhood you can climb the steep slopes through the typical cobbled streets, or you can use the Elevador del Castillo de San Jorge, a method that we recommend so as not to get too tired. And also because from the top of the elevator you have a viewpoint with great views of the Lisbon rooftops and the river. In Lisbon, we will find numerous viewpoints.

The elevator leaves you at the foot of the Castle of São Jorge, a visit to which is highly recommended to learn about the history of this city and to have other very good views of the Baixa and other areas of Lisbon.

After this visit, it is best to go into the alleys and get lost, but always looking for one of its spectacular viewpoints such as the Mirador da Postas do Sol, which many consider the best in Lisbon. From there we have very good views as well as from the Mirador de Santa Lucía, located very close and next to the church of the same name.

A few meters away we find the Se Cathedral, another essential visit to do in Lisbon in two days. Its cloister is simply spectacular and unforgettable.

Leaving Alfama we find, next to the river, the Casa dos Bicos, headquarters of the José Saramago Foundation, whose ashes rest next to an olive tree. Nearby is the Fado Museum and the National Pantheon, two also very interesting visits, although depending on how your day has turned out, you will have time to visit them or not.

The day can end enjoying a delicious typical Portuguese dinner in a local fado. There is still another day in Lisbon.

Second day in Lisbon

It is a pity that we have so little time to visit Lisbon, but we still have a day ahead of us and we must try to make the most of it.

Today we can go to the Barrio de Belem, far from the center, but an essential visit. You can go by public transport or by car if you have one, since there is a large car park in the neighborhood where you can leave it.

The first thing you should visit is the Monastery of San Jerónimo, without a doubt the best thing to see in Lisbon in two days. Essential visit. And it is that, in addition to its impressive church we can also enjoy one of the best cloisters in Portugal.

Next to it we have several museums, and even a planetarium. If you are interested in any and have time, they are very interesting. But our next destination should be the Torre de Belem, an old defensive building that guarded the entrance to the city of Lisbon by sea and that today is one of the symbols of the city. Your visit is also essential and surprising.

From there we can walk along the Tagus River until we reach the Monument to the Discoveries, dedicated to the Portuguese navigators who sailed in search of new worlds. From its upper part you have great views of Belem and the Tagus River.

Before leaving Belem, don’t forget to go to one of its famous pastry shops to buy the delicious pasteis de nata, the most typical Portuguese sweet.

From Belem we can go to the center of Lisbon to visit other historic neighborhoods of the city. We return to the Baixa and look for the Santa Justa Elevator, to go up to the Barrio Alto. This elevator is a widely used means of transportation that has also become a major tourist attraction.

Once at the top, and after admiring the views from the elevator, it is best to walk through the streets of Barrio Alto and Chiado and enjoy their atmosphere and special charm.

The main places to visit in these two neighbourhoods, whose limits are not very clear, are the Convento do Carmo, today an archaeological museum after suffering serious damage in the 1755 earthquake, the Largo de Camoes and the cafes that surround this curious square or the viewpoints of Santa Catarina or San Pedro de Alcántara.

The neighborhood itself is a monument, its streets, its bars, its cafes and its atmosphere, which will take you to the most peculiar of the city of Lisbon.

Thus ends our tour with the best things to see in Lisbon in two days. There are many more places to visit, and that is why it is best to have more days. But in 48 hours you will surely have a magnificent idea of ​​the best things to visit in Lisbon.

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