Lisbon is one of my favorite cities in Europe and probably the whole world! There is so much to see and do in Lisbon that you could easily spend the bulk of your time in this capital city. However, if you want to see other parts of Portugal without venturing too far away, then these 4 day trips from Lisbon are ideal! These cities are close enough to Lisbon that they are convenient to get to from Lisbon and can be easily seen in a day. This post will cover these cities in more details!
Sintra
I call Sintra my favorite day trip from any major city because it’s so easy to get to Sintra from Lisbon and Sintra is packed with awesome things to do.
How to Get to Sintra
The best and easiest way to get to Sintra from Lisbon is by train. It’s a super straight forward train ride. Simply buy tickets from Rossio station in Lisbon and in 40 minutes you are in Sintra.
Sintra is only 28 kilometers away from Lisbon and while you can technically drive to Sintra, I recommend that you do not. Parking in Sintra can be a challenge and the landscape in Sintra makes it hard to drive around.
The good news is that once you get to Sintra, there is a good public transportation system that can get you around.
Read this very detailed post about all you need to know on Sintra from Lisbon HERE.
What Not to Miss in Sintra
Pena Palace
Romantic, colorful and unique, Pena Palace is a must see site in Sintra. It’s one of my top 3 castles that I’ve visited so far. No trip to Sintra is complete without visiting Pena Palace
Pro tip – Visit this site first thing in the morning
Moorish Castle
The Moorish palace is a 9th century castle that offers amazing views of Sintra. It almost has a Great Wall feel to it. The best thing to do at this site is to walk the walls
Quinta da Regaleira
This Gothic mansion and fairytale garden is another must visit site in Sintra. With cascading waterfalls, towers, statues and fountains, there’s so much to see here.
Sintra National Place
This is the oldest surviving royal palace in Portugal and is still used for official receptions. Each room is beautifully decorated and has some exquisite pieces of furniture.
Obidos
The hillside town of Obidos is a popular day trip from Lisbon. Obidos is a maze of small medieval lanes and flower decked homes. The town is relatively small and can easily be covered in a day.
How to Get to Obidos
Obidos is a one hour drive from Lisbon by car. If you don’t have a car, there is also an express bus service that runs from Lisbon to Obidos that takes you to Obidos in 60 minutes. The bus departs from Campo Verde station in Lisbon. Buses are operated by the Rodotejo bus company and the route is referred to as the Green Express or Rapida Verde.
Check out the timetable HERE
What Not to Miss in Obidos
City Walls
The fortified walls give you stunning views over Obidos’ pretty town center and tiled rooftops.
Wandering the Town
The town itself is small but a maze of little streets packed with whitewashed houses decorated with strips of yellow and blue trim, geraniums, bougainvillea, and hand-painted tiles.
Obidos Castle
This castle was established by the Moors in the 700s. It is a Pousada today and closed for visits unless you stay at the hotel but it’s still worth to climb the little slope to the castle to enjoy some great views of Obidos.
Read this detailed post about what to see and do in Obidos HERE.
Coimbra
Coimbra was Portugal’s leading city while the Moors controlled Lisbon and used to be the country’s capital for over 100 years. Today, Coimbra is home to Portugal’s oldest university which is one of the main attractions in Coimbra.
This is the city furthest away from Lisbon on this 4 day trips from Lisbon list. However, it can easily be done, especially if you start the day early.
How to Get to Coimbra
Coimbra is about 2 hour from Lisbon. You can get to Coimbra either by car or by train. Trains are frequent to/from both directions.
You can check out the official website for trains in Portugal HERE
What Not to Miss in Obidos
Coimbra University
Perched on the town’s hilltop, it’s one of the oldest universities in the world, older than even Oxford University. A visit to the library here is a must!
Old Cathedral
This fortress like Romanesque church was built in the 1100s after the mosque belonging to the Moors which was at this site prior was torn down.
Main Drag and Town
With lots of cafes, colorful tiled facades, wrought iron balconies and various shops, the main drag and old town of Coimbra is a delight to stroll through.
Click HERE to read my detailed post on Coimbra
Cascais and Cabo Da Roca
If you are looking for some fun in the sun and a beach day while in Lisbon, look no further than a day trip to the town of Cascais. Carcavelos Beach and Guincho Beach in particular are stunning.
Once done hanging out at the beach, you can hop over to Cabo da Roca for a beautiful sunset. Cabo da Roca is the western most point of the continent of Europe and famous for beautiful cliffside landscapes along with the sunset.
How to Get to Cascais and Cabo Da Roca
Cascais is a 30 minute car ride or train ride from Lisbon. If taking the train, hop on the suburban train from Cais do Sodré train station in Lisbon and get off at Cascais station.
From Cascais, hop on bus #403 to Cabo Da Roca. It’s about a 20-30 minute bus ride. Alternatively, you can also get to Cabo da Roca from Sintra also in the same bus.
What Not to Miss in Cascais (other than the beach) and Cabo Da Roca
Boca do Inferno
Boca do Inferno or Hell’s mouth is one of the most popular spots in Cascais. It’s an opening in the limestone cliffs that lets the ocean come right in.
Cascais Old Town
The old town of Cascais is small but really charming. Walk around and take in the sites or enjoy a meal or drink at one of the cafes, bars or restuarants.
Condes de Castro Museum
This museum is housed in a Revivalist style mini-palace and dates back to the 1900s. The inside of the museum holds various paintings, artwork, beautiful furniture and a library, while the outside is home to a stunning garden and fountains.
Cabo Da Roca
There’s not a lot to do in Cabo da Roca but watching the sunset is a must. Other than that you can see some superb cliff side views and an old lighthouse. Don’t miss out on seeing the sunset from the western most point of the continent of Europe!
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See my detailed post on Lisbon HERE or below!
See all my posts on Portugal HERE!
