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GREAT Day trips from Lisbon

Lisbon is a fantastic city to explore and will easily keep you busy for at least 3-4  full days. However, when planning your trip to Lisbon, make sure to provide enough time so you can also explore the wonderful surroundings of Lisbon!

Discover the best day trips from Lisbon and visit beautiful coastal towns, palaces and castles, historical monuments, beautiful natural parks and stunning beaches and start planning your holiday to Portugal!

 

Sintra

Sintra is a beautiful village surrounded by lush green mountains full of romantic palaces and fairy tale estates.

It’s a magic and fascinating place to explore and a day trip to Sintra is quite an experience. There is a large number of sites to visit: Quinta da Regaleira, Pena Palace,  Moorish Castle, Montserrat Park, amongst many other. Sintra is only 20 minutes away from Cascais, make sure to park your car outside the historic town and be prepared to walk to the sites.

During summer hours the lines in front of Pena Palace can be very long, so make sure to arrive early. Alternatively, skip the Pena Palace and head straight away to the Quinta da Regaleira, such a magic place!

Watch the video

Plan your visit

Cascais

Cascais, a charming beach town which is often referred to as the “Portuguese Riviera” is a 30 min drive away from Lisbon. The town can also easily be reached by a 40 min scenic train ride from Cais do Sodré station.

This former typical fishing village has developed into a cosmopolitan beach town and is is often  referred to as the “Portuguese Riviera” as it has a beautiful beach promenade that gives access to several protected beaches in the bay and is excellent for a relaxing stroll, for  jogging, cycling or just having drinks or a meal in one of the many bars and restaurants that line the boulevard.

Since King Luis choose Cascais as his royal summer retreat in the late 19th century, the once minor fishing village has attracted royalty, nobles, and aristocrats, who constructed beautiful villas and mansions and turned the village into a glamorous beach town.

Just a glimpse of Cascais – watch the video 

Belem

Belem can easily be reached from Cascais by train and is filled with iconic landmarks and many architectural and historical sights and monuments. It’s easy to fill an entire day seeing the sights of Belém. You’ll finish with an excellent understanding of the history of Lisbon during the Age of Discoveries and the period of colonisation that followed.

Your visit should include Jerónimos Monastery, the Belém Tower and the Monument of the Discoveries. Of course make sure to try the famous Pasteis de Belém in between visits.

End your trip by a visit to the MAAT and head to the nearby LX Factory for a drink or a bite or go to the Docas de Santo Amaro to eat some delicious seafood in one of the restaurants under the 25 April Bridge, quite an exceptional setting!  

Ericeira & Mafra

Mafra is renowned for its convent and amazing National Palace, regarded as the most important baroque building in Portugal, while Ericeira is a still very authentic fishing village and a World Surfing Reserve, known for its pretty town as well as its internationally renowned surf spots.

Ericeira is a perfect fusion of Portuguese heritage with an ultra-cool surfing ambience, where traditional fishermen’s cottages nestle amongst trendy lounge bars and cafes. Make sure to try the excellent fresh fish and seafood in Ericeira!

Watch the beauty of the National Palace in Mafra

This is Ericeira!

Comporta and the Troia Penisula

Located at the base of the Troia penisula, along the Sado estuary, the beach of Comporta stands out in a league of its own. Between lush green towering pine trees, rice fields, colored flamingos and storks, Comporta beach with its white sand and azure blue water is the place to be!

The best way to reach Comporta is by car. First drive 40 min up to Setubal and then take the ferry from Setubal to reach Troia (30 min), and continue driving along the penisula until you reach Comporta.

Tip: combine your trip with wild dolphin spotting in Troia, an unforgettable experience especially when you’re traveling with children! We recommend to take the tour with Sado Emotion, a small family owned company. Contact us in case you need any help reserving your trip.

Arrabida National Park

Cross the Tagus River from Lisbon to the south side and visit the medieval castle in Palmela. Continue your trip and travel through the dense forest until you reach the stunning coastline of the Arrabida Natural Park, with beautiful beaches to explore such as Praia dos Galapinhos and Portinho da Arrabida.  See how the blue of the sea alternates with the white tones of the chalk cliffs and the depths of the green vegetation that covers the mountain range.

Make sure to stop in Vila Nogueira de Azeitão and visit one of Portugal’s largest and most prestigious wineries – Jose Maria da Fonseca – originating from 1834 and run with undiminished passion since that date by the same family. A must visit!

Obidos

Obidos is a romantic and very picturesque little town at 1 h drive from Lisbon, surrounded by a castle wall, a typical and well-preserved example of medieval architecture.

The hillside location gives you an amazing view of the Estremadura area. You enter the town through the southern gate of Santa Maria, which is decorated with eighteenth-century tiles (azulejos).

Inside the walls you walk through winding streets filled with tiny white houses with blue or yellow borders and wonderful flowers.

There are some beautiful churches, good restaurants and nice small shops. Make sure to try the ginginha de Obidos, a cherry liquor typically from the region.

Cabo da Roca and the beaches along the Sintra coast

Discover the beautiful Sintra coast with its amazing beaches such as Praia Grande, a great beach for surfers. When you’re not into surfing,  just take a swim at the ocean pool of the Arribas Sintra hotel or have cocktails at the bar above the pool and take in the view and the energy of  in the waves…Other beaches to explore in the area are Praia das Maças (great to visit with children) and the beautiful Praia da Adraga, as well as the small beach of Azenhas do Mar, a picturesque village perched on a cliff.  

End your trip with a visit to Cabo de Roca, a wild and rugged headland that marks the most  western point of the European continent – “at the edge of Europe”. You will enjoy the  breathtaking views and the perfect sunset. Be aware that it is extremely chilly and windy on the site. A must see as you really will feel like being at the end of the world. Amazing sensation and spectacular views!

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