Lisbon itinerary: viewpoints, trams and a Sintra day trip
Lisbon is all hills, and a plan that ignores them leaves you climbing the same slope three times. This prompt gets your todo.is agent to plan each day downhill where possible, mix trams and the metro, time Belém and Sintra away from the worst crowds and pick the right viewpoint for sunset.
The prompt
- Build a [NUMBER OF DAYS]-day Lisbon itinerary for [WHO IS TRAVELLING], [TRAVEL DATES]. Plan each day so we walk mostly downhill, using tram 28, the funiculars, the Santa Justa lift or metro to go up. Include Alfama, Baixa, Chiado, Bairro Alto and Belém, and a full day in Sintra by train with the order of palaces to visit. Our walking limit is about [WALKING LIMIT] a day. We want [FOOD WISHES]. Add a sunset viewpoint for each evening and a fado night. Note which sights are closed on Mondays. Send a PDF with Google Maps links to my email. Don't book anything.
What to change
- [NUMBER OF DAYS]: E.g. "4". Sintra fills a full day by itself.
- [WHO IS TRAVELLING]: E.g. "2 adults", "me and 2 kids", "my parents in their 70s".
- [TRAVEL DATES]: E.g. "2 to 5 May".
- [WALKING LIMIT]: E.g. "10 km" or "short walks only".
- [FOOD WISHES]: E.g. "pastel de nata, seafood, cheap tascas, one nice dinner".
Example result
- Lisbon in 4 days, 2 adults
- Food, viewpoints, about 10 km a day · Tuesday to Friday
- Day 1: Baixa, Chiado and Bairro Alto
- • Afternoon: Praça do Comércio and the Rua Augusta arch. Take the Elevador de Santa Justa or walk up to Largo do Carmo.
- • Chiado's cafés and bookshops (Bertrand claims to be the world's oldest working bookshop).
- • Sunset: Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara.
- • Evening: dinner and street drinks in Bairro Alto.
- Day 2: Alfama, top to bottom
- • Morning: tram 28 or a taxi up to the Castelo de São Jorge. Walk down to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Portas do Sol.
- • Through the Alfama lanes to the Sé Cathedral.
- • Afternoon: National Tile Museum (bus from the centre), or the Feira da Ladra flea market on Tuesday or Saturday.
- • Evening: fado in a small Alfama house. Book a table.
- Day 3: Sintra
- • Morning: train from Rossio station (about 40 min). Start at Pena Palace early, then the Moorish Castle.
- • Afternoon: Quinta da Regaleira and its initiation well. Lunch in Sintra village; try a travesseiro pastry.
- • Sintra is very busy. Use the local bus between palaces instead of walking the steep road.
- • Evening: back to Lisbon, dinner in Príncipe Real.
- Day 4: Belém and LX Factory
- • Morning: tram 15 to Belém. Jerónimos Monastery (closed Mondays), then pastéis de Belém.
- • Riverside walk to the Belém Tower and the Monument to the Discoveries.
- • Afternoon: LX Factory for shops and lunch; MAAT museum on the river.
- • Sunset: Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, the highest viewpoint.
- Getting around
- • A rechargeable Navegante or Viva Viagem card covers metro, trams, funiculars and Sintra trains; check Carris and CP for fares.
- • Tram 28 is crowded and pickpockets know it. Ride it early or take bus 737 to the castle.
- Good to know
- • Wear shoes with grip. The polished limestone calçada gets slippery.
- • Many museums close on Monday.
How to do it with todo.is
- Put your days, group, dates, walking limit and food wishes into the prompt.
- Send it from the Today screen in todo.is, or on WhatsApp or Telegram to your agent.
- You get a Lisbon PDF with downhill routes, Sintra timing and map links.
- Ask your agent to adjust ("add Cascais", "swap fado for a food tour"), then book what you choose.
Tips for a better result
- Ask your agent to start each day at the top of a hill. Lisbon is much easier walked downhill.
- Go to Sintra on a weekday and start at Pena at opening. By late morning the queues are long.
- Belém's monuments close one day a week. Ask your agent to check your dates.
- Ask for a Cascais or Setúbal beach day if you visit between June and September.
Lisbon itinerary: FAQ
- How many days in Lisbon is enough? Three days covers Alfama, Baixa, Chiado and Belém. Add a fourth for Sintra and a fifth for Cascais or Évora.
- Is Lisbon good for older travellers? Yes, with planning. Ask your agent for trams, funiculars and taxis on the steep parts and shorter walking days.
- Is tram 28 worth it? It's a fun ride through Alfama, but often packed. Ride it early, or use it only for the uphill part of your day.
- Can my agent find fado restaurants with good reviews? Yes. It searches reviews and gives you links and areas; you book the table yourself.
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