This plan is a bit open we do want to do the 28 tram if not too crowded. Anything else glaring that we’re missing or any advice? We’re there in three weeks. Thanks!!!!
Day one Sunday - take double decker bus tour (yes I know lots of people hate these and I have mixed feelings but my husband LOVES these things and I fall asleep on them so a nap is always good). Get off at Belém and walk around do the Monastery, monument and eat egg tarts and lunch, ride the bus (aka good nap time for me).
Monday - Old Lisbon the castle, elevator, take the ferry across for lunch.
Tuesday - Up early hit the flea market, take the train to Sintra for the day.
Wednesday - Nice breakfast near our apartment and airport TAP to Barcelona.
Posted by
Chicago
8178 posts
you don't have any evening/night life on the town in your plan while on vacation in Lisbon?
Posted by
Calgary, AB, Canada
567 posts
The 28 tram will be crowded. We caught it in the Gracia area and took it to the other end. A lot of people just got off there and got back on another tram ,but I'd suggest exploring that part of Lisbon ( Estrela). The Jardim d'Estrela is over there. As well when you get off you are right at the cemetary and it is worth a look.
When you say elevator on Monday do you mean the Elevador Santa Justa? or just the elevator that you can take up in the Alfama region to get up to the castle ( not a tourist attraction). I would personally skip the Santa Justa elevator, unless you walk by and there is no line. If a cruise ship is in town it will be very crowded and you can see the same views easily elsewhere ( and will at the castle).
Are you staying near the flea market? Otherwise I think you are backtracking before catching the train. Sintra definitely has enough to fill a full day.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
Get up early if you want to ride the 28E tram. I actually wasn't going to bother riding it on my trip last May (part of the line was under construction anyway), but on my final morning in Lisbon, I decided to get up early and hike up to one of the viewpoints one last time to get some morning photos before departing Lisbon...and about 7:30ish I walked by the 28E origin stop, and the tram was sitting there with a few empty seats, mostly full of people, ready to take off. So I got on. (I also realized my 24 hour transit pass from the day before was still good.) Normally, when I walked by this same spot during the day, there was a long line of people waiting to get on.
So - just get up early if you want to avoid a line to board and ride the 28E.
Be careful about getting to Sintra late. There's a lot to see there, and it all takes more time than you probably imagine - and in October, days will be shorter and you may not have a lot of time to see everything. Don't waste time at the flea market unless you get up super early and still make it to Sintra by 9am-ish.
Posted by
Florida
26 posts
Take Rick's Lisbon Audio tour!! We have used Rick's audio tours in the past and each new one gets easier and more user friendly, so even if you have used them in the past and found them a bit cumbersome, I urge you to try again. We took a whole day to take the tour stopping to shop or explore an interesting alley, or park, maybe enjoy an adult beverage or 2. It was the perfect Lisbon day. Thanks Rick, I love the audio tours (and BTW, we did this on a Monday when the museums are closed, perfect). If you do it straight through, give yourself 2 hours. This was definitely a highlight of our whole trip.
Posted by
OP
Austin, TX, USA
224 posts
Thank you. We do leave quite a bit of wiggle room in plans because sometimes we get to a city and find a museum we didn't know about or some great temporary exhibit that we want to see.
We do plan to go out at night. We arrive very late on Saturday night but there is a fancy wine bar in the bottom floor of our Airbnb that we might visit for a night cap if we have the energy its called JNcQuoi. Other than that we are planning on at least one dinner at the Market. Normally in whatever city we are in we take a stroll after dinner and find a spot for a night cap or grab gelato or a pastry to nibble. This is also when we typically buy souvenirs, the shops are fairly empty then and we can chat a bit with the shop keepers.
We're fairly close to the flea market, I think we were planning on getting there around 6:45 walking through then heading to the train station. We like to visit flea markets in whatever city we're in. We don't always find something but enjoy looking and the things we do get always have a good story. So, we are planning on getting to the train station maybe 8:15, need to check the departure times. I know Sintra will be a jammed day.
Yes, I'm less optimistic on the tram than my husband but we did talk about getting up very early on Monday morning and hoping the tram.
Elevator - Yes Elevador Santa Justa, this isn't a must do and I read that there is a restaurant next to it where you get the same view and can people watch, if the line is too long that is what we'll do.
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
4627 posts
Lisbon has the best aquarium I've ever been to.