Lisbon in February

We were in Lisbon in February of this year. Not very crowded and the weather was okay.

We stayed in the Baixa area downtown and it did not take more than a couple of days until all the restaurant owners and waiters knew who we were. The people are so nice there.

I would probably limit my stay to Lisbon and Porto on your trip--going by train between them.

There are plenty of things to see in Lisbon. We were amazed how large their museums are.

And do not worry about your diet. They will attempt to fish you to death. And plenty of fast food places are available too.

In March of last year, I spent 8 nights in Lisbon. You might find my trip report helpful.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-lisbon-portugal-my-trip-report

I was in Lisbon in early February 2024. It was a great time to go, weather wise. Cool in the mornings and evenings, sunny and mild during the day. It was surprisingly crowded, but nothing, I'm sure, like it is during high season.

Thanks for the replies. This is our itinerary. Would love feedback.

Saturday 2/21/26
Arrive LIS 10:15am
· Jeronimos Montastery
· Snack Pasteis de Belem
· Belem Tower
· Monument to Discoveries
· MAAT Museum
· Dinner Time Out Market

Sunday
· Walk around Praca do Comercio
· Elevator de Santa Justa
· Lunch Cafe de Garagem
· Explore Alfama
· 6:15p Sunset Miradouro da Senhora do Monte
· Fado Dinner (recommendation?)

Monday
Sintra
· Hike 60min up
· Moorish Castle
· Pena palace
· Hike villa sassetti trail 45min down
· Quinta da Regaleira
· National Palace outside
· Return to Lisbon
· Dinner Taberna da Rua das Flores

Tuesday
· Shop Avenida da Liberdade
· Embaixada Concept Store
· Jardim do Príncipe Real
· Lunch Comoba
· LX factory
· Ler Devagar bookstore
· Dinner Ultimo Porto

Wednesday
Costa Da Caparica
· Breakfast Fora Bakery
· Surf Lesson
· Lunch Beachfront (recommendation?)
· Boardwalk
· Return to Lisbon
· Dinner Bario Alto

Thursday
Cascais
· Cacais Marina and Town
· Lunch Mar do Inferno
· Boca do Inferno Cliffs
· Sculpture Garden
· Museu Condes de Castro Guimaraes
· Return to Lisbon
· Dinner Sea Me

Friday
· Chiado/Baixa
· Lunch Bifanas do Alfonso
· Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
· National Tile Museum
· Miradouro da Graça
· Dinner Prado
· Get ready for early morning flight on Saturday

Hi there! I worry about your first day--Lisbon airport is known for being slow with processing arrivals and you have a lot of things planned in Belem that afternoon. I also don't know if you will be feeling jetlagged but something else to consider for Day 1. You also should perhaps think about dropping your bags at your accommodations before going on to Belem. If you are just seeing the outside of some of the things you've listed, it could still work but may feel rushed. We enjoyed lunch at Time Out Market before exploring Belem in the afternoon, so I think that is a great pairing. A thought since you are with teens/pre-teens--we took our 13 year old to the QUAKE Museum in Belem and just looked at the outside of the other things (other than Pastis de Belem--we ate a snack!), and she really enjoyed it.

We didn't do some of the day trips you mention, but I do think that your Sunday looks nicely relaxed. Do you plan to go into the Castelo on that day?

We will be able to drop our bags in Cais de Sodre before exploring. We’ll have to be flexible that day depending on jet lag.

Do you recommend going into Castelo?

Just a note that the Gulbenkian museum is being renovated and there is only one exhibit you can view (highlights of the museum). The gardens are open though.

For a 6 day trip, staying in Lisbon and taking day trips can be ideal for your family. We have been to Portugal twice in the last two years, just recently returning this week. In February, weather can be a challenge. If it rains or is windy, make sure you have shoes with very good traction and you may consider changing some of your plans, specifically to Sintra. When we went to Sintra two years ago, it was pouring rain and windy. We could not safely hike/visit the gardens or the Moorish castle. You may want some flexibility in your schedule to visit Sintra when it is not raining.

As for your specific itinerary:

• Saturday: Passport control times in Lisbon can vary wildly so you may want to have a lighter first day than visiting Belem. Is it possible to switch your Saturday and Sunday itineraries to give you more time to explore Belem.
• Monday: It is a busy day in Sintra as many of the museums are closed in Lisbon on Mondays. I would recommend that if you want to visit the Peña Palace, you start your day there early. With shorter days in February and so much on your agenda for Sintra, you may want to skip the hike up and allow yourselves more time for the rest of the day in Sintra. Sintra also has two pastries the Travesseiro which are light, fluffy puff pastry filled with almond and egg custard and Queijadas de Sintra which are small chewy cheesecake tarts. You can get these at Casa Piriquita in Sintra (there are two, Number II is bigger, more seating).
• Tuesday: The Jardim do Principe Real might be a better fit for Wednesday when you are having dinner in Barrio Alto as it closer to that area.
• Thursday: there are some folks on the forum that can help you with Cascais in February. We were there last week, had a nice lunch, but couldn’t see ourselves spending an entire day there and the weather was warm and sunny so we could be on the beach.

Some things to consider in Lisbon.

• Visiting Chiado: A couple sites to consider visiting: A Brasileira is a famous cafe with outdoor seating and the most delicious French toast with cheese (I know it is weird, but really tasty). It is a great place to people watch. Also, recommend that you go to the Livraria Bertrand which is the oldest operational bookstore in the world. If you buy a book there, you can get an emboss in English or Portuguese stating that you bought it from the oldest bookstore.

Yes, we enjoyed wandering around the Castelo--both the ruins were fun to explore and the views from the top over the city were stunning.

I think your Sintra day has a bit too much. I would prioritize Quinta da Regaleira since your kids would probably love that place. After all of that hiking and wandering around, you may be a bit too exhausted to enjoy it. Perhaps go there in the morning and then head up to the Moorish Castle and then Pena (I would skip the inside) if you still have energy left. The Park and Palace of Monserrate is an alternative that is often overlooked. Gorgeous gardens and pairs well with Regaleira since there is a bus that connects the two.

São Jorge Castle at sunset has great views. And as it gets dark, wandering around with the spotlights adds a bit of mystery to the place. When I was there in the evening, it got quiet after the sunset and I could imagine being in a different time.