Lisbon stay

I just got back from Lisbon where I had a lovely stay at Rick Steves-recommended Casa do Barão. It is on the pricey side, but regardless, I generally enjoyed staying in the Chiado neighborhood where that guesthouse is located. Clean streets, not too crowded, great architecture, very central. Nearby Bairro Alto can be noisy, is more run-down, but is also fun.

We have stayed in the Alfama area, up near the castle ( I think technically it is called Castelo, but will show up as Alfama frequently). We like the windy streets, and it is a little quieter at night. It is hilly, but so is most of LIsbon. Belem is very close to Lisbon and most first time visitors go there, but I would not otherwise plan another daytrip if you are doing Sintra. 3 days in Lisbon is not very long, I would just stay and enjoy the city.

For guided lours of Lisbon, I highly recommend the Inside Lisbon "Best of Lisbon" walking tour recommended in the RS book. It takes about 3 hours, includes breaks with snacks. The guide was excellent.

With only three days, the day trip to Sintra is enough. Lisbon has the Belem area to explore with Monasterio Jeronimos, Monument to the Discoveries, Belem Tower. aIn central Lisbon, the Castle, Alfama District, Gulbenkian Museum, Tile Museum, lots to see.

There is a lot to see and do in Lisbon. With 3 days, I would stay in Lisbon the whole time. If you really want to see Sintra, then that should be the only day trip. We had 5 nights in Lisbon, which included a day trip to Sintra, and we didn't see everything we wanted to see in Lisbon.