Suggested 1-2 day trip outside of Lisbon

Hello Susan,

I'm Portuguese and I can tell you there some great options for a 1 day trip outside Lisbon:

1. Óbidos: it's a 85 km drive to the north of Lisbon... It's a small town with a beautiful citadel and castle... there, you can admire the small houses and savour the famous "ginjinha", a local liqueur;
2. Tomar: 140 km northeast of Lisbon you'll find this beautiful town. Here you can stroll through the historic centre and visit the ex-libris of this place - the wonderful Castle and Convent of Christ... if you like history and Knights Templar, then you should consider this place;
3. Arrábida Natural Park: around 40 km south of Lisbon, you can visit this park if you like to admire beautiful landscapes and beaches... you can also visit places like Palmela, Sesimbra and Cape Espichel;
4. Évora: 135 km east of Lisbon, Évora is also known as the "museum city" since there are a lot of places to visit and admire at this city. You can admire the ramparts, the Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos), the cathedral, the Roman temple, and so on...

If you have two days to spend, you could look further, at places like Coimbra...

Enjoy your time in Portugal ;)

Thank you, Paulo! Your response is very helpful.

The photos of Tomar look very interesting. What is the best way to get there?

Is Mafra worth a trip?

Evora or Coimbra will likely have the easiest transportation options. They are both an easy train ride from Lisbon. And, if you purchase tickets 7-30 days ahead, you save 40%, making them very inexpensive. Both have lots of history, architecture and good food. However they are both on the tourist radar screen, and you are going during a popular time. Evora would be hotter than Coimbra, if that’s a factor.
In Evora there is a great tour of megaliths outside of town that you and your teenagers would enjoy. It was my favorite part of my first visit. In Coimbra, there is lots of great architecture and they have a large number of really good restaurants. GoWalks has a great walking tour that takes you to the university and Library, as well as other sites in town.
Óbidos would likely be the most crowded because it’s the smallest - and the transport options aren’t great.
I would suggest you research Evora and Coimbra and go with the one that sounds the most interesting.

Thank you so much for your insights! Will will research your suggestions further. Have a wonderful day.

Hello Susan,
I was with my family (wife and 2 daughters) in Lisbon in early December 2017.
It was recommended to us by other friends who had already been in Lisbon, a company called LX GUEST. The Manager is called Bruno and provides a superb private driver service.
Our driver was the manager himself in a super clean and well treated BMW limousine and with him we made several trips: Sintra, Cascais, Belém, Coimbra, Óbidos, Fatima and Porto. He is super friendly and has an exceptional courtesy.
We loved the quality of the service, the price, all the restaurant recommendations and tips from the cities and got a perspective from someone local and in a super private family way. I hope I was helpfull.
I leave you his contacts to check availability:
[email protected] or
His WhatsApp +351969155787

Thank you, Ethan. Would you mind my asking what his rate was or how he charged you (hourly vs day etc.)?

Hello again,
His prices always depends on the cities chosen and the distance traveled.
We think he offers a very good high quality service at a very decent and acceptable price.
Try contact him and asking him for suggestions that fit your schedule and your free time.
Ethan