With a remote location that makes it challenging to reach on a European tour, Lisbon is still somewhat of a hidden gem. This gorgeous city arguably has continental Europe’s best climate along with an abundance of historical sights.
Lisbon doesn’t have many must-see attractions, but the whole place is charming and is an excellent travel bargain compared to similar cities in Europe. Hotels and hostels are unusually affordable considering the high standards here, and bargains are usually easy to find outside of the busiest summer months.
Most of the attractions are free or cheap, and don’t forget about the famous Tram 28 that trundles through all of the interesting tourist neighborhoods in one loop as you get to ride along with locals for a normal tram fare.
| Population | 500,000 |
| Area | 2,700,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+0 |
| Currency | Euro |
| Airports | Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS) |
There are some affordable hotels close to Lisbon Airport, but for most visitors it’s best to pay a little more and book a place in the city center.
Hotels in Lisbon tend to stay busy most of the year, but the official high season lasts from June through September. Since this isn’t a beach city it doesn’t get overloaded during July and August the way the Mediterranean cities do, but still if you are coming during summer it’s best to book ahead.
During most of the rest of the year it’s usually quite easy to find a hotel room once you arrive, although the Christmas holiday season is popular everywhere so if you are coming then you should definitely book as far in advance as possible.
Several hostels in Lisbon continue to get excellent marks from past guests, so even if you aren’t traditionally a hostel person it might be worth looking into here, especially since all of them have private rooms to go along with their dorms.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 17.89 - 57.89 |
| 20.00 - 89.47 |
| 28.42 - 152.63 |
| 46.32 - 206.32 |
| 83.16 - 314.74 |
Lisbon City Hotel Doubles from €76/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Lisbon |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 12.63 - 27.37 |
Urban Garden Hostel Beds from €12/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central hostel in Lisbon |
Lisbon has its share of historic castles and churches in the compact city center, and visitors should allow a full day for this.
The famous Santa Justa Elevator that takes visitors from the city center to one of the historic neighborhoods up on the hill is worth it even if you just ride right back down.
The free (tips-based) walking tours of Lisbon are definitely worthwhile and a great way to get oriented on your first full day in the city.
Tram 28 is just a normal tram used by locals at the regular fare, but it happens to connect most of the main sights so it’s a handy city tour on its own.
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castelo de São Jorge | This castle overlooks the city from a hill so the views are as nice as the castle itself. | adults children | 15.79 7.37 |
| Santa Justa Elevator | This gorgeous downtown elevator saves a lot of climbing up to the Bairro Alto neighborhood. Price is for 2 trips, but it's included with various travel cards. | adults | 5.26 |
| Tram 28 | This famous tram route does a loop through all the main tourist areas and is a popular way to see the city all at once. Costs much more if ticket bought on board. | adults | 3.16 |
| Sintra Palace | The National Palace is one of the many good sights in nearby Sintra - a popular day trip from Lisbon. | adults children | 14.74 12.63 |
Food and drinks are also quite cheap by European standards, with particularly good local dishes and wine available at modest prices. You’ll pay more to eat at one of the restaurants featuring fado music, but it’s a premium worth paying at least once.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | Breakfasts are often included with your room or bed. If not, finding a local cafe will be easy. | 4.21 - 7.37 |
| Budget lunch | There's very little fast food or take-away in Lisbon, but budget options are there if you look. | 5.26 - 10.53 |
| Budget dinner | Assuming this is your big meal of the day, you can get good continental cuisine all over the city. Fado restaurants are near the top of this range. | 9.47 - 18.95 |
| Beer (pint) | There are many pubs in the Bairro Alto district. Prices at nightclubs will be higher. | 4.21 - 6.32 |
| Port (glass) | Good local port wine can be cheap, but the best aged stuff can be extremely expensive. | 2.11 - 9.47 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 9.47 - 15.79 |
| Aerobús from airport to city center | 3.16 |
| Public bus from airport to city center | 2.11 |
| 3km taxi ride in Lisbon | 7.37 - 10.53 |
| Public bus, metro, or tram ride | 1.05 - 1.05 |
Most visitors will fly into Lisbon Airport (LIS), since the city is on the edge of the continent. Those who are visiting Spain can take an overnight train from Madrid to Lisbon, but it’s a slow trip and there is still no daytime service.
Portugal and Spain both have extensive networks of long-distance coach (bus) service, so they can be the best and cheapest way for backpackers who are touring the Iberian peninsula.
Lisbon is fairly compact so walking is the best and easiest way to get around for the most part, but the city is yet another that is built upon seven hills, and walks can be steep.
The Lisbon tram system is frequent and affordable, and a great way to get up and down the hills.
Taxi service is affordable compared to most other European capitals as well.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58 | 47 | 3.8 |
| February | 61 | 49 | 3.6 |
| March | 65 | 51 | 2.0 |
| April | 67 | 53 | 2.6 |
| May | 71 | 56 | 2.2 |
| June | 77 | 61 | 0.7 |
| July | 82 | 64 | 0.2 |
| August | 82 | 65 | 0.3 |
| September | 79 | 63 | 1.1 |
| October | 72 | 58 | 3.1 |
| November | 64 | 53 | 4.2 |
| December | 59 | 49 | 4.8 |
From a weather standpoint Lisbon is one of the few cities in Europe where there is no bad season to visit. Summers are generally warm and sunny, and even the humidity is quite mild by most standards. There are occasionally days from June through August where the temperatures really get up there, but it’s not something that happens regularly.
Thanks to the Gulfstream, even winters tend to be mild in Lisbon, with temperatures below freezing being extremely rare. Most of the city’s rain falls from October through February, but it’s unlikely you’ll be soaked for days straight even during that period.
| 21 Mar | 6:39am | 6:49pm |
| 21 Jun | 6:12am | 9:04pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:23am | 7:35pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:51am | 5:18pm |