As mentioned in an earlier article, we believe as a digital nomad, one should spend no less than one month wherever they choose to stay. However, my partner and I arrived in Portugal and chose to divide our time spending 2 weeks in Lisbon and 2 weeks in Porto. Portugal is probably one of the most underrated countries in Europe. It’s beautiful scenery, delicious pastries, amazing wine culture, and pleasant climate make it an ideal place for your nomading adventures. Portugal even has a Digital Nomad Visa (which you can learn more about in an upcoming article). Whether you plan to spend 1 year, 1 month, or even 1 week in this wonderful country, we have our ideal itineraries to help you in your planning.
Day 1
Explore your neighborhood and settle in. Travel days are hard. Don’t try to do too much. Enjoy your time, take in the neighborhood and look forward to an awesome week in this bewitching city.
Day 2
Don’t worry about waking up too early. The European lifestyle is a laidback one. Enjoy a nice late breakfast or brunch; you're going to get a workout today, but there will be treats!
Arrive at the MAAT, get your selfie on the shimmering roof offering a perfect view of the Ponte 25 de Abril. There’s a few options nearby for coffee or water and snacks. Face away from the bridge for now and keep strolling down the riverside towards Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a monumental statue dedicated to Henry the Navigator.
A further ten minutes walking and you’ve made it to Belém Tower and nearby park. This beach fort is a landmark for the city and can easily be enjoyed from the park and relaxing. The park offers an array of food stalls on busy days, but don’t stop off just yet, your next stop is well worth the wait. Pastéis de Belém is a 15-minute walk, and is arguably the most famous place for a famous custard tart, Pastel de Nata. Make sure to grab a table, rather than taking it to go. The cafe area has a waitstaff and a menu fulfilling whatever appetite you’ve gained on your walk. Relax, have a coffee and a pastry and enjoy your time.
After fueling up, take in the wondrous sight of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos next door. Go explore the nearby Botanical gardens and museums and make sure to pass by the Palácio Nacional de Belém.
Day 3
Lisbon can be quite hilly so our advice is to start higher up and explore downwards when possible. Today we decided to start at Praça Marquês de Pombal, which can be easily accessed by metro (a guide to Lisbon Transit can be found in an upcoming article). The surrounding area is full of restaurants and cafes for a light breakfast or lunch and the delightful but can be steep if you want to walk all the way up to the top of Parque Eduardo VII. I think the view can be worth it, but it’s purely optional.
When you’re ready, continue your walk down Avenue da Liberdade. This street is Lisbon’s answer to 5th Avenue and Champs-Elysee. There's high-end shopping, nice restaurants, and theaters on both sides of the street. Enjoy the stroll downhill and after about 20 minutes, you’ll end up at Praça dos Restauradores. Follow the crowd around the corner until you’re standing in the middle of Praça Dom Pedro IV. This is one of my favorite areas in Lisbon. There’s so many restaurants and cafes in the surrounding area, not to mention the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, which anchors the square. Remember to look down at the dazzling tilework in the main plaza. Take a moment to take in the view, before heading down the middle street, one block down the famous Elevador de Santa Justa is on your right.
Keep on down the wonderful and quaint Rua Augusta towards the famous Arch. Passing through the famous arch leads you to Praça do Comércio. Cross the street until you are on the water and see the Cais das Colunas. Enjoy walking along the water where there is a nice waterside kiosk serving refreshing drinks in a beautiful setting, or you can head along to the nearby Mercado da Ribeira, turned into a TimeOut Market, this food hall serves up the best of the best of Lisbon. Have a rest, have a bite, have a sip and enjoy yourselves.
Before you head in for the day, be sure to take a trip to see the Lisbon Cathedral. This is well worth the climb up, as it’s not too bad coming up from the water. Even if you decided not to go in, this medieval cathedral is such a venerable and magnificent sight.
Day 4
A trip to Sintra is standard for any trip to Lisbon, easily accessed by train, and a nifty $5 round trip ticket. This town will transport you. Uber and Bolt and other ride sharing can easily get you around the city, however if you’re not afraid to take your time with it, one can choose to walk but I would not recommend it unless steep inclines are your thing.
There are a few options of palaces and parks to do but our recommendation definitely is to visit the Quinta da Regaleira, not missing out on the Initiation Well. This park is wonderful, moody, and stunning. It is such a gem and you won’t regret the climb it involves to see everything. It is well worth it!
Park and National Palace of Pena is such an icon for its scenery, decorations, and brightly colored buildings, it’s a beautiful time when you visit. Beware though, if it’s not such a clear day on your visit, it might now be worth the crowds. The tickets for this palace can be bought from machines, so don’t worry about pre-purchasing your ticket. Although it is always best to plan ahead and avoid potentially long lines.
There are more to choose from, but we chose these two and we were exhausted by the end of the day. Our advice is not to try to see everything and rush through them, take your time and pick only one or two palaces to explore.
Trains between Lisbon and Sintra run hourly, so don’t fret about getting back; the last train leaves at 12am.
Day 5
Are your legs sore after all that walking in Sintra? Our legs were! Take the morning to relax and have a nice late brunch at the scenic and popular Ponto Final. This riverside restaurant closes its lunch at 4pm everyday. This restaurant is not a vegetarian friendly option, but perfect for seafood lovers.
For vegetarians I’d recommend daTerra Bairro Alto or Fauna & Flora for a nice brunch, the latter having something for all tastes.
Enjoy the rest of your afternoon strolling the city, or taking a well-deserved nap. Today is all about the nighttime. It’s time to take in Fado music!
This city gets lively at night, and taking in some live music should not be missed. Head out around 9pm for an authentic night. Bairro Alto is a popular neighborhood for this Portuguese music and plenty of bars and restaurants can be found playing live music.
Day 6
Reminisce about your week in this beautiful city, take a tour of your highlights of the week and be sure to check out the LxFactory if you’re in the neighborhood. It’s always good to support the local contemporary artists.
Day 7
You did it! You explored this gorgeous, underrated, amazing adventure of a city.
Getting to the airport in Lisbon has never been easier. There’s the metro which has a line going to the Airport and back running from 6am to 1am every day. There’s numerous buses, trains, and of course ride-sharing and taxis.
I hope you enjoyed this itinerary and please stay tuned for travel tips, advice, and more!
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