Lisbon Day Trips: Where to Go Beyond the Capital

The shortlist

If you only have time for one day out of Lisbon, do Sintra. It is the one with the most to see, the most photographed palaces, and the easiest logistics (a 40-minute train from central Lisbon). If you have two days, add Cascais for the beach version. The list below covers everything in an hour or two from Lisbon.

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Most of these are well-served by guided day tours from Lisbon, especially Sintra where the queues are punishing in summer and the trains are busy. A well-reviewed Sintra and Cascais small-group day trip from Lisbon with Pena Palace entry bundles transport, palace tickets and the coast into one booking. For Setubal and the Arrabida peninsula, a guided Arrabida peninsula and Setubal day trip from Lisbon covers the hard-to-reach beaches and the working fishing port.

Sintra

Sintra is the day trip. The Pena Palace (the candy-coloured 19th-century royal retreat on a hilltop), the Moorish Castle (the older, rawer medieval fortification with views over the whole region), Quinta da Regaleira (the romantic estate with the initiation wells and the hidden tunnels), and the National Palace in the town centre are all within walking distance of the train station. Train: 40 minutes from Rossio station to Sintra, every 20 minutes.

The trick is the timing. Sintra gets brutally busy in summer; the queue for Pena Palace can hit 90 minutes by 10at the. Take the first train out (around 7at the), pre-book Pena Palace timed-entry tickets, go straight to the palace, and you will have the terraces mostly to yourself. A guided version is the right call if your schedule forces a later start.

Cascais

Cascais is the beach day from Lisbon. The former fishing village turned seaside resort, 35 minutes west of Lisbon on the coastal train from Cais do Sodré, with a sheltered beach, a marina, the old town with tiled houses, several seafood restaurants along the waterfront, the Boca do Inferno cliffs at the edge of town, and a slow Sunday-morning pace. The train ride itself runs along the water for the last 20 minutes and is part of the pleasure.

You can do Sintra and Cascais in a single day but it is rushed. Split them across two days if you can: Sintra for the palaces, Cascais for the beach evening.

Setubal and the Arrabida peninsula

Setubal is the working fishing port and the gateway to the Arrabida peninsula, where turquoise water, white-sand beaches you would not believe were 30 minutes from a capital city, and the Convento de Arrabida (a 16th-century monastery) sit on the south side of the Tagus. The seafood in Setubal is excellent (grilled horse mackerel, the local grilled sardines, fried cuttlefish), and the town has none of the tourist polish of Lisbon. Train: 50 minutes from Lisboa Roma-Areeiro to Setubal; from there, an Uber or a local bus to the beaches and the convent.

Evora

Evora is the UNESCO-listed Alentejo city, two hours east of Lisbon by direct bus from Sete Rios station. The Roman Temple, the medieval cathedral, the Capela dos Ossos (the chapel lined with the bones of 5,000 monks), the University of Evora courtyard, and a slow lunch in one of the regional restaurants are the draw. The Alentejo is the wine region south of Lisbon; a half-day wine-tasting tour is the natural pair.

Obidos and the Oeste

Obidos is the closest medieval walled town to Lisbon, 60-75 minutes north by bus from Campo Grande or Sete Rios. The castle, the walls you can walk along, the Ginja de Obidos (the cherry liqueur served in a chocolate cup), and the whitewashed streets winding up to the castle keep are all reasons to do it. Combine with the surf coast (Nazaré, Peniche) or the wine region around Bombarral on a long day with a hire car or guided tour.

Tomar and the Templars

Tomar is one of the most underrated day trips from Lisbon. The Convent of Christ (the former Templar headquarters, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the famous Manueline window), the old town, the synagogue (one of the oldest in Portugal), and the river Nabão running through the city are all walkable from the station. Train: 90 minutes from Lisboa Santa Apolonia to Tomar on regional trains.

Which one to book

Book Sintra if it is your only day out. Book Cascais if you want the beach. Book Setubal and Arrabida if you want the wild coast. Book Evora if you have done the obvious ones and want a slower day. Book Obidos for the medieval village. Book Tomar for the Templar history. The list is long and the trains are easy; the trick is to do one well rather than two rushed ones.