First Time in Lisbon? 10 Things to Know Before You Go
Visiting Lisbon for the first time? Portugal’s capital is one of those cities that can look easy to navigate on a map but feels quite different once you start exploring its hills, historic neighborhoods, museums, and waterfront. Before planning your trip, I recommend checking my FULL LISBON TRAVEL GUIDE, where you’ll find my guides to the city’s museums, attractions, cultural experiences, and practical travel tips. After visiting Lisbon myself, I also think there are a few things worth knowing in advance that can make your trip considerably easier.
1. Be Prepared for Lisbon’s Hills
One of the first things you’ll notice when exploring Lisbon is that the city is very hilly. The historic neighborhoods are full of steep streets, stairs, and inclines, which can make even relatively short distances feel longer than they look on a map. This is part of Lisbon’s character, but it also means you should think carefully about your footwear. Comfortable shoes are not optional if you plan to explore the city on foot.
The hills also mean that Lisbon is full of spectacular viewpoints. In other words, the effort often comes with a reward.
MY TIP: Choose your footwear carefully, as the steep hills and slippery tiles can easily turn a carefree walk around the city into an uncomfortable experience if you’re not properly prepared.
2. Public Transport Isn’t Always as Predictable as You Expect
Lisbon has an extensive public transport network, including buses, trams, metro, and trains, but I wouldn’t plan your itinerary around perfectly timed connections. During my visit, I found that delays and less-than-perfect organization could be frustrating, particularly when you have several attractions planned for the same day. This is especially important if you’re trying to fit several museums or landmarks into a tight itinerary.
Also, some attractions are easier to reach by public transport than others, so check your route before setting off.
MY TIP: Leave yourself some buffer time rather than planning every connection down to the minute.
3. Lisbon’s Famous Tram 28 Is Not Just a Tourist Attraction
The iconic yellow Tram 28 is one of Lisbon’s most recognizable symbols, and riding it is certainly an experience. However, it’s also part of the city’s regular public transport system, which means it can become extremely crowded.
If you want to experience it, don’t expect a quiet sightseeing ride where you can comfortably sit and admire every street. During busy periods, getting a seat can be difficult, and the tram can be packed with lots of people. Still, I think it’s worth experiencing at least once if you’re visiting Lisbon for the first time.
MY TIP: Treat it as part of the city’s character rather than a perfectly organized sightseeing tour, and plan your ride during quieter hours.
4. Don’t Underestimate the Distance to Belém
Belém is home to some of Lisbon’s most famous attractions, including Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, and the Monument to the Discoveries. But Belém is not right in the middle of Lisbon’s historic center. You’ll need to set aside time to get there, and once you arrive, visiting the different attractions involves quite a bit of walking.
This becomes particularly important during summer. The area around the main attractions doesn’t offer as much shade as you might expect, and walking between the sights in direct sunlight can be exhausting when temperatures are high. When I visited, I found this part of Lisbon much less comfortable than exploring the shaded streets of the historic center.
MY TIP: If you’re visiting Lisbon in summer, go to Belém early in the morning rather than planning it for the hottest part of the day. Be sure to bring a hat during the summer months.
5. The Atlantic Ocean Is Cold
Lisbon can look like the perfect destination for a city-and-beach holiday, especially during summer. And technically, you can have both. The beaches around Cascais, Estoril, Costa da Caparica, and other coastal areas are accessible from Lisbon, making a beach day an easy addition to your itinerary.
But there’s one important thing to know: The Atlantic Ocean is cold. If you’re used to warm Mediterranean water, don’t expect the same experience here.
MY TIP: I would absolutely recommend visiting the coast because the scenery is beautiful, but if swimming in warm water is a major priority for your holiday, Lisbon may not be the best destination for a traditional beach vacation.
6. Lisbon Is More Than Its Famous Viewpoints
Lisbon’s viewpoints are beautiful, but don’t build your entire itinerary around them. The city has much more to offer, particularly if you’re interested in history, art, and Portuguese culture.
Some of the places I found particularly interesting include the Medeiros & Almeida Museum, the National Museum of Ancient Art, and MAC/CCB Museum of Contemporary Art.
If you’re a serious museum lover, however, I would set your expectations appropriately. Personally, I enjoyed Lisbon’s museums, but I expected somewhat more from the city’s overall museum scene compared with some of Europe’s major cultural capitals.
MY TIP: I would recommend choosing a few museums according to your interests rather than trying to visit as many as possible.
7. Experience Fado – Don’t Just Read About It
If you’re visiting Lisbon for the first time, I strongly recommend experiencing Live Fado Show. Fado is deeply connected to Lisbon’s cultural identity, and seeing it performed in an intimate venue gives you a completely different understanding of the tradition. You can also visit the Fado Museum to learn more about its history, musicians, and evolution.
For me, combining the museum experience with a live performance makes much more sense than treating either one in isolation. Even if you don’t understand Portuguese, the emotion of the music is easy to appreciate.
MY TIP: Book your Live Fado Show ticket before your trip and plan yourself an unforgettable evening in Lisbon.
8. Give Portuguese Food a Real Chance
One of the things I enjoyed most about Lisbon was the food. Portugal has a huge variety of traditional dishes, from seafood and fish to meat, soups, pastries, and regional specialties. Of course, you should try the famous pastel de nata. But don’t stop there. Use your trip as an opportunity to order something you’ve never tried before. Some of the best travel experiences come from discovering flavors and recipes that aren’t part of your usual routine.
For me, as someone who is pescatarian and has a strong love for Mediterranean cuisine, Portuguese food was one of the highlights of my trip to Lisbon.
MY TIP: Don’t stick to food you already know. Rather order something you’ve never tried before.
9. Don’t Try to See Everything in One Day
Lisbon can be deceptively difficult to explore quickly. The hills, distances between neighborhoods, public transport, queues at popular attractions, and time spent simply walking around all add up.
You can see many of Lisbon’s highlights in one day, but you’ll need to make a selection. If you have three days, for example, you can create a much more balanced itinerary that combines historic Lisbon, Belém, museums, and time simply exploring the city.
MY TIP: I’d rather visit fewer places and actually enjoy them than spend the entire day checking attractions off a list.
10. Leave Room for Lisbon’s Atmosphere
This might be the most important piece of advice I can give. Lisbon isn’t only about attractions. Some of my favorite moments came from simply walking through the city’s streets, looking at the colorful buildings, stopping for food, discovering a viewpoint, or sitting somewhere and watching the city around me.
Lisbon has a very particular atmosphere that is difficult to capture in a checklist. The city is beautiful in a way that feels different from many other European capitals, and its combination of architecture, hills, light, music, food, and local life gives it a distinctive character. So don’t plan every minute.
MY TIP: Leave some space to simply experience Lisbon.
What Should You Know Before Visiting Lisbon?
Lisbon is a beautiful and memorable destination, but knowing what to expect can make your first visit much more enjoyable.
Be prepared for hills, walking, occasional public transport delays, crowds at famous attractions, and cold Atlantic water. At the same time, expect beautiful architecture, excellent food, welcoming hospitality, fascinating cultural experiences, and an atmosphere that is distinctly Lisbon. My biggest recommendation is to plan enough, but don’t over-plan.
Choose the attractions that genuinely interest you, leave some flexibility in your itinerary, and give yourself time to experience the city between the major sights.
That’s when Lisbon becomes more than a list of places to visit – and becomes a city you actually remember.
