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Bucketlist Bri

Bucketlist Bri

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How to Spend the Perfect 2 Days in Lisbon

Last Updated: March 29, 2022 · Portugal

Lisbon is one of those cities you could spend a lifetime in and still not see everything. So, what are you supposed to do if you only have two days to spare?

With 2 days in Lisbon, you could wander the labyrinth of the charming Alfama neighborhood, buzz by the pastel-hued buildings on a cute yellow tram, party the night away in the lively bars tucked off the cobbled alleys of Bairro Alto, and enjoy the cultural sites of Baixa.

It’s true—there are so many things to do in Lisbon that you won’t be able to check it all off with just a two-day itinerary. And that’s okay! You don’t need to speed up your travels and have everything whiz by just so you can say you’ve “seen it.”

Without sacrificing quality or time, this guide will clue you in on how to spend the perfect two days in Lisbon!

Table of Contents show
How to Visit Lisbon in 2 Days
Day 1: Discovering the Heart of Lisbon
Best Tours
DIY Walking Tour of Lisbon’s City Center
Day 2 in Lisbon
Enjoy Your 2 Days in Lisbon!

How to Visit Lisbon in 2 Days

View of Lisbon, Portugal with red rooftops and city center
View from the Miradouro de Graça

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Since two days is quite a short trip, you’ll want to make sure your hotel is centrally located in the city so you can quickly and conveniently get around.

Whether you are staying for just two days or are visiting Lisbon for the first time, book your hotel within the Santa Maria Maior district. This area encompasses the most central and interesting neighborhoods of Baixa/Chiado, Alfama, and Bairro Alto — click here to jump to the top-rated hotels and places to stay.

For details on where to stay, read my in-depth guide about the best neighborhoods and hotels in Lisbon.

🚋 Kickstart your 2 days in Lisbon with a Lisbon Essentials Tour: History, Stories, Lifestyle

✈️ Book your cheap flights to Lisbon on KAYAK

🚗 Need a car rental? Use DiscoverCars.com for the best rates!

🎟 Get a Lisbon Card for 48 hours and save on admission tickets & transportation

Once you have your accommodation covered, now it’s time to plan your fun 2-day itinerary! Below are my recommendations on what to do and see in such a short time.

Day 1: Discovering the Heart of Lisbon

Colorful street in Bairro Alto neighborhood in Lisbon Portugal
Colorful houses of the Alfama district and the Castelo de Sao Jorge on the top of the hill in Lisbon, Portugal.
35 Best Things To Do & See in and Around Lisbon, Portugal in one week // BUCKETLIST BRI #travel #portugal #wanderlust #europe
Mirador de Santa Luzia

There’s no better way to spend your first day in Lisbon than by exploring its artistic, cultural, historic center. Today, you will explore the Baixa/Chiado neighborhood right in front of the Tagus River before meandering your way through Bairro Alto and Alfama.

Key Highlights:

  • Praça do Comercio (Commerce Square)
  • Arco da Rua Augusta
  • Santa Justa Lift
  • Largo do Carmo / Carmo Archaeological Museum
  • Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
  • Miradouro da Santa Catarina
  • Gloria Funicular (Elevador da Gloria)
  • Avenida da Liberdade (Liberty Avenue)
  • Praca do Rossio (Rossio Square)
  • Praca da Figueira (Square of the Fig Tree)
  • São Jorge Castle

Best Tours

If you want an all-in-one tour that will recount the history and local life of Lisbon, then check out this budget-friendly Lisbon Essentials Experience, which takes you on a 3-hour, jam-packed tour exploring the must-sees of Lisbon’s central neighborhoods, including Chiado, Bairro Alto (with a view from Miradouro São Pedro de Alcântara), and a fun tram ride that drops you off in the soul of the enchanting Alfama district.

If you’re not a walker or have difficulty with Lisbon’s seven hills, then you can also see the best of Lisbon with a 48-hour hop-on-hop-off bus ticket.

Tram 28 tour in Lisbon
Tram 28 Tour via GetYourGuide

DIY Walking Tour of Lisbon’s City Center

Start your day in the flat district of Baixa, around Praça do Comercio. In this area, you can visit several monuments, such as the Arco da Rua Augusta, Santa Justa Lift, and the Largo do Carmo.

From here, follow the Calcada do Duque stairs up to Bairro Alto (or take the lift). Explore the medieval alleys, taking note of your favorite places for a fun night out on day two. Stop by the Gloria Funicular (the most photographed street), and then climb once more up to the Miradouro da Santa Catarina.

From here, follow the tram tracks into the bohemian, eclectic neighborhood of Chiado. On your way, step into the world’s oldest bookstore—Livraria Bertrand—before continuing on foot or via tram to Alfama.

Get lost in Alfama, and then finish off the afternoon with a beautiful sunset at Castelo de São Jorge (it’s one of the best sunset spots in Lisbon!). Enjoy the view with a glass of wine before heading to dinner and back to your hotel. P.S. An alternative sunset option is this sunset sailboat tour on the Tagus River.

Nightlife in Lisbon is always “on”, especially in Bairro Alto. So if you’re feeling like going out for drinks, head there!

Day 2 in Lisbon

For your second day in Lisbon, head out west to the city’s artsy, industrial, and seafaring neighborhoods of Alcântara and Belém. Today, you’ll explore the trendy LX Factory, eat the original recipe for pasteís de nata and stroll along the Tagus.

Woman strolling down street inside the LX Factory in Lisbon, Portugal

But before you do, the best way to start day two in Lisbon is with brunch! (Especially after a long first day or a late night out.) Among the best places for brunch in Lisbon is Fauna & Flora and Dear Breakfast! But check out the others just in case those are closer to your hotel.

After brunch, rent a scooter and follow the Cais do Sodré down toward the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge (the Docks). It’s a fun 5–10 minute ride that will get you closer to LX Factory.

Tagus river in Lisbon at sunset

It’s not ideal for families or children, so you might just foot the bill and hitch an Uber/Lyft instead. Either way, head to the LX Factory!

This area of Lisbon is so cool, with lots of boutique shops, ateliers and art galleries, trendy restaurants, cafés, and more. On Sundays, there is a large outdoor flea market with local artists selling vintage clothing, jewelry, artisan cork products, and more. If that sounds like your vibe, make sure to read more about what to see and do in LX Factory.

Since Alcântara is halfway to Belém, get an Uber and make it over there to visit the Jéronimos Monastery, pastel de nata house, Padrão dos Descobrimentos seafaring monument, Rosa-dos-Ventos compass, and more.

It takes around 2–3 hours to walk and visit around Belém, so definitely doable in an afternoon before heading back to finish up your second evening in Lisbon.

Don’t forget you can save on all the admission tickets & tram/metro fees with a 48-hour Lisbon Card! 🚋

Take public transportation or Uber/Lyft back to the heart of Lisbon.

For a staple dinner (or lunch) experience in Lisbon, I recommend the Time Out Market. Right around this area are tons of other food options, though, plus plenty of cocktail bars!

Finally, to put the cherry on top of the cake of this 2-day Lisbon itinerary, find a Fado bar in Bairro Alto, Chiado, or Alfama and spend your last night in Lisbon engrossed in the melancholic music of a live Fado show.

Enjoy Your 2 Days in Lisbon!

While you won’t be able to do it all, I hope this itinerary helps plan your short trip to Lisbon!

My favorite way to spend short trips in a city is to explore the heart as fully as possible and then combine a day trip on the second day. A lot of tourists will come to Lisbon for two days but then spend one away in Sintra or Cascais. Lisbon already has so much to offer that it would be a shame to spend half your time away!

That said, those places are obviously bucket-list-worthy destinations as well. However, I’d recommend including them in itineraries in which you have at least 3–5 days in Lisbon or more.

However you end up spending your time, please let me know how your trip ends up going in the comments below! Likewise, feel free to reach out with questions.

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By: Bri · In: Portugal

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Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨ 💻 WORKIN Tips from a long-time nomad ⬇️✨

💻 WORKING ONLINE
While not all nomads/remote workers have online-specific jobs, it’s the easiest way to sustain an income for full-time or long-term travel. Here are some jobs you can do as a digital nomad!

• Blogging (This is what I do full-time!)
• Content Creation / Brand Sponsorship
• Virtual Assisting
• Social Media Management
• YouTube or Podcasting
• Graphic / Web Design
• Coding / Development
• Photography / Videography
• Freelance Writing (How I started)
• Marketing / Amazon FBA / Ecommerce

📍PICKING YOUR DIGITAL NOMAD DESTINATION
There are many countries out there offering digital nomad visas, but you don’t even need one to just travel as a tourist and stay in-country for 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. Nomads go everywhere as long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection, some countries you may consider are Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Vietnam, Croatia, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, and beyond! Even lesser-known places such as Namibia are starting to offer nomad visas to entice long-term travelers to visit.

🏡 FINDING HOUSING ABROAD
Read my blog post for the full guide on this, but basically, check local Facebook groups for renting local housing for extended stays and then use Airbnbs for shorter stays or to negotiate longer contracts with the owner. There are even more “nomad rental websites” these days to make finding accommodation even easier. Don’t overlook co-living/working spaces too like Selina where the digital nomad community tends to congregate.

💛 EXPLORING LOCALLY/RESPONSIBLY
As always, be mindful and respectful when you visit these communities. Many small towns are struggling with rapid growth and overdevelopment so be mindful of your choices of where you stay, how you spend your money, and who you support.

My best advice + detailed guides are all on the blog, free for you to use! Let me know if you have any questions about digital nomad life! 

Lastly, don’t overthink it. Moving countries isn’t as intimidating as you may think! It’s become second nature for us now after several years! 🐈‍⬛💃🌎✨
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover t I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to discover this incredible country beyond the resorts and beaches, having lived temporarily in 5 out of the 32 Mexican states (Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and now Baja California Sur) as a digital nomad who’s been slow traveling/living in and out of Mexico since 2018. 

There is so, so much cultural and natural beauty in Mexico — I wish more people could experience this country for themselves and not through the eyes of the media.

***Please visit Mexico as a digital nomad (or tourist in general) responsibly and mindfully. Stay local, eat local, drink local, shop local, support local. Leave No Trace and be conscious of your choices and impact!*** 

Here are the cities/towns we’ve slow traveled/lived in for extended stays.

• Oaxaca City — a colorful, historic open museum rich in indigenous culture and gastronomy 
• San Cristóbal de las Casas — an endearing pueblo mágico in the Chiapas Highlands
• La Paz — the capital city of BCS teeming with marine life, diving, fish tacos, and desert vibes
• San Pancho — an eco-conscious town in Nayarit famous for its sunsets and community
• Tulum — no introduction needed (and I wouldn’t go back here as a nomad due to overdevelopment)

Other great cities/towns/destinations for digital nomads are:

• Guadalajara (state of Jalisco)
• Santiago de Querétaro (state of Querétaro)
• San Miguel de Allende or Guanajuato City (state of Guanajuato)
• Playa del Carmen (state of Quintana Roo)
• Valladolid or Mérida (state of Yucatán)
• México City/CDMX (state of México)
• Sayulita (state of Nayarit)
• Puerto Vallarta (state of Jalisco)
• Puerto Escondido (state of Oaxaca)

I’d love to know what you think about Mexico and where you’ve been in the comments! 🇲🇽💛

And for the detailed guide of 13 places to live/visit, read my blog @bucketlistbri .com (just type in “places to live mexico” in the quick search bar if you can’t find the post under my “Mexico” category).

#mexicomagico #digitalnomad #visitmexico #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #mexicotravel #mexicodestinations #nomadadigital #nomada #mexicomaravilloso #slowtravelling #mindfultravel
PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will f PSA: Your anxiety, problems or (bad) habits will follow you around the world until you face them no matter how much you travel or move countries 🙃 

I know I’m not the only one that feels restless at times and idolizes moving to a new region/country/continent to shake my feelings of anxiety or self-doubt or fear! (Also, I tend to think about moving to another country even when I just moved to a new one 😅)

I know because I have lived abroad for 8+ years. I used to try to drown out my icky feelings and past traumas with lots of alcohol but now I carry them with me like I do my mismatched socks — they add to the quirkiness and remind me I don’t have to be, and am not, perfect. 

And that life is more interesting that way, anyway. 

Anddd that most importantly, whenever I get lost, I can and will be found again — I just may look and think differently after new adventures but I am still loved and never lost forever 🧦 ✨💛 

In sum, whether you travel full-time or not, take care of yourself ✨💛

#nomadness #nomadlife #lifeofadventure #livingabroad #fulltimetravel #offbeattravel #remoteworklife #homeawayfromhome #slowtravelstories #mentalhealthawarness
The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri: 💛 P The 4 core ingredients to a recharged Bri:

💛 Paul
😻 Yoda
🌍 Traveling & adventuring
👩🏼‍💻 Blogging & writing

Among other things like nature, photography, reading, animals, journaling, art, playing Zelda/games, dancing/music, culture/languages, enjoying rly good food and drinks! 😋 

What about you? What recharges you?? 

#rechargemysoul #blogging #adventures #writing #soulfulliving #mindfulliving #mindfultravel #nomadcouple #creativeliving
1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨ 🌋 ARENA 1 WEEK COSTA RICA ITINERARY👇🦋✨

🌋 ARENAL // LA FORTUNA (2 days)
- Hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park
- Indulge in a local chocolate/coffee tour (s/o to @northfieldscafe)
- Go on a wildlife safari float (s/o to Raúl for pura vida vibes!)
- Lounge in natural hot springs (highly recommend the budget-friendly Relax Termalitas in Fortuna)
- Visit La Fortuna waterfall
- Check out the Butterfly Conservatory

🦥 QUEPOS // MANUEL ANTONIO (2-3 days)
- Take a guided or DIY tour of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Chill out on the Espadilla beach
- Explore the cute towns
- Watch for wildlife in the trees!

🌿 MONTEVERDE // SANTA ELENA (2 days)
- Visit/hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Go ziplining
- Birdwatching on a canopy tour
- Monteverde coffee tour
- Do a nature night walk

My sister and I surprised our mom with this bucket list trip on her birthday, and we had a blast! 🥹

Send this itinerary to someone you know who has always wanted to go to Costa Rica 🦋💛✨🌿🦜🐒

#costarica #bucketlisttrip #puravida #costaricaitinerary #lafortuna #manuelantonio #monteverde #ecotourism
Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a q Swimming with the biggest fish in the world is a quite a humbling experience, and one that’s been at the top of my bucket list for ages! 🥺

Right now is prime whale shark season in La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico, so Paul and I made sure to go before we jetted off to see family for the holidays! I’m still in awe of these gentle giants and the fact that we got to swim alongside them!

Read all about the best whale shake tours in La Paz + ethical whale shark tourism in my latest blog post! Link in bio 💛

Send this to a friend who loves whale sharks! 🐳🦈

#whalesharks #lapaz #bajacaliforniasur #ethicaltravel #responsibletravel #ecotourism #golapaz #mexicotravel #bucketlist #seaofcortez
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