Lisbon has a lot of beautiful sites to visit nearby that’ll make your stay in the city even more fabulous.
You have the magical forest and some hidden beaches in Sintra, the natural park in Arrabida, beaches in Setubal and Costa da Caparica, the near-by surf town of Ericeira, and Cascais – a bohéme town by the coast. All in all, a really good offer for such a cosmopolitan city as Lisbon is, right?
Which are the best day trips around Lisbon in 2023? Let’s start with the most common ones here.
1. Day Trip: Lisbon to Sintra – Mystical Forest
Train from Rossio Station, Lisbon, to Oriente Station, Sintra, 45min.
2,20€ per person, one way
Sintra is a mystical town an hour away from Lisbon, with old castles and palaces in an enchanted forest. The most well-know is the Palacio de Pena, a bright yellow king’s palace. However, Quinta da Regaleira, where alchemy and initiations took place, is also very fascinating with its many tunnels, underground caves, pools, and symbols. Next to that, the Monserrat Palace is one of the most beautiful ones, with thousands of different plants in an abundant garden, and buildings that are influenced by Arabic, Indian and Latin American architecture. A totally serene retreat place. Next to these, there is also the Palacio Nacional and the Moorish Castle to be visited. Each place takes around 2-3h, so come with time, or stay over the weekend for a get-away.
2. Day Trip: Lisbon to Ericeira – Surf Vibes
Bus from Campo Grande, Lisbon, to Ericeira, 60min.
6€ per person, one way
Ericeira is a beautiful little beach town with several beaches for surfing for all surf levels. It’s the perfect destination for a Lisbon day trip. Easy to reach, lots to do. You find many surf schools, as well as surf and yoga retreats here. The town center is great to eat fresh seafood, go for drinks with other surfers, or do a little surf-skate-summer vibe shopping spree. There is also a skate park from Billabong in town. Surrounding Ericeira, after Ribeira D’Ilhas, there are extensive fields that are amazing for long walks.
3. Day Trip: Lisbon to National Park Arrábida – Nature Vibes
Bus from Parque das Nacoes to Setúbal, Bus from Setúbal to Praia do Creiro, then 22min walk, 2h
(By car 1h)
8€ per person, one way
With this Lisbon day trip to Arrábida you catch two hotspots at once. Since you’ll arrive at Praia do Creiro in beautiful Setúbal, you can take a dip in the water first to enjoy the quiet beach areas of Setúbal and the open view to the ocean, before walking over to the natural park of Arrábida. Both locations are stunning to take pictures and to enjoy. And if you happen to come by car, you can find many secluded beaches, and even some hidden caves along the coast, or test your adrenaline levels with kitesurfing.
4. Day Trip: Lisbon to Cascais – Bohéme Vibes
Train from Cais do Sodré to Cascais, 45min.
3€ per person, one way
Cascais is a pretty little town on the coast not far from Lisbon that’s easy to reach by train. It’s the best Lisbon day trip by far, since it only takes 45min. to arrive and go from town center to town center without interruption. Cascais is known for the bohéme, slightly upper-class, feel to it. It’s the perfect place for a short beach holiday away from Lisbon. You find the town’s beaches right when you step out of the train station, plus you can do a fair amount of shopping here and enjoy being a tourist for a few days. The most picturesque part of town is certainly the Santa Marta lighthouse next to the stunning Santa Marta Fort (villa), which you can visit.
I hope these 4 best day trips around Lisbon inspire you to take a trip outside of town! And if you want to know the best places for high-quality food, wellness, and music in Lisbon, as well as the best co-working spaces and street art, get our Cool Guide to Lisbon on Amazon!
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