Sometimes you can’t avoid a long layover, which was the case when I flew from Spain to the U.S. I had an overnight layover in Lisbon, so there was no way I wouldn’t take advantage of that time. I had already visited Porto and other parts of northern Portugal, so this was my chance to explore the country’s most popular city, Lisbon. The layover gave me about half a day on both days to explore. If you happen to find yourself in a rush, you can follow this itinerary for a long layover in Lisbon, Portugal.
My long layover in Lisbon itinerary
Where I stayed
Even though I planned to be out exploring all day, I was glad I found a nice hotel. I stayed at the Hotel Evolution Lisboa. It’s located in a bustling area of Lisbon, right on one of the most known avenues, Avenida da República. Conveniently, a bus hub was right outside the hotel so it was easy to get to different parts of the city.
I really enjoyed the hotel itself, too. I loved the futuristic design of the room and even the hallways, which made me feel like I was sleeping in the Starship Enterprise’s living quarters. It was all very clean and had an indoor heated pool, dry sauna, and wet sauna. After an active day of walking around the city, the spa was the perfect place to go before heading to bed.
Torre de Belém
My first stop was the Torre de Belém, or Belem Tower. This 16th century tower served as a fortress to guard the harbor, a prison, and the departure point for explorers. It’s now an UNESCO World Heritage Site and allows no more than 150 people inside at a time for tours. I didn’t go inside, but hung out on the steps to take in the scene.
Early seafood dinner
Not a long walk from the tower, I found Descobre by browsing nearby restaurants on Google Maps that looked good. I ordered a simple, but delicious meal of salmon with sides of potatoes and creamed spinach. Since it was early for the typical dinnertime, I had the restaurant almost all to myself.
Jerónimos Monastery and Maritime Museum
My next destination was the pastry shop mentioned after this, but the walk there included some sights too. I passed Jerónimos Monastery (another 16th century UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Maritime Museum. Even if only passing by, the architecture is noteworthy and the buildings look beautiful lit up by yellow lights when the sun goes down.
Pastéis de Belém
I was very excited about visiting Pastéis de Belém, or anywhere specializing in these custard tarts, to be honest. Pastéis de nata are a traditional Portuguese pastry with custard filling in a flaky crust, sometimes dusted with cinnamon.
This bakery in particular uses a secret ancient recipe from the monastery. I bought a small box to go and ate one there, but unfortunately they’re not the best to transport so I had to finish them all before my flight.
That was the end of my first half-day in Lisbon. From a bus stop directly across from the bakery, I hopped on a bus back to my hotel and enjoyed that hotel spa we already talked about!
Praça do Comércio and Ria Augusta Arch
I began the next half-day at Praça do Comércio (Commerce Plaza), which features the Arco da Rua Augusta (Ria Augusta Arch) on one side, a statue of King José I in the center, and the Tagus River to the other side. The plaza used to host the Royal Palace of Ribeira until a 1755 earthquake destroyed it. Since the 19th century, some of the most important government departments surround the plaza, including the Supreme Court.
Brunch at Brunch Café
Down the street from the plaza I found a brunch spot called Brunch Café. I fueled up on shakshuka, coffee, and orange juice before taking a very steep uphill walk to a streetcar stop.
Streetcar ride on Tram 28
Lisbon is known for its charming streetcars, part of a tram network that has been in operation since 1873. After a little research, I chose to ride Tram 28 because it passed a lot of sights. I didn’t have time to ride the entire route, but I definitely recommend exploring more if you can.
Tram stop at Santa Luzia viewpoint
The Miradouro de Santa Luzia, or Santa Luzia viewpoint, looks out on the Tagus along with all the red roofs below. When I was there, local musicians were performing on the tiled walkway and visitors were sitting in the garden enjoying the perfect weather.
Lisbon Cathedral
Instead of getting back on the tram right away, I walked downhill from the viewpoint to see the area on foot. Eventually, I reached the Lisbon Cathedral. The cathedral, or Sé de Lisboa, is the oldest in the city, dating back to 1147. With 800 years of history, you can imagine all the historical and religious significance it holds.
And that was the end of my long layover in Lisbon! Want to see this itinerary in action? Watch it in IG Reel or TikTok form below, and leave me a comment saying you came from this blog post.
If you liked this, check these out
Beyond Porto: A Complete Guide to Northern Portugal
Marbella, Spain: A Gem of the Costa del Sol
Essential Alicante, Spain: 8 Things to Do & See
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