Lisbon is one of those cruise ports where stepping off the ship and exploring the city independently is easy peasy.
The terminal is right on the Tagus riverfront. Within minutes, you can be walking up into the Alfama district, Portugal’s oldest neighbourhood, with its layers of history going back to Moorish rule. No lengthy transfers, no guesswork.
I’ve spent time here on a Bay of Biscay cruise and on a longer visit, so I know the hard choices that come with a single day ashore. This guide covers what to do in Lisbon from a cruise ship, the in-city highlights I’d recommend, plus honest advice on whether Sintra or Cascais is worth your limited time.
One practical note before you go anywhere: Lisbon is a city of steep hills, cobblestones, and a fair amount of walking. Wear comfortable shoes you’d trust on uneven ground.
Lisbon Cruise Port: What to Know Before You Go Ashore
Lisbon has multiple terminals along the Tagus, and where your ship docks affects how quickly you can reach the city. The main terminals are Jardim do Tabaco and Santa Apolónia, both close to the historic centre. Larger ships usually dock at Jardim do Tabaco, which is the more central of the two.
Note that the pier itself can be over a kilometre long, so allow 10–15 minutes just to walk from the ship to the terminal exit. Once you’re out, the Alfama begins almost immediately up the hill to your right.
Getting Around Lisbon on a Port Day
The good news is historic centre is compact and walkable. The bad news is that it is hilly.
For much of the in-city itinerary below, you can get around entirely on foot, with a tram ride or two to help with the elevation. Uber and Bolt both work well in Lisbon if you need them. For the day trips to Sintra and Cascais, you’ll use the train.
Pickpockets operate on Tram 28 and in the Alfama. Keep valuables in a secure bag and keep your wits about you in crowded spots.
My Suggested Lisbon Port Day Itinerary
Here’s how I’d spend a day in Lisbon from a cruise ship, based on what I did during my day in port. It’s a good mix of history, food and sights, and everything is either walkable from the port or reachable by tram.
Ride on Tram 28
Tram 28, a vintage yellow tram that rattles through the narrow streets of the historic centre, is one of Lisbon’s most famous experiences. I took it from Martim Moniz to the Graça district.
A few things to know before you board. The tram is popular, and in summer, queues at the main Martim Moniz stop can be long. This is why I recommend taking it first thing in the morning before the queues build.
Consider boarding at the Praça Luís de Camões stop further along the route for a better chance of getting on. Once on, many tourists stay aboard for the full loop, which means seats are rare. Be prepared to stand and brace yourself on the handrails around corners.
For all this, it is still worth doing, not just as a tourist attraction, but as a way to cover ground and see the city in a way you can’t on foot.
Graça Street Art
Graça is where the locals who’ve been priced out of the Alfama have ended up, and it’s all the better for it. It’s one of the few parts of central Lisbon that still has a neighbourhood feel rather than a tourist one.
Its street art is one reason to spend some time here. Large-scale murals cover the sides of buildings and range from political commentary to dreamlike figurative work.
There’s also the Miradouro da Graça, one of Lisbon’s best viewpoints, with a terrace café that’s far less heaving than the more famous ones lower down.
Pastel de Nata at Santo António Pastelaria
No visit to Lisbon is complete without a pastel de nata, a warm, flaky pastry case filled with a slightly caramelised egg custard, dusted with cinnamon. I had mine at Santo António Pastelaria, and it was one of the better ones I’ve eaten in Portugal (map location here).
If you end up in Belém (see below), the Pastéis de Belém bakery on Rua de Belém has been making pastéis de nata to the same recipe since 1837. There’s usually a queue, but it moves quickly, and you can eat them at the counter standing up, which is the correct way.
Castelo de São Jorge
Castelo de São Jorge has been watching over Lisbon since before the Romans arrived, though most of what you see today is the result of Moorish and medieval Portuguese construction. The castle walls and towers give you some of the best views in the city across the terracotta rooftops, the Alfama below, and the wide Tagus beyond.
It’s worth the entrance fee and the uphill walk. Go first thing before the crowds arrive. The archaeological site inside is worth a look, but if time is tight, the ramparts are the main draw.
Practical information:
- Address: Rua de Santa Cruz do Castelo (Google Map it — the hill has confusing approach roads)
- Opening hours: 9 am – 9 pm (summer); 9 am – 6 pm (winter)
- Entrance: Around €17 for adults
- Time needed: 1 hour
Lisbon Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa)
Walking back downhill from the castle, the Sé is hard to miss. This fortress-like Romanesque structure dates to 1147 and was built on the site of Lisbon’s main mosque after the Christian reconquest.
The interior is austere by southern European cathedral standards (no Baroque overwhelm here). The Gothic cloister at the back has ongoing archaeological excavations of Roman and Moorish remains. It’s free to enter the nave, but a paid ticket is worth it for killer views down the cathedral’s nave.
Practical information:
- Address: Largo da Sé
- Opening hours: 9 am – 7 pm (summer); shorter hours in winter. Closed on Sundays and Holy Days.
- Entrance: Free for the nave; upper choir, treasury and cloister €7
- Time needed: 30 – 60 minutes
The Alfama District
The Alfama is the oldest district in Lisbon, a dense warren of narrow lanes, azulejo-tiled facades and laundry strung between windows. It survived the catastrophic 1755 earthquake that destroyed much of the city, which is why it looks like a medieval neighbourhood that time has roughed up but not rearranged.
After the cathedral, wander in the side streets above the main road. The Miradouro de Santa Luzia is worth stopping at for the view of the port below, and the azulejo panels on its walls depicting pre-earthquake Lisbon are interesting.
This is also Fado territory. The mournful, soulful Portuguese music originated here, and if your ship docks overnight, an evening Fado show in the Alfama is one of the best things you can do in Lisbon.
Praça do Comércio
Make your way down to the waterfront and Praça do Comércio, Lisbon’s grand riverside square. This was where the royal palace stood before the 1755 earthquake and tsunami destroyed it, and where Portugal’s King Carlos I was assassinated in 1908. Today it’s an elegant, open space facing the Tagus, flanked by yellow arcaded buildings and anchored by the triumphal Arco da Rua Augusta.
Walk through the arch and up Rua Augusta, the main pedestrianised shopping street of the Baixa district, if you want to do any browsing before heading back to the ship. This area also has some decent cafés if you need a sit-down meal.
The square is about a 10-minute walk from the cruise terminal. It’s a natural endpoint for your day in Lisbon, and you can take the riverfront route back to the ship.
Is Belém Worth It on a Cruise Port Day?
Belém is 7 km west of the cruise terminal, and a different world from the medieval Alfama. It has wide boulevards, the great monastery of the Jerónimos, the Torre de Belém on the waterfront, and the Monument to the Discoveries.
This is where the Age of Exploration began. Vasco da Gama departed from these banks in 1497.
I’d recommend Belém if you have two days in Lisbon, or if your ship docks early and you can be ashore by 8 am. If time is shorter, skip it and spend more time in the Alfama instead. Belém deserves more than a rushed visit.
Practical information:
- Getting there: Tram 15E from Praça do Comércio (about 20 minutes) or Uber (15 minutes)
- Time needed: Allow half a day if you’re going to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, one of the finest examples of ornate Gothic-style Manueline architecture in Portugal.
- Mosteiro dos Jerónimos: 9.30 am – 6 pm (reduced hours in winter); allow 60–90 minutes inside; entrance around €18
- Torre de Belém: opens 10 am; small but worth seeing from the outside, even if you skip the interior
- Pastéis de Belém bakery: Rua de Belém 84 — try the custard tarts here if at all possible
Day Trips from Lisbon Cruise Port: Sintra and Cascais
Both Sintra and Cascais are doable as day trips from Lisbon, but only if you have a full day in port and can be off the ship by 8 am. Here’s my honest view of each.
Sintra Day Trip from Lisbon Cruise Port
Sintra, 25 km west of Lisbon in the forested hills of the Serra de Sintra, is famous for Palácio da Pena, one of Europe’s most beautiful palaces. This 19th-century yellow-and-terracotta Romanticist palace, precariously perched on a hilltop, looks like a film set.
Add the mysterious gardens of the Quinta da Regaleira, the ruins of the Moorish Castle snaking along the hilltops, and the National Palace in the village itself, and you have one of the most concentrated collections of remarkable buildings anywhere in Europe. You’ll quickly understand why Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Warning: Sintra requires a lot of walking on steep, hilly terrain. It is not a relaxing day. But if you have the legs for it and your ship docks early, it is among the best things you can do on a Lisbon cruise stop.
Practical information:
- Train: From Rossio Station — 40 minutes, around €5 return adult
- Pena Palace tickets: Book online in advance. Approximately €13 for the palace
- Bus 434 in Sintra: Runs between the station, Moorish Castle and Pena Palace. Buy a one-way ticket up, walk down
- Time needed: A full day. Aim to leave Lisbon by 8 am and return by 5 pm
- Best for: History and architecture lovers with good fitness
Cascais Day Trip from Lisbon Cruise Port
I visited Cascais on our second day in port. It’s a completely different proposition to Sintra: a handsome Atlantic-facing coastal town with a working fishing harbour, wide sandy beaches, good seafood restaurants and an unhurried pace.
The town centre is easily walkable, with a pedestrianised area of shops and cafés and the pretty Museu dos Condes de Castro Guimarães in a Gothic-revival mansion on the waterfront. The Boca do Inferno (Hell’s Mouth) — a dramatic sea arch about a kilometre from the centre – is worth the walk.
Cascais is a better choice than Sintra if you want a gentler day, enjoy seafood and coastal landscapes, or if it’s warm enough to spend time on the beach. It’s easier on the feet, easier to get around, and easier to judge the timing of. I’d also say the ratio of enjoyment to effort is higher.
Practical information:
- Train: From Cais do Sodré station, Lisbon — 40 minutes, around €4.60 return adult
- Trains run frequently throughout the day and the schedule is reliable
- Boca do Inferno: 1 km west of the town centre, free, worth doing at high tide
- Best for: Those wanting a relaxed day with good food and sea air
- Note: Sintra and Cascais are on different train lines, so don’t even dream of combining both in one port day
Sintra or Cascais: Which Day Trip Should You Choose?
If you haven’t been to either before, the answer depends on what you want from your port day. Here’s a rough guide.
- Choose Sintra if you want architectural drama, are happy with a lot of walking and hills, and can pre-book Pena Palace tickets
- Choose Cascais if you want to relax, love seafood and coastal scenery, or are travelling with people who aren’t keen on steep climbs
- Stay in Lisbon if your ship docks later in the morning, you haven’t explored the Alfama and Belém yet, or you’d rather go deep into one city than spread yourself thin
Practical Information for Your Lisbon Cruise Stop
- Currency: Euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including small cafés and taxis. You won’t need cash unless you’re shopping at a street market.
- Language: Portuguese, but English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
- Tipping: Not obligatory but appreciated. Around 5–10% in restaurants if no service charge is included.
- Getting around in the city: Uber and Bolt are reliable and cheap. Trams are fun but slow in traffic — use them for the experience, not the efficiency.
- Safety: Lisbon is a safe city. Pickpockets operate on Tram 28 and in crowded areas. Use a zip-up bag and keep your phone in a front pocket.
- Guided tour option: If you’d rather have someone else navigate the hills, a small-group walking tour of the Alfama is a good way to cover the history quickly. Look for tours with a maximum of 10–12 people.
Final Thoughts on Lisbon as a Cruise Port
Lisbon punches well above its weight as a cruise destination. The combination of the port’s central location, the walkability of the Alfama, the train connections to Sintra and Cascais, and the quality of the food makes it a rewarding day.
The one thing I’d say to anyone visiting for the first time is this: don’t try to do everything. Give it a little room, and it’ll give a lot back.
Looking for more cruise port guides?
To help you make the most of your time ashore, I’ve also written these guides to spending a day in Santander and the best things to do in Vigo, Spain.
More interested in what life was like on board? Check out my review of P&O Ventura, or my tips for surviving a Bay of Biscay cruise.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.