Lisbon in three days: tram 28 and viewpoints, Belém, the train to Sintra and Cascais, what is closed now and how to get there from the UK. Prices from October 2026.
Lisbon is a city of hills. From the riverside at Praça do Comércio up to the Castelo de São Jorge, you walk uphill the whole way, on cobbled pavements that are slippery after rain. So we plan the days to save your legs: tram 28 up to Alfama, walk down, and take the train to Belém and Sintra.
Note a change that older guidebooks do not know about. The Santa Justa Lift is closed for now, and the Glória, Lavra and Bica funiculars do not run. The Glória has been out of service since the accident on 3 September 2025 (Carris, 2026). We checked prices, opening hours and timetables on 19 October 2026 on the websites of the sights, the city and the transport companies. Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you book through them, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
What can you see in Lisbon in three days?
Day one for the centre and Alfama with the castle, day two for Belém, day three for a trip to Sintra. Do not plan Belém on a Monday: the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower are both closed on Mondays. If you only have two days, skip Cascais and do Sintra as a full-day trip.
Day one: Baixa, Alfama and the Castelo de São Jorge
Start the morning at Praça do Comércio by the Tagus river, then walk through the arch onto Rua Augusta in the Baixa district. From there, go to the tram 28 stop at Martim Moniz and ride up to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia viewpoint, which has its own stop. From the viewpoint to the castle is a few minutes' walk, but still uphill.
The Castelo de São Jorge costs €17. Young people aged 13 to 25 pay €8.50, over-65s pay €14, and children under 12 go in free. Until 31 October it is open from 9:00 to 21:00, and from 1 November from 9:00 to 18:00. It is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 24, 25 and 31 December (Castelo de São Jorge, 2026). The museum on the site is closed for now. We would go to the castle late in the afternoon. Until the end of October it is open until 21:00, and from the walls you see the sunset over the river.
Days two and three: Belém, then Sintra
A morning is enough for Belém if you buy tickets in advance. In the afternoon, take the train back to Cais do Sodré, or continue on the same line to Cascais. Day three is for Sintra. The train leaves from Rossio station in the centre, and Pena Palace has timed entry, so buy an early slot the day before.
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Tram 28: where to get on and which ticket to buy?
Line 28E runs from Martim Moniz through Graça, Portas do Sol, Santa Luzia, the Sé cathedral, Chiado and Estrela to Campo de Ourique near the Prazeres cemetery (Carris, 2026). From 4 November 2025 the operator shortened it to Martim Moniz to Largo Camões because of construction work, which was due to finish in February 2026. Before you go, check on the Carris website if it runs the full route again.
At the Martim Moniz terminus you have the best chance of a seat, so we would get on there and not halfway along the route. A ticket from the driver costs €3.30 and is valid for one ride only. If you ride more than twice, buy a navegante card for €0.50 at a metro ticket machine and load a 24-hour ticket for €7.25. It is valid on trams, buses and the metro (Carris, 2026).
| Ticket | Price 2026 | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| From the driver on a tram | €3.30 | one ride in that vehicle |
| From the driver on a bus | €2.30 | one ride in that vehicle |
| Carris and metro, one ride | €1.90 | 60 minutes, bought in advance on a card |
| Zapping | €1.72 per ride | credit on the card, one hour on the whole Carris network |
| 24 hours Carris and metro | €7.25 | unlimited trams, buses, metro |
| 24 hours Carris, metro and CP trains | €11.40 | also trains to Sintra and Cascais |
| Navegante occasional card | €0.50 | valid for a year, one ticket type at a time |
Source: Carris fares valid from 1 January 2026 and Metropolitano de Lisboa fares (2026). A card can only hold one ticket type at a time, so do not put a 24-hour ticket and Zapping credit on the same card.
Lifts and viewpoints: what runs and what is closed?
The city's best-known lift, Santa Justa, is closed for now (Carris, 2026). The Glória, Lavra and Bica funiculars are out of service. The new Graça funicular runs from Mouraria up to Graça. On it you can only pay by card, phone or MB Way, not in cash (Carris, 2026). A funicular ticket from the staff costs €4.30 and is valid for two rides.
The viewpoints are public squares and gardens, so they are free. Tram 28 takes you up to Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia. The highest is the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte above Graça, where you see both the castle and the river. To São Pedro de Alcântara, by the top station of the Glória funicular, you now have to walk. It is a steep climb from Restauradores. We would combine the viewpoints with the tram: up by tram, down on foot through Alfama.
Belém: the Jerónimos Monastery, the tower and pastéis de nata
The Jerónimos Monastery costs €18 and the Belém Tower €15. Over-65s and young people aged 13 to 24 pay half. Both are open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 17:30. Last entry is at 17:00, and the ticket offices close at 16:30 (Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, 2026). They are closed on Mondays, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June and 25 December.
Free entry covers, among others, citizens and residents of Portugal and children aged 12 and under. An adult visitor from the UK usually pays. Tickets often sell out on the day, so buy them online the day before. The Belém Tower can close in bad weather, so we would see it first and the monastery after. There is no audio guide to rent.
Tram 15E goes to Belém from Praça da Figueira through Praça do Comércio and Cais do Sodré, with a stop right by the monastery (Carris, 2026). The CP train from Cais do Sodré is faster. Belém station is on the line to Cascais. The Pastéis de Belém bakery at Rua de Belém 84 to 92 is open every day from 8:00 to 21:00, and from 1 July to 30 September until 22:00 (Pastéis de Belém, 2026). We would go right when it opens at 8:00, before the monastery.
Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
The Lisboa Card costs €31 for 24 hours, €51 for 48 hours and €62 for 72 hours. Children aged 4 to 15 pay €21, €28 and €35 (Turismo de Lisboa, 2026). It includes trams, buses, the metro and CP trains to Sintra and Cascais. With it you get free entry to the castle, the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower (Turismo de Lisboa, 2026). Pena Palace is not on the list of discounts.
| Sight | Full price 2026 | Reduced | With the Lisboa Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castelo de São Jorge | €17 | €8.50 (aged 13 to 25) | free |
| Jerónimos Monastery | €18 | €9 (65+, aged 13 to 24) | free |
| Belém Tower | €15 | €7.50 (65+, aged 13 to 24) | free |
| Pena Palace, standard visit | €20 | €18 (aged 6 to 17, 65+) | not included |
| Quinta da Regaleira | €20 | €15 (aged 6 to 17, 65+) | not included |
Let us do the maths for one adult over two days. The castle, Jerónimos and the tower cost €50 together, and two 24-hour transport tickets cost another €14.50. That is €64.50 against €51 for the 48-hour card. So the card is worth it if you see all three sights in two days. If you only go to Belém, single tickets are cheaper.
Sintra: the train from Rossio and a Pena Palace ticket
The CP train from Rossio station to Sintra takes about 40 minutes, with trains every 20 to 40 minutes. A return ticket from Lisbon to Sintra costs €5.10 (CP fares, 2026). The combined train and bus ticket for €14 is suspended for now (CP, 2026). From Sintra station, Scotturb bus 434 goes up to Pena about every 10 minutes from 8:50 to 18:40. A day ticket for lines 434 and 435 costs €13.50 (Scotturb, 2026).
Pena Palace only has timed entry, at the time you choose when you buy. The standard visit to the palace and park costs €20. Young people aged 6 to 17 and seniors pay €18, and a family ticket costs €65. The park only costs €12. The park is open from 9:00 to 19:00 and the palace from 9:30 to 18:30. The last palace ticket is sold at 17:30 (Parques de Sintra, 2026). Klook also sells a ticket for the Pena park and palace. We would take the first morning slot at 9:30 and compare the price with the official sales site before we buy.
Since January 2026 the Quinta da Regaleira costs €20. Young people and seniors pay €15, and a family pays €60. Until the end of December it is open from 10:00 to 18:30, with last entry at 17:30. Entry is in half-hour slots, and the only official ticket seller is regaleira.byblueticket.pt (Quinta da Regaleira, 2026). You can see both Pena and Regaleira in one day if you do Pena in the morning and Regaleira in the afternoon. The Parques de Sintra sights are closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January.
Cascais and Boca do Inferno: half a day by the ocean
The CP train to Cascais leaves from Cais do Sodré and takes about 40 minutes. A return ticket costs €5.10, the same as to Sintra (CP, 2026). The line runs along the river and the train also stops in Belém. So you can do Belém in the morning and Cascais in the afternoon on one 24-hour ticket for €11.40, which is also valid on trams and the metro.
The Boca do Inferno cliffs are a few minutes' walk from the centre of Cascais (Visit Cascais, 2026). They look best when the waves are high. On those days, stay on the path and behind the railing. The rocks by the water are wet and have no protection.
How do you get to Lisbon from the UK?
The quickest way is to fly. On the flight search, see if a flight is direct or has a change, and check the arrival time too. If you land in the morning, you still have time for the castle the same day.
Compare flights from the UK to Lisbon on Kiwi.com by arrival time. With a cheap ticket, check what bags you can take on board before you buy.
From the airport, the red metro line goes to the centre from Aeroporto station. The station is open from 6:30 to 1:00, and trains run every 8 to 10 minutes. A ride costs €1.90 plus €0.50 for the card, or €1.92 if you tap a contactless bank card at the gate (Metropolitano de Lisboa, 2026). To get to Baixa, change to the green line at Alameda.
If you land after midnight, or with small children and big suitcases, the metro with a change is not easy. In that case, an airport transfer booked through Welcome Pickups, which you pay in advance, is worth it. Give your flight number when you book, so that the driver waits if you are late.
Where should you stay in Lisbon, and what is the tourist tax?
For three days we would stay in Baixa or Chiado. They are central, have the metro, and you can walk to Alfama and to the trains at Cais do Sodré. Alfama is beautiful, but we do not recommend it with a suitcase on steps and cobbles. If you want to go to the ocean often, you can stay near Cais do Sodré, where the train to Belém and Cascais leaves from.
The tourist tax is €4 per person per night for guests aged 13 and over, for a maximum of 7 nights, so at most €28 per person (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, 2024). Two adults pay €24 for three nights. This rate applies from 1 September 2024, and we did not find a change for 2026 on the city's website.
Compare hotels and apartments by the distance to a metro station, not to the sights. Check if the price includes the city tax or if you pay it on arrival. For an apartment in an old building, ask if it has a lift before you book.
Another seaside city with a three-day plan is Barcelona.
Lisbon FAQ
How many days do you need in Lisbon?
Three days: day one for the centre, Alfama and the castle, day two for Belém, day three for a trip to Sintra. A fourth day is good for Cascais.
Is the Santa Justa Lift open?
As of 19 October 2026, the Santa Justa Lift is closed for now. The Glória, Lavra and Bica funiculars do not run either. The new Graça funicular is open.
How much does tram 28 cost?
€3.30 for one ride from the driver. If you take three or more rides a day, the 24-hour Carris and metro ticket for €7.25 is cheaper. You load it onto a card that costs €0.50.
What is the quickest way to reach Lisbon from the UK?
By plane. Compare flights from your nearest UK airport on the flight search. From Lisbon airport, the red metro line takes you to the centre.
How do you get from Lisbon to Sintra?
By CP train from Rossio station, in about 40 minutes. A return ticket costs €5.10. From Sintra station, bus 434 goes to Pena Palace.
