Lisbon is in the center of Portugal, which makes it easy to take day trips (there and back) to destinations full of history, culture, scenery and nature. We chose to focus on some lesser-known trips; you’ll find information about the popular day trips to Sintra and Óbidos in separate articles.
What Exactly Is a Day Trip?
A day trip is a trip to a destination within a reasonable drive (usually up to an hour and a half to two hours) of your base. It lets you get a taste of a relatively distant destination easily, without the hassle of changing accommodation and packing.
How Do You Go on a Day Trip?
You can take day trips from Lisbon on an organized tour (there are local companies with English-speaking guides) or independently by public transport or by rental car, which is a convenient and flexible option.
When it comes to car rental, keep in mind that there’s a big price difference between cars with a manual gearbox and automatics (which cost much more). You can find car rental deals on a car rental comparison site, which also offers a service that re-checks a booking you’ve already made for a lower price.
Day Trip to Peniche (with a Bonus)
About 100 km from Lisbon, Peniche is one of Portugal’s most special beach towns, thanks among other things to its long history of conquests and its long beaches facing three different directions, which make them ideal for surfing (a World Surf League championship event is held here every year).
And if that’s not enough, there’s a bonus: the Berlengas islands. The main island is small, part of the municipality and a protected nature reserve. You can get there by ferry from Peniche and explore the island on walking trails and viewpoints.
Click here to book a cruise from Peniche to Berlenga, including a cave visit.
Important! Visiting the island is mainly a spring and summer thing, so check in advance whether the ferry runs on the date you want to visit.
Day Trip to Cascais and Boca do Inferno
The town of Cascais is 30 km from Lisbon and is considered a kind of Lisbon suburb. It’s a popular day-trip destination, mainly because of its beautiful beaches, which many Lisboetas visit (it all started in 1870 with a visit from the King of Portugal, who loved the sea and the beaches).
The town, also considered an upscale place to live, offers beautiful parks, museums, a citadel, a marina, an impressive pedestrian street, restaurants and shops.
You can end your visit with a short drive along the coast to a spot the locals call the Mouth of Hell, Boca do Inferno. It’s an area of cliffs (you walk down a path) where you watch huge, powerful waves crashing against the rocks, a particularly fearsome sight.
Traveling without a car? Experience the beauty of Cascais and other spectacular places on a full-day guided tour from Lisbon. Marvel at breathtaking Pena Palace and the royal gardens, and soak up the views of Cabo da Roca, Cascais and the coastline. Click here to book the tour – free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
Day Trip to Serra da Arrábida Natural Park and Sesimbra
This time we head to a stunning nature reserve about 50 km from Lisbon. Arrábida Natural Park stretches along the north bank of the Sado River and has beautiful beaches, lush vegetation and wildlife. You can hike the trails or just laze on the beaches.
Snorkeling fans can join a full-day trip from Lisbon to Serra da Arrábida that includes snorkeling and kayaking. Click here to book tickets for the tour – free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
From the park you can reach Sesimbra, a small fishing village that has become a popular destination thanks to its long beach and turquoise water. Besides the impressive beach, you can visit the castle built under Moorish rule and the Fortress of Santiago, built by the Portuguese (in the 17th century) to defend the area.
If you have time left, you can also visit Cabo Espichel, about ten kilometers away, an impressive cliff that drops sharply to the sea, with a beautiful view and lots of wind.
Day Trip to Alcobaça Monastery (Mosteiro de Santa Maria de Alcobaça)
If you want to see a monastery like no monastery you’ve ever seen, head to the town of Alcobaça.
About 120 km from Lisbon stands one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Europe, founded in the 12th century by King Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal. By the way, the story of how he became king is especially interesting and includes a war against his own mother.
The monastery is enormous and was considered the most “prestigious” monastery in medieval Portugal; it’s estimated that several hundred and up to a thousand monks lived and worked there.
Over the years, various additions were built onto the original structure. On a visit you can see the monastery’s main nave, the tombs of kings, queens (and mistresses) in the royal pantheon, and reliefs showing scenes from royal and religious life.
The monastery has many other spaces, including the Chapel of Saint Bernard, the sacristy, the Hall of Kings and the chapter house, which was used for discussions about daily life and lofty matters alike.
You can also get a sense of the monks’ daily life through the huge dormitory (where the monks slept), the refectory and the kitchen (which fed so many people and has a channel that brought water straight from the river).
Day Trip to Fátima, Batalha and Nazaré
These three destinations are mainly for light sightseeing and viewpoints, so you can fit them all (including lunch) into one day.
Fátima is 130 km from Lisbon and is a pilgrimage site for millions of believers every year. The belief in the holiness of the place, especially for prayers for miracles, comes from the religious story that about a hundred years ago, following a flash of light, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to three village children over several months and gave them prophecies.
Not far from there is the town of Batalha, with an interesting monastery featuring especially impressive architectural elements. From there, about half an hour’s drive brings you to Nazaré, famous for its giant waves that draw thousands of surfers every year, with spectacular viewpoints and interesting buildings.
You can book a private guided tour from Lisbon that covers these sites – Click here to book tickets for the tour.
Do you have more ideas for day trips from Lisbon? Add them in the comments.