4 Beautiful Day Trips From Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon. The capital of Portugal won the World Travel Award's distinction of Best City Break Destination in 2018 and 2019, and the city has seen a steady increase of arriving tourists for most of the past decade. 

The sunny weather, the affordable prices, and the great offer in terms of culture, food and activities puts this destination on many travelers' bucket list. 

While you can easily spend 3 to 4 days in Lisbon without running out of things to do, if you have a few more extra days when visiting Portugal, you can also consider some day trips to places not too far from the Portuguese capital.

The 4 day trips listed below are all accessible by public transportation and within 30 minutes to 1h30 from Lisbon.

Sintra

If you only do one day-trip from Lisbon, this is the one you should choose. Sintra is a magical place! It is a whole town that was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it hosts so many attractions that one day only might be short if you want to see everything.

Major attractions include Castle of the Moors, Pena Palace, and Quinta da Regaleira.

The town is located in a natural park and surrounded by greenery everywhere, giving it a mystical atmosphere.

How to get there on public transport: You can take a train from Lisbon directly to Sintra. There are several per hour, and the journey lasts about 40 minutes. A ticket costs 2,25€ ($2.65) and you can buy them at the station. For the train schedule, check this website.

Mafra and Ericeira

I might be biased on this one because Mafra is my hometown… But I live in Hungary and whenever I show pictures of my region to my friends in Budapest, they are always impressed.

Mafra is a small town, with a rich history. It is home to the Palácio de Mafra (Mafra Palace), which was built 300 years ago and attracts visitors from all over the country. 

Just about 10km from Mafra, there is Ericeira. It's a coastal village with a vibrant atmosphere, and particularly loved by surfers. Very close to it, you will find Ribeira d'Ilhas, which was named "World Surfing Reserve". 

Ericeira is a great spot to spend a day at the beach followed by a stroll through the village's beautiful streets and a delicious dinner at one of the many restaurants, most of which offer fresh seafood.

How to get there on public transport: you can take a Mafrense bus from Campo Grande, in Lisbon. The journey takes between 40 minutes and 1 hour, and buses depart every hour, or even more often. A one-way ticket costs around 5€ ($6).

Arrábida

This huge natural park is located south of Lisbon and it offers breathtaking scenery to anybody looking to connect with nature.

The best way to explore it is by car, driving around its roads and stopping at several interesting points, like Convento da Arrábida (a church), the roman ruins or the beaches. Speaking of beaches, here you will find some of Portugal's best beaches - and that means a lot, considering the long coastal line of the country. The beach of "Portinho da Arrábida" is a gem that you should explore on your visit.

How to get there on public transport: The best way to explore Arrábida is by car. However, is this is not accessible to you, you can still access some of its beaches by taking a bus from Lisbon to Azeitão and from there to Arrábida. You can find more details on the journey here.

Óbidos

Óbidos was in nobody's travel list until about 15 years ago, when the municipality converted this small village into one of Portugal's most visited destinations. They managed it by creating events throughout the year, all of exceptionally high quality. The yearly calendar includes the Chocolate Festival, the Medieval Festival, the Lights Festival and the Christmas Market, to name a few.

But even without an event going on, a visit is well worth it. The village is built around a medieval castle, that gives the place a certain charm. The little shops offer interesting souvenirs, and you will also find many taverns where you can taste Óbidos' most famous drink: the "ginginha", a cherry liquer that you can drink from a chocolate cup.

How to get there on public transport: you can take a Rodoviária do Oeste bus from Campo Grande, in Lisbon, directly to Óbidos. There are buses every hour and the journey lasts approximately 1 hour. You can check the timetable here.