There’s so many beautiful places to enjoy just outside of Lisbon, some of my favourites are below.
Sintra
Nature & Palaces
A green paradise with colourful palaces… Just 40 mins from Lisbon. Possible to reach by train too from Rossio train station in Lisbon.
The gardens of Palacio da Pena are wonderful, lush, you can wander around for hours here – and of course you can enjoy the iconic colourful palace itself.
The picture above is taken in the gorgeous green gardens of the Palacio de Monserrate! Another picture-perfect palace.
Quinta da Regaleira is my favourite fairytale place in Sintra. Go in fall or spring to avoid any crowds. Ideally on a weekday.
There’s a few lovely hikes in and around Sintra too. The town itself is lovely and there’s great sweets, queijadas!, to be tasted!
If you’re coming to Sintra by car and you happen to pass through Colares, try the chocolate chip cookies from Pastelaria O Moinho!
Belem
Art, Food, History
Rent a bike and head to Belem, it’s a lovely ride along the river from Lisbon. Passing underneath the 25 de Abril bridge and enjoying a bit of wind in your hair…
Continue all the way to the architectural wonder of the Champalimaud Foundation… it is the best!
For art in Belem, I adore CCB, Centro Cultural de Belem! Even wandering around its buildings is a joy. The Este Oeste Restaurant inside the CCB premises has a lovely terrace with a view to the river – it does great pizzas. Espaco Espelho d’Agua perhaps has an even better view and is rarely crowded – even in high tourist season!
I’m also a fan of the Jeronimos Monastery. As a Lisbon resident you can visit for free on Sunday mornings – which goes for all national patrimony! It does get busy with tourists, so, get here early or visit on a weekday. It’s a pretty special place!
Mafra
Nature & Hiking
I love hiking. There’s great hikes along the coastal areas of Portugal, nearby Lisbon I love Arrabida for hiking – as well as the coast near Praia da Ursa!
And then, there’s Mafra! A green wonder about 40 mins from Lisbon. Tapada Nacional de Mafra is a park with different hiking routes/paths inside.
You can head to Ericeira’s cute coastal town for a sunset drink before heading back to Lisbon.
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