Portugal’s capital isn’t just a stunner. It’s also one of the best value European city destinations, less expensive than most and great when you’re on a budget. So is there much free stuff to do in this beautiful city? As it turns out you can entertain yourself in all sorts of thrilling ways for nothing or, as the locals say, nada. Dedicate yourself to the task and all you’ll have to pay for is your accommodation, food and drink.
One, two, FREE! Do all this in Lisbon for nothing
A quick word about walking. Lisbon’s quite a small city, making it easily walk-able. If you’re into urban hiking it’s a real treat. If you’re a fitness freak you’ll tone up as you discover the place on foot. You’ll also work up an enormous appetite and a considerable thirst. You’ll deserve every scrap of that enticing meal and every drop of that bottle of fabulous Portuguese wine. Take a completely free walking tour if you like, it’s a generous sort of city.
The city’s public transport is good, another way to take things at a leisurely pace and see how the real people live, the locals who are here year-round. The bus timetables depend on the company and there are several, but as a rule most buses run from 6 am until 9 pm, some until midnight, and there are free night buses for late night revellers.
Lisbon’s trams take you far and wide too, a fun way to get from A to B and back with interesting stops along the way. Take the 28 for a classic city centre ride, 15 for a chilled journey to Belém, or the number 12 to go off-piste away from the tourist traps, just a few of your funky tram travel options.
23 Cool things to do in Lisbon for free
- Free walking tours with experienced guides, including a free tour of Belem and a free street art tour
- Some museums are free to enter at weekends, others are free all the time. Try the Money Museum, Coleção Berardo Museum, Museu do Oriente and Medeiros e Almeida House Museum for a start
- Take a photo from every official viewpoint you can find. There are loads of official miradouros including the magnificent Miradouro das Portas do Sol, de Santa Luzia and da Senhora do Monte. Once you’ve photographed them all, go find more viewpoints of your own
- Discover Alfama, a pretty, artsy district with lovely little shops and cafes, plus Bohemian 1400s Bairro Alto, 1500s Chiado, ancient Mouraria, and scenic Madragoa. They all have their own unique personality and vibe
- Photograph the awesome 25th April Bridge from the Tejo promenade. It connects Lisbon with the municipality of Almada, one of the longest suspension bridges in Europe, and it will blow your mind. A bit like the San Francisco bridge on speed
- Head for the ex-main gateway to Lisbon for visitors arriving by ship – Cais das Colunas – for amazing sunsets over the bridge and beyond
- Visit super-hip Pink Street, a feast for the eyes during the day and a wild party destination after dark
- Hit the city’s markets for fantastic food and drink, quirky arts and crafts, cheap clothes, hippy delights and weird vintage treasures to take back home. Some of them are proper flea markets, including the Feira da Ladra, Feira na Avenida, Feira D’Ávila and LXMarket
- Challenge yourself to find all of the city’s spectacular street art without a guide
- Learn about Lisbon’s grisly history, a dark side you’ll discover at a place that once housed the Portuguese Inquisition. Igreja de São Domingos has survived two massive earthquakes and a fire, and the story it tells shocks visitors
- Check out Lisbon’s magnificent city of the dead, the Prazeres cemetery. There’s a free guided tour if you fancy it, otherwise the place makes brilliantly spooky eye-candy
- See the Monument of the Discoveries, a massive testament to the country’s legendary explorers and seafarers
- People-watch in the sunshine in any of Lisbon’s gorgeous city squares. Praça do Comércio, for example, is HUGE, surrounded by posh yellow buildings. While the original was flattened by the violent 1755 earthquake, it has been rebuilt. Or relax in the lovely Rossio Square with its bronze fountains, particularly lovely after dusk
- Find a free Faro music show. The Museu do Fado’s website has a list of free Fado concerts and it’s played in bars and venues throughout the city
- Lisbon’s patron saint António is one the saint of matchmaking. Find the pretty little church of Santo António near his birthplace and you might be lucky enough to see newlyweds leaving bunches of flowers and praying for luck
- Photograph the finest architecture Lisbon has to offer – there’s something magnificent, ancient or extraordinary around every corner. Don’t miss the extraordinary architecture at Parque das Nações
- Lounge around in lovely gardens like the Parque Eduardo VII, Jardim do Príncipe Real, Jardins da Gulbenkian, Guerra Junqueiro Garden, the Jardim da Estrela, and the enormous Parque Florestal de Monsanto, Lisbon’s precious ‘lung’
- Watch the sun setting from the Tagus river – stroll along the riverfront at Cais das Colunas to admire the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula
- Go on a mission to find out how Pastel de nata – Lisbon’s famous custard tart – is made, and eat as many as you can. They’re heavenly
- Go tile hunting – the famous ceramic tiles pop up everywhere, sometimes covering entire buildings, inside and out
- Wander around the LX Factory with its cool independent shops, cafes, art shows and street events
- Stand under the fountains at Caminho da Água in Alameda dos Oceanos, which erupt regularly to cool people down. Kids love it but hey, give it a go whatever your age. You’re on holiday and anything goes
- Find your way to Barrio Alto for ultra-Instagrammable shots of the Santa Justa Elevator, an attraction in itself thanks to the sinuous Art Nouveau design and decor. You can climb to the top for no charge
About the Lisboa card
If it’s within budget you can buy a Lisboa Card for free entry to more than 25 museums and cultural attractions – all of the city’s best – plus unlimited public transport for 24, 48 or 72 hours and discounts on tours, shows and lots more.