Where to stay in Lisbon & Sintra

Chiado or Bairro Alto: everything in the old centre is within walking distance, and the river is at the bottom of the hill. Príncipe Real and the Sant'Ana hill are calmer; the Avenida da Liberdade suits those who want a grand hotel and taxis rather than trams.

Very. Streets are steep and paved with polished limestone that is slippery in rain, so bring comfortable shoes with grip. The historic funiculars of Glória, Bica and Lavra have been closed since the Glória accident of September 2025; tram 28 and taxis, cheap by European standards, save the steepest climbs.

A night if you can. Trains from Rossio take about 40 minutes, but the palaces are crowded from mid-morning to late afternoon; sleeping in Sintra lets you reach Pena or the Moorish Castle at opening time and have the town to yourself in the evening.

Three full days cover the old centre, Belém and a slow evening on a miradouro. Add a fourth for Sintra, and a fifth if you want Cascais or a day on the beaches of the Setúbal peninsula.

The airport is inside the city: a taxi or ride-hailing car reaches Chiado or the Avenida in about 15 to 25 minutes, traffic permitting. The metro's red line connects with the rest of the network for those travelling light.