Lisbon

About

Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 575,739 as of 2024, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city, and the only one along the Atlantic coast, the others being on islands. The city lies in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, on the northern shore of the River Tagus. The western portion of its metro area, the Portuguese Riviera, hosts the westernmost point of Continental Europe, culminating at Cabo da Roca.

Summary excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lisbon, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be clipped or paraphrased to fit this page.

Why visit

Visit Lisbon for hills, river light, tilework, fado, book culture, museums, food, and neighborhoods that still show the city's maritime and imperial history. The Gulbenkian, Museu Nacional do Azulejo, Jerónimos Monastery, Belém, Alfama, Chiado, the riverfront, and the viewpoints make the city more than a warm-weather capital. For one or two days, keep the route tight because the hills matter. Choose one museum or monastery, one older neighborhood, one viewpoint, and one evening plan if fado or a concert fits. With more time, add Sintra, Cascais, Évora, or slower ferry and tram days rather than only repeating the central tourist circuit.

When to avoid

Lisbon is not effortless. Hills, polished stone pavements, crowded trams, summer heat, pickpockets, and overtourism around Alfama, Belém, and the viewpoints can make the city feel more tiring than its size suggests. Wear practical shoes and do not build the day around Tram 28. Short-term rental pressure has changed some central neighborhoods, and prices have risen. If you dislike crowds, avoid peak summer and cruise-heavy days, or stay longer and spend more time outside the most photographed routes.

The next week in Lisbon

7-day forecast from Open-Meteo. UV badges flag days when sun protection matters (3 and above is moderate; 8 and above is risk territory for unprotected fair skin within 30 minutes).

Year-round climate

Monthly highs, lows, and rainfall (long-term averages, NASA POWER).

Airports near Lisbon

2 commercial airports within 100 km. Closest is Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) at 7 km.

Getting around Lisbon

Public-transit operators within 8 km of the city center. Click through to each operator’s site for routes, fares, and tickets.

Operators and modes aggregated by TransitLand from individual transit-agency GTFS feeds. Route classifications (subway / tram / rail / bus / etc) come from each feed’s GTFS route_type codes.