Day Trips from Lisbon

Lisbon is a good base for day trips, because some of Portugal's most rewarding destinations are just a short train, ferry or bus ride away and easily fit into a single day. The standouts are the palaces of Sintra, the seaside town of Cascais, the Cristo Rei statue on the south bank of the Tejo, and the walled town of Óbidos further inland. They differ a lot in how you get there, how much effort is involved and how much time you need. This overview sorts out what's worth your time, how to get there, and what it costs in 2026.

Sintra - a full day for the palaces

The most popular trip is to Sintra, in the wooded hills north-west of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. The Linha de Sintra suburban train (CP Urbanos) runs from Rossio station several times an hour, more often on weekdays; at weekends a train leaves Rossio every 30 minutes, from around 6:00 in the morning until 1:00 at night, with additional staggered departures from Oriente station. The journey takes around 40 minutes. A single ticket costs around €2.55 in 2026, loaded onto the rechargeable Navegante card (one-off €0.50 fee). Children aged 4 to 12 pay half price, and travel is free under 4.

Several major monuments compete for your time in Sintra:

• Palácio da Pena - the colourful hilltop palace is the landmark sight. The combined park and palace ticket costs €20 (adults); the park-only ticket is €12 but only covers the terraces and grounds, not the state rooms. The park opens 9:00-19:00, the palace 9:30-18:30. Palace entry runs on fixed time slots in 30-minute blocks.
• Quinta da Regaleira - an enchanted garden with the famous initiation well. Entry is €20 (adults aged 18-64); young people aged 6-17 and seniors 65+ pay €15. Open April to September 10:00-19:30, October to March 10:00-18:30 (last entry 17:30 either way). Allow 1.5 to 3 hours.
• Castelo dos Mouros - the Moorish castle with walkable ramparts and panoramic views, a separate monument next to Pena. Entry is €12 (adults), open 9:30-18:00.

Realistically you can combine Pena with one other sight in a single day, not all three at a relaxed pace. For a quieter alternative, bus 435 runs to Palácio de Monserrate (€12), which sees far fewer visitors. One thing to know for high season, Easter to October - time slots for Pena and tickets for Regaleira are often sold out days in advance. Book online ahead of time, or you may find the slots you want are gone. For how to plan the day in Sintra, see the guide Sintra in a day.

Cascais - coast, old town and the Boca do Inferno

The most relaxed of these trips is to the elegant Atlantic seaside town of Cascais. The Linha de Cascais train runs from Cais do Sodré station roughly every 20 minutes (more often at peak times, less frequent in the evening), from around 5:30 in the morning until 1:30 at night. The journey takes around 40 minutes and runs right along the water, making it easy to combine with a beach day. A single ticket costs around €2.55 (adults) or €1.30 (child) in 2026, also loaded onto the Navegante card.

The natural highlight is the Boca do Inferno, a rock chasm carved out by the Atlantic about 2 kilometres west of the centre. Access is free at any time. On foot, allow around 15 to 20 minutes along the coastal promenade; alternatively, bus 427 runs roughly every 15 minutes from Cascais station. The detour itself takes 15 to 30 minutes. Cascais as a whole works well as a half-day to full-day trip - the old town, beaches and the chasm are all easily connected on foot or by local bus.

Cristo Rei - a half-day trip with the best view of the city

On the south bank of the Tejo, in Almada, stands the Santuário Nacional de Cristo Rei, the striking Christ statue on its tall pedestal, with a sweeping view over Lisbon and the 25 de Abril Bridge. There's no direct ferry - the usual route is first the ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas (Transtejo, around 10 minutes, about €1.25-1.50). Ferries run three to four times an hour, the first around 5:35, the last around 1:40 at night. From Cacilhas, a connecting bus (roughly route 3001) takes you on to the Santuário.

The grounds, with garden, chapel and lower viewing area, are free. You only pay for the lift up the monument - €10 for visitors aged 13 and over, €3 for children aged 8 to 12, free under 8. Tickets are sold only at the ticket office on site, there's no online sale; drivers pay €2 for parking. A lift takes you up to the pedestal, and a further 74 steps lead to the top. Opening hours are daily 10:00-18:00, extended to 19:00 from April to September, with the last ascent starting 20 minutes before closing. One practical tip - around midday, especially when cruise passengers are in town, the queue for the lift can grow considerably; early morning or towards the end of the day is quicker. The visit itself takes 30 to 60 minutes, which is why Cristo Rei works well as a half-day trip.

Óbidos - the walled town for a full day

If you're willing to travel a bit further, you're rewarded with one of Portugal's best-preserved walled towns. Óbidos lies inland north of Lisbon and makes for a full-day trip in its own right. The most direct connection is the Rápida Verde bus (Rodoviária do Oeste) from Campo Grande bus terminal, journey time around 60 minutes. Buses run regularly during the day, less often at weekends and on public holidays; a single ticket costs around €9.45.

Once there, much of it is free - strolling the lanes and walking the roughly 1,565-metre town wall cost nothing, though note the wall has no railing along long stretches. The castle itself can't be visited, as it now houses a pousada hotel (a converted heritage hotel), but the garden, belvedere and walls are open and free. Admission is charged only during the annual medieval fair. The main church, Igreja de Santa Maria, with its azulejos (painted glazed tiles), takes about 20 minutes to see. Allow around 2 to 3 hours for the town as a whole, which makes for a well-filled day once you add travel time.

Tickets, the Lisboa Card and planning

For getting to and from these trips, it's worth looking at the Lisboa Card (72 hours, €62, 5% cheaper online). In 2026 it covers CP train journeys to Sintra (from Rossio or Oriente) and Cascais (from Cais do Sodré), as well as travel across to the south bank of the Tejo - by Fertagus train and Transtejo ferry, for example to Cacilhas for Cristo Rei. For the Pena Palace, though, there's no free entry, only around a 10% discount - you still pay the pricey palace tickets separately. Combined packages also exist (such as the Lisboa Card plus a Pena time-slot ticket), mostly through third-party booking portals; there's no single official product that bundles the train fare with palace admission.

A few rules of thumb for planning:

• Buy train tickets via the CP app, the CP website or a ticket machine, loaded onto the Navegante card. The card itself costs a one-off €0.50 and can be topped up as needed.
• Book Sintra's palaces several days ahead during high season, Easter to October - the time slots are the most common planning trap. Cristo Rei works the other way round, with tickets sold only at the ticket office on site.
• Check the season - palaces and attractions close later in summer than in winter. Regaleira, for instance, is open until 19:30 in summer and 18:30 in winter, Cristo Rei until 19:00 in summer and 18:00 in winter.

For how to reach the starting points Rossio, Cais do Sodré and Campo Grande within Lisbon, see the guide Getting around Lisbon. For which months suit which trip, see the best time to visit Lisbon.