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Your Perfect Port Day in Lisbon
Your cruise is coming up and you’ll be docking in the beautiful, historic, hilly city of Lisbon. Now it’s time to figure out where to go, what to do, and what to expect at this port. Maybe you don’t want to splash out on a pricey cruise company excursion. Or maybe you don’t mind paying, but all the excursions are sold out or not quite to your taste. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.
Below you will find our carefully curated, tried and tested walking tour of Lisbon. Our walking tours are the best way to see the sights and get the vibe of the city. And, of course, we’ll tell you where to pick up the best pastel de natas in Lisbon. And unlike any other walking tours we’ve found, we’ll tell you where you can take that much-needed bathroom break. Phew!
Disembarking
The stunning Portuguese capital is right on the doorstep of the port. Check out this stunning view taken from the Disney Dream in 2023!
If this is your first cruise, you may not be familiar with the disembarkation process (getting off the ship). The day before you arrive in port, you’ll be given plenty of reminders of your docking and all-aboard times. You’ll get these reminders via signage around the ship as well as announcements from the captain and crew. They’ll also let you know if you’ll be time-travelling overnight.
On your port day the captain will announce when you are docked and ready to disembark. It’s a good idea to be ready 30 minutes before the expected arrival time so you’re good to go if the ship docks ahead of schedule. To disembark, you will line up and the crew will scan your key card. It’s best to take your passport with you as the port authorities may ask to see it.
What to expect at the port
Lisbon is a busy port year-round, so it’s unlikely that your ship will be the only one in port. But don’t worry; whilst it’s a busy and bustling city, it doesn’t feel overcrowded.
In Lisbon, you’ll step off the ship and into a large, organised, and modern port. The port has Wi-Fi, restrooms, and a taxi rank just outside the doors.
How to spend your Lisbon port day
Now you’re ready for our walking tour, handcrafted specifically for one perfect port day. You’ll usually have between 4 and 6 hours to explore the port, depending on your itinerary. For a more specific tour based on your itinerary or specific needs, we’ll be launching bespoke tours soon! You can also contact us to let us know what else you’d like to see!
Our tour ensures that you’ll see a lot of this stunning city whilst minimising any back and forth. The hills in Lisbon are no joke, and you’ll probably be here in the summer, so it can be hot and hard-going at times.
Another great reason to follow our plan is that you’ll get to ride the iconic Tram 28 without waiting in a huge queue. Most people get on at the Martim Moniz stop (which is where Google Maps directs you). Locals told us the queue there can be up to 2 hours long! If you follow our plan, you’ll get on at a much quieter stop early in the day. Later in the afternoon, you’ll be smugly walking past the people waiting in that queue! Trust us, the queue in the photo below goes on forever!
It’s time to get started on our walking tour! At the end of this guide, you will find an interactive Google map of the tour. You can save it to your own Google account, or print it out for reference.
Our Lisbon Port Day Walking Tour
As you leave the port and face the city, turn left for a casual 15-minute stroll through the waking city. As you walk, take in the gorgeous architecture until you reach the Church of St Anthony. Across the road from the church is the stop for Tram 28. Straight ahead of you is Lisbon Cathedral, which is open from 7am to 7pm and is free to enter. It’s a must see before you board the tram.
It’s important to note that our walking tour gets you on Tram 28 halfway through the route. This means we won’t be visiting Basilica de Estrela or Assemblia da Repulica at all today. If it’s important to you to do the entire route, we would recommend you take a taxi from the port directly to Praça São João Bosco. You can catch the tram from there and re-join the tour at the final stop, Martim Moniz.
It’s time to board Tram 28. Make sure you’re on the correct side of the street for the tour. If you’re facing the front of the cathedral, the stop is on your right-hand side. Be warned: whilst this stop is much quieter than the stop at Martim Moniz, this is still a touristy area. You may have to wait a short time for a less-crowded tram, and may be approached by tuk-tuk drivers. We can assure you that it’s still worth it.
Lots of other guides will tell you that you should get the Lisboa card. Before you consider this, remember that you’re only here for a few hours on a cruise port day. You do not need the Lisboa card, nor do you need any other city pass for this tour. At the time of writing, the tram is €3 paid in cash to the driver as you board.
It’s quite a bumpy journey on the tram, but the rough ride is well worth it. For an incredibly low price, you can enjoy the sights of the beautiful Seven Streets as the locals do. In a vintage tram car!
Get off the tram at Martim Moniz and take 5-10 minutes to explore this square. It does feel a little rough around the edges here, but there are some cool features to take photos of (including the now massive queue waiting for the tram you just hopped off).
It’s now time to explore the city by foot as we work our way back to the ship. Our first stop is Praça do Rossio. In this inspiring square you will find a beautiful sun trap with Monumento a Dom Pedro IV at its centre.
This massive open square is surrounded by shops and cafés (including a McDonald’s, which we recommend for a quick bathroom break). You’ll see the impressive National Theatre at the top end, with this beautiful water fountain in front.
Once you’ve finished taking in the scenery of Rossio Square, it’s time to grab a well-earned ice cream at one of the best gelatarios in Lisbon.
Originating in 1949, Santini’s has a 4.5 rating on Google at the time of writing and made it onto Time Out’s best ice cream in Lisbon list. Their gelato is 100% artisanal with all-natural ingredients. There is a Haagen Daaz around the corner, which is rated 4.9 stars, but we advocate for contributing to local businesses over big chains wherever possible.
With your delicious ice cream in hand, head just 2 minutes down the road to find the famous Santa Justa Lift.
On this port day tour, we’re going to take photos from the bottom of the lift and then move on. It may be a controversial take, but it will simply take too much time waiting in line to ride this (approx. 1 hour) when you have limited time. If you’re on a cruise that’s in port longer than usual, then you should go for it because the views from the observation deck are amazing.
There’s another way to check out the view from the top by climbing the steps rather than taking the lift. However, this is not something we did when testing this walking tour. By the time you get here, the midday sun will be shining, so it will likely be an arduous climb. If you do choose to go for it, search Santa Justa Lift on YouTube. There are plenty of video walkthroughs to get you up the stairs. Meet us back at the bottom to re-join the tour!
Time for another 15-minute walk, winding your way through the streets to grab some lunch. Just follow our map!
The route starts out with lots of name-brand shops for you to dip in and out of as you choose. There’s also a bathroom break here, on the ground floor of a historic shopping centre, Armazéns do Chiado. We haven’t included it as part of the tour, but of course you could always take a look around. If nothing else, you can enjoy a nice reprieve from the hot sun with some air con!
After you’ve passed the shops, the route turns into some much quieter, narrow side streets, so you can enjoy strolling downhill in the shade. Near the end of our walk, just before lunch, you’ll hit your next photo stop: the iconic Pink Street. This is the city’s inclusive nightlife area, but you’ll be seeing it in daylight, so take some fun photographs of the hanging umbrellas and pink-painted road!
Walk another 3 minutes and you’ll reach the Time Out Market Lisboa. You’ll find some of the best food in the city here; Time Out pulls together the best restaurants and chefs in the area to give you a taste of the local specialities. If street food isn’t your thing, you will find plenty of highly rated restaurants in the surrounding area. Our bespoke tours are launching soon, so you can tell us exactly what you like and we’ll do the research for you.
Leave through the back entrance to start your harbour-front walk. We’re on our way to some of the best pastel de natas in the city. There are a few back streets to walk through for 5 minutes or so, but it’s worth it to reach Ribeira das Naus. As you continue your walk, check out the stunning blue ocean to your right and the gorgeous architecture to your left. You’ll reach Praça do Comércio in no time.
Praça do Comércio is an expansive and stunning plaza, which will leave you awestruck. You can read more about the history here. At the centre, you’ll find the King Joseph statue. You can take your time here, take photos, and take in the views.
Now head to the back of the plaza to Arco da Rua Augusta. You can get some great photos of it, both from a distance and from underneath. You can also climb to the top for approx. €4.50. There’s a lift to the 2nd floor and then some narrow stairs. Once you reach the top you’ll find 360 degree views of the city.
Our final stop before heading back to the ship is Martinho da Arcada. It’s the oldest restaurant in the city, established in 1782. It’s here that we’ll finally stop for some well deserved pastel del nata! The café and the restaurant are in the same building. If you’re just stopping for pastel de nata, make sure you ask to be seated in the outdoor café area. If you are seated inside, they will expect you to eat a full meal.
Once you’ve had your fill, it’s time to amble back to the ship. Hopefully you will feel pleased to have seen so much of what this stunning city has to offer. Walk back across Praça do Comércio and turn left to walk along the waterfront until you see your ship. Go ahead and climb aboard ready for a siesta, a shower and a wonderful evening on your ship!
Mapping out the Tour
As promised, here’s the interactive Google map of our tour. You can see the route we’ve taken, and we’ve labelled any bathroom breaks on the route for you. You can save it to your own Google account, or print it out for reference.
Follow the first A – B Directions Port to Tram 28. When you get off the tram at Martim Monez Square, start the next portion of the tour A – J.
Just a heads up: our recommendations are carefully researched but things can change. Please read our full disclaimer for more information!
What’s Next
If you need to fly to your departure port, make sure to check out our airport transfer guides.
You can find more of our cruise port guides here. We’re always updating the website with new walking tours, so follow us on Instagram and Facebook to be updated when we upload new ports. Feel free to contact us to let us know what you want to see next!
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