48 Hours in Lisbon: Trams, Tiles, and the Right Neighborhoods

Lisbon is built across seven hills, and no amount of itinerary planning changes that basic geography. The trip that works is the one that plans around the climbs instead of fighting them — using the trams and funiculars as genuine transport, not just a photo opportunity.

Day 1 — Alfama and the castle, downhill first

Start at the top: take a taxi or ride-share up to São Jorge Castle, then work your way down through Alfama's tangle of narrow, tiled streets on foot. Doing it in this direction turns the neighborhood's steep, uneven staircases into a genuine pleasure rather than a grind, and the castle's views over the city are best appreciated with fresh legs anyway.

"We tried to walk up to the castle on day one and nearly gave up on Alfama entirely — doing it downhill on day two was a completely different experience."

Ride tram 28, but not for the whole route

The famous yellow tram 28 gets genuinely crowded, particularly in the historic center. Boarding partway through its route, rather than at the crowded starting point, and riding just the most scenic stretch through Alfama and Graça, gets the experience without the worst of the standing-room crush.

Day 2 — Belém and the tiles

Belém, a short tram or bus ride from the center, holds the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower — genuinely worth the trip out, and also home to the original pastéis de nata bakery, still using the same recipe. Go early to avoid both the crowds and the line, which can stretch out the door by midday.

Azulejo tiles are everywhere, and worth actually looking at

The blue-and-white ceramic tiles covering building facades throughout the city are easy to walk past without really seeing after the first hour. Slowing down in a quieter residential street, away from the main tourist routes, reveals genuinely intricate, centuries-old patterns that are just as much a part of Lisbon's identity as the trams or the viewpoints.

Sunset from a miradouro, not a rooftop bar

Lisbon's miradouros — public viewpoints scattered across the hilly city — offer genuinely spectacular sunset views over the terracotta rooftops, for free, without needing a reservation or a drink purchase. Miradouro de Santa Catarina and Miradouro da Senhora do Monte are both worth the walk up.

For hotel neighborhoods and a full itinerary, see our Lisbon destination guide.