limao-rooftop-bar-lisbon
· · · · · · · ·

5 things you have to do on a weekend trip to Lisbon

Lisbon is the vibrant and cosmopolitan capital of Portugal. A popular destination for a weekend break with easy access to Lisbon airport from most countries. One of the oldest cities in the world, and the second oldest European capital city (after Athens), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. But how do you spend your weekend with so many excellent restaurants, bars and sights to see and visit, trying to compress it in to one weekend can be very difficult. So we have made it a little easier for you with our list of 5 must do things for a weekend visit. Visit Limão Rooftop Bar What ever time you arrive in Lisbon, a visit to Limão Rooftop Bar is a must. Located on the tenth floor of the H10 Duque de Loulé, an exclusive Boutique Hotel full of charm and can be found in a historical building in the centre of Lisbon, close to Avenida da Liberdade. Though the location is in the centre of the city, you will find this one of the most relaxing spots in Lisbon. limao-rooftop-bar-lisbon The building was renovated and decorated by interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán, the beauty of this typical 18th-century facade was preserved, whilst the interior is a fusion of traditional Portuguese elements and contemporary modern and functional elements. The same level of detail has been applied to the roof top bar, with striking blue and white décor and glass panels ensuring your view is not interrupted. There are 2 seating areas, one interior and one exterior that offers some of the most amazing panoramic views across Lisbon extending to the river and beyond. The Limão offers a great selection of wines and cocktails along with a variety of Portuguese tapas and excellent friendly service. Enjoy the views during the day on the terrace or sit back and watch the sunset and Lisbon come to life during the evening. Take a river cruise on a private yacht The Tagus is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. Starting in Spain and finishing in the Atlantic in Lisbon, no trip to Lisbon is complete without spending time on this amazing river. Once in the city you will be able to choose from a large variety of river cruises of varying durations and locations. However, many of these can be crowded with other sightseers all wanting the same experience. seabooking-private-yacht-tour-lisbon However, if you want to have a truly luxurious experience away from the crowds, consider booking a private tour on a vintage yacht. SeaBookings provide a private river tour in Lisbon, the vintage yacht is manned by an experienced skipper that will also give you live commentary on the sights that you will see. With relaxing music, a selection of Portuguese petiscos (Portuguese tapas) and excellent wine you can really enjoy the sights in luxury. There is no other way to view the amazing 25th of April Bridge or to obtain some of the best photographs of the Praça do Comércio historical square. The private vintage yacht trip, really is one of the highlights of any trip to Lisbon if you want to experience nature, history and culture without sharing it with strangers. Visit O Mundo Fantástico das Conservas Portuguesas (The Fantastic World Of Portuguese Sardines) If you want to experience something a little more unusual on your trip, then there really is nowhere more unusual than O Mundo Fantástico das Conservas Portuguesas, this is a tinned sardine shop located in Rossio square in the centre of Lisbon. The shop has a circus theme and sells only tinned sardines. This may not sound like a must see attraction, but it really is. sardine-shop-lisbon-portugal Each tin of sardines has a different year from 1916 onwards, with over 100 years to choose from these make a fantastic gift, combining the history of the Portuguese sardine with an amazing historical fact. Each tin is decorated in a vintage design with the year clearly marked and interesting facts about that year, for example 1945 has the end of WWII and that musicians Bob Marley, Rod Stewart and Eric Clapton were born. Each decade has a distinct colour and every year has a slightly different tone. This allows for the bright and colourful store to blend so well but retain easily viewed years. There is also a sound track (especially created for the store by artist Carlos Alberto Moniz). If you are searching for an unusual gift to take home or something to mark a special occasion, these tins are the perfect present. However, the design of the shop is so colourful and extraordinary that even if you choose not to buy, the experience is well worth a visit! Visit Sintra A visit to Sintra has to be near the top of your list for a trip to Lisbon. Sintra, where nature mixes perfectly with the palaces and monuments, to make this one of the most impressive areas in Portugal, so much so the area, not just one building, was granted UNESCO world heritage status. The historic town centre is a great place to start. There are a wide selection of restaurants serving regional or international cuisine and many castles and palaces to visit. sintra-lisbon-portugalholidays4u Pena Palace is one of Portugal’s best examples of Portuguese architecture in the romantic period, colourful and striking in red and yellow, this palace is a must see from any angle, including the distance as it emerges from the clouds high on a hill top. Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) also known as Sintra castle, is a 10th century fortification built after the Moorish conquest of the Iberian Peninsular. This castle will give far reaching views all the way to the Ocean. If you do not want to spend your entire trip in Sintra (which you could easily do as there is so much to see) then Quinta da Regaleira is located close to the town centre. Built between 1904 and 1910, in a gothic style, it is likely to be one of the quirkiest palaces you can visit, with many follies’ in the gardens and far reaching views, the building and gardens are more of a work of art than a traditional palace. Which ever palace you choose to visit, you will not be disappointed. Visit Praça do Comércio If you are looking for the perfect place to eat lunch, the Praça do Comércio is ideal. This is one of Lisbon’s grandest plazas. Originally it was the home of the old royal palace until it was destroyed by the earthquake of 1755. praca-do-comercio-lisbon-portugalholidays4u The four sides of the main square each have spectacular views, with the southern end looking out over the Tagus River. Here you will find a grand marble staircase. These steps date to before the 1755 earthquake and were built for the arrival of royal dignitaries and would have led straight into the royal palace. Both sides have the famous yellow coloured buildings with 18thcentury arcades running along them. The main aspect of this square is the Verissimo da Costa’s triumphal Arco da Rua Augusta, sitting proud in the centre of remaining yellow coloured buildings. If you choose you can visit the top of this structure for some of the best views of Lisbon. If you are just wanting to enjoy some lunch, the restaurants are varied, all with outside eating areas where you can enjoy your meal or a glass of wine and watch the world go by. In the centre of the plaza is the Equestrian Statue of Joseph I, designed by Machado de Castro in 1775. From the plaza you can walk along Rua Augusta, which is a lively pedestrian street, the centre of which is filled with seating areas of the many cafes and restaurants, enjoy the traditional and international shops or watch the numerous street artists. There are so many other places to visit and experiences to enjoy, but for a weekend in Lisbon, these have to be at the top of any list. Jenny Lovett is the Founder of Portugalholidays4u.com. Portugalholidays4u.com is a website showcasing all that Portugal has to offer with an extensive collection of villas, apartments and holiday accommodation. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Jenny Lovett

Jenny Lovett is the founder of Portugalholidays4u.com, a holiday advertising website in Portugal. After years of travelling Europe and living in the UK, France and Spain, she made her home in Portugal and is currently renovating an old manor house with her husband in a small rural village. She developed Portugalholidays4u.com through her love of Portugal, dedicated to showcasing the best that Portugal has to offer for everybody, from luxury holidays to budget bed and breakfasts and everything in between. The aim is to provide a dedicated hub for all holiday makers and travellers planning on visiting Portugal.

Did you enjoy this article?

Receive similar content direct to your inbox.

14 Comments

  1. Oddly I haven’t done the first three attractions but I have done numbers four and five. Sintra is simply beautiful, a breath of clean fresh air, amongst the woodland, away from Portugal’s busy capital city – though it isn’t too far out of Lisbon at all. As recommended I have also called in on the Praça do Comércio for a very enjoyable lunch in elegant surroundings.

    As I haven’t done the first three attractions it is a good excuse to return to Lisbon sometime soon.

  2. We usually like to do 3 or 4 weekend trips a year. Booking off Friday and Monday as holidays means that you are getting a 4 day mini holiday for just the loss of 2 days of annual leave.

    We did Lisbon in spring time in 2018 and it was glorious. We actually stayed at Cascais down on the coast which meant that on 2 days we took a half hour train into the centre of Lisbon to do the sights. Staying in Cascais we got some great walks along the sea front and even had an hour on the beach.

  3. Yes, a visit to the Limão Rooftop Bar would be a must for me. I always like to get up high in a new city so that I can orientate myself and get a sense of the place’s geography. If it’s with cocktails and wine all the better. You’re usually paying a premium for the drinks but hey you’re on holiday you’ve got to live and spoil yourself.

  4. The Limão Rooftop Bar really does look very relaxing. It’s hard to tell if there’s any security barrier around the edge. I think I’m getting old, picking these things out and worrying about the safety issues! It does sound like you can experience more, and learn more, with a private yacht tour. Not sure how much that would set you back, but I like that it’s an all round experience with music and nibbles and commentary, and seeing things you probably wouldn’t otherwise while getting away from the hustle and bustle for a while. I can see that being a worthwhile investment.

    Even though I love the quirkiness of it being circus themed, I think I’d have to give the sardine shop a miss though, can’t stand them! When would be the best time for a weekend trip, if you don’t want to go when it’s too busy? Is everything still open and operational in terms of tours and such during the off peak winter months, like October to March?

    1. Yes everything is still open out of season and the weather, though not the same as in summer, is often very pleasant. You would need to check on the boat trips though depending on the weather

  5. I often feel that Lisbon is underrated as a destination for a weekend getaway. As capital cities go its quite compact and although it’s quite hilly it’s an easy and interesting place to stroll around.

    Everyone raves about Spanish Tapas forgetting that Portuguese chefs are very inventive when it comes to giving tapas a distinctly and tasty Portuguese spin. Great wines too, in my opinion.

    If you’ve got the time, and the weather’s good, it’s very easy to get to the Lisbon coast too.

    1. We agree, Lisbon has always been one of our favourite city breaks. Everything is so easy to see and the public transport is great for getting around

  6. Wow, this is so beautiful. The lighting in the country looks tremendously gorgeous. Limão Rooftop Bar looks amazing, I think I could spend a whole day there. And I’m not a big fan of sardines but that place looks pretty cool! This post made me want to think about visiting Portugal this summer. Thanks!

  7. I’m so envious of my son. He is doing a PhD and his university have agreed to him (and funding) a three month stay in Lisbon to do some research.

    It’s a mother’s duty to fly out and check up that he’s OK so I will be flying in to see him and staying on for a week to have a little holiday.

    I haven’t been to Lisbon for many a year so I’m checking out what’s new.

  8. In September 2022 we had a long weekend in Lisbon and loved it so much that we are thinking of going again sometime in 2024.

    We used the underground a lot and got all around the city. One trip out to Sintra was a real highlight. We also took the train out to Cascais which made it a bit of a beach holiday too.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *