Lisbon’s got you inspired, and now you’re wondering what else is there to see. Paul and Tori take you outside the city to check out some of their very favorite day trips from Lisbon.

Sintra – Fairytale Come to Life

What it’s Like: Lord Byron called Sintra a “glorious Eden” and for good reason. Steep hills, verdant forests and beautiful natural trails are the perfect backdrop to a fairytale palace and mysterious ruins. Picturesque and idyllic, it is a must.

How to Get There: A 45-minute train ride from Lisbon’s Rossio station, you can use your Viva Viagem card to buy a ticket for one of the many departures throughout the day.

Once you get off the train, you can take the 434 bus, which loops up to Pena Palace (a main attraction) via the city center. You can buy one ticket and hop on and off.

Walking uphill to Pena Palace is a steep hike and a bit of a distance. If you’re short on time or not a hiker by nature, you should skip this and take the bus.

What to See/Do:

• City Center: Typical center with lots of shops and restaurants. A former Moorish palace, Palácio Nacional de Sintra, is there. Nice to check out if you have time, but not high on the must-see list. You can take the bus to the center or walk there. It’s about 10 minutes on mostly flat terrain from the train station
• Pena Palace: Stunning, colorful, neo-Moorish palace with beautiful turrets and gorgeous views of the countryside. The 434 bus drops you off at the main entrance, but you have further to go. You can either walk up, or for some extra money, take a shuttle up.
  
  It is a main tourist attraction, and for good reason. There can be a massive line to go indoors. If you’re short on time and have seen your fair share of European palaces, you have our permission to skip the inside and just spend time on the grounds and the exterior
  
• Castelo dos Mouros: Downhill walk from the palace. Not really a castle, but rather the defense walls. You can walk on the walls and get some nice views of the palace
• Quinta da Regaleira: One of Tori’s all-time favorite spots, Quinta da Regaleira is an utterly charming garden estate full of beautiful paths and deep with meaning. Once a private residence of a Brazilian mining owner who was very interested in the Knights of Templar and Freemasons, Quinta da Regaleira has lots of symbolism within its design. Take a tour if possible, but be sure to arrive early to get a ticket. The line can get long.
  
  You can walk to Quinta da Regaleira from the city center (about 10 minutes). Note that the bus loop that goes to Pena Palace does not stop here.

Cascais – Upscale Beach Town

What it’s Like: Known as the “playground for the rich,” Cascais is a small beach town a short distance from Lisbon. Rent a towel and a beach chair, get an Ola ice cream from a kiosque and enjoy a sunny day

How to Get There: A 45-minute train ride from Lisbon’s Cais do Sodre station, you can use your Viva Viagem card to buy a ticket for one of the many departures throughout the day.

What to See/Do:

• City Center: Cute little downtown across from the beach. Lots of artsy gift shops and sit-down restaurants
• Boca do Inferno: Chasm in the seaside cliffs where the sea gets caught up and goes wild
• Boardwalk to Estoril: Pretty boardwalk into the neighboring town a few miles away. While in Estoril, check out the casino where a young Ian Flemming was inspired to write Casino Royale. You can catch the train back to Lisbon from Estoril.

Óbidos – A Taste of Medieval Portugal

What it’s Like: Beautiful walled village that charms with its ancient stone streets and whitewashed homes covered in flowers. Known as the “Village of the Queens,” Óbidos had a tradition of being “gifted” to Portuguese queens upon marriage
How to Get There: Take the bus from Campo Grande in Lisbon. Though you can also take a train there, we recommend the bus because it has less stops and leaves you right outside the walls of Óbidos. It takes a little more than an hour
What to See/Do:

• Óbidos’s main street: Stroll along the main street for adorable shops, an art gallery, a bookstore inside an old church and more
• Walk on the village walls: The walls of the former castle surround the village. You can walk on them and get a great view of the countryside
• Sleep in the castle: Many historical places in Portugal have turned into hotels called “pousadas.” The Castle of Óbidos (O Castelo de Óbidos) is a pousada. If you have a lot of time in Portugal, consider doing an overnight stay in Óbidos. The last bus leaves around 7:30 pm, and the village becomes completely quiet. Here’s your chance to have a medieval village to yourself (mostly)
• Drink ginja de Óbidos: Ginja, if you remember from our first episode, is a cherry liquor that you can get in restaurants and tiny stores throughout Lisbon. Óbidos has its own style of ginja and it is served in chocolate cups. Time to drink up!

Evora – A Trip Through History

What’s it Like: Located in the Alentejo region, Evora is a trip through time. Ancient ruins and contemporary wine rooms coexist, making Evora a fascinating day trip.
How to Get There: You can get there by train or bus. There are several locations in Lisbon to catch either.
What to See/Do:

• The Alentejo: On your way to Evora, make sure you look out your window. The Alentejo is very different from other parts of Portugal. Stark, dry, flat and hot, the region is famous for its cork trees, vineyards, olive trees and more. It is beautiful in a very different way
• Ruins of an old Roman temple: Sure only the columns are left, but it is more than 2,000 years old!
• Aqueduct: Built in the 16th century, the aqueduct has become a secondary wall in Evora. In some spots you’ll see the high arches, in other spots, you’ll see homes built into the aqueduct
• Chapel of the Bones: Also developed in the 16th century, this Franciscan chapel was built with the bones of more than 5,000 corpses when cemeteries were dug up so that valuable land could be repurposed. The choice to expose the bones was meant to offer visitors a warning (or meditation point depending on your view of life) on the fleeting nature of life. The chapel greets you with the following:
  
  “Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos,” or: “We bones, that are here, are waiting for yours.”
  
• Alentejo wine region tasting room: We didn’t get a chance to do this, but it is on our list since Alentejo wines are pretty great. If you want to do this too, be sure to not visit Evora during a public holiday. You can learn more about Alentejo wines by listening to this episode

Other spots that you can do in a day, but deserve an overnight:

Coimbra – Prestigious University Town

What’s it Like: Sweet, hilly university town. Lots of interconnected roads, alleyways and alcoves. Perfect for exploring
How to Get There: You can take a high speed train from the Oriente train station in Lisbon. It takes about 1.5 hours. The train leaves you a bit away from the center of town, so you’ll either need to take a taxi to the town center or switch to a local train to get there
What to See/Do:

• University of Coimbra: Portugal’s oldest and most prestigious university. You can take a guided tour of its halls and most important areas
• Library of Coimbra: Part of the university, the Library of Coimbra is beautiful and filled with ancient manuscripts and books. You can also take a guided tour here
• Portugal dos Pequeninos: Perfect for families with kids, this theme park has little houses that represent the different parts of Portugal
• Listen to Fado music: Coimbra-style fado is different from what you’ll hear in Lisbon. Men sing the fado (harkening back to the days when university students were only men), and to show appreciation, the audience would clear their throats instead of clapping. If you want to listen to a fado show, you’ll need to stay overnight. Learn more about fado with this episode

Tomar – Knights Templar Stronghold

What’s it Like: Great little town that was a Knights Templar stronghold when the Moors controlled the Iberian peninsula
How to Get There: Take the train from Santa Apolonia in Lisbon. The trip takes almost two hours
What to See/Do:

• Matchbook museum: On the way to the center of town from the station, this incredibly unique museums showcases matchbooks from around the world
• Knights Templar Castle: One of Paul’s favorites. Extremely impressive castle with a round chapel and walls that you can walk on. Check out the incredibly beautiful and detailed manueline window
• Walk around the river: Tomar did a great job of integrating the city with the river. There’s lots of green space to enjoy

Fatima – Religious Pilgrimage

What’s it Like: Close to Tomar, Fatima is a world famous pilgrimage site where the Virgin Mary appeared to three little children.
How to Get There: You can take a bus or train. If you have a car, you can combine Fatima and Tomar in an overnight
What to Do: Pray. A lot.