Day Trips from Lisbon: 9 Places Where Portugal’s Story Began
Lisbon is the perfect base for exploring Portugal, and many of the places that shaped the country are less than two hours away. These are the day trips we run from Lisbon, with the origin story behind each one. Distances are measured in a straight line from Lisbon.
1. Sintra, the Mountain of the Moon (about 25 km)
Romans called the Sintra hills the Mountain of the Moon. The Moors fortified the ridge, and in 1147 the hills passed to Portugal’s first king. Walk the walls on our Moorish Castle guided tour, step inside the oldest royal palace in Portugal on the Sintra National Palace tour, or start before dawn on the Sintra to Lisbon sunrise hike. More ideas on our Sintra page.
2. Peninha, Sintra’s sacred summit (about 30 km)
High above Cabo da Roca, the small sanctuary of Peninha was built in the 17th century where tradition says the Virgin appeared to a shepherdess. Our Peninha walking tour follows old paths to one of the widest views in the region.
3. Guincho and the Atlantic edge (about 30 km)
Where the Sintra hills fall into the ocean, wind-blown dunes cross the coast and the 17th-century Forte da Cresmina still watches the sea. See it on the Guincho Atlantic Edge tour.
4. Cascais and the royal Riviera (about 26 km)
In 1870 King Luís I made the citadel of Cascais his summer residence, and a fishing village became the Atlantic Riviera of Lisbon. Our Lisbon to Cascais coastline tour follows the old road along the river and the sea.
5. Mafra, a king’s promise (about 31 km)
King João V promised a convent in exchange for an heir and built one of the largest monuments in Europe, with a Baroque library of about 36,000 books. Join the Mafra Palace and Convent tour or add the royal hunting park on the Mafra and Tapada de Mafra tour.
6. Comporta, rice, salt and sea (about 50 km)
South of the Sado estuary, Comporta lived for generations from rice paddies, salt flats and fishing. Discover its villages and stilt harbours on the Comporta Origins tour.
7. Montemor-o-Novo and Évora (80 to 110 km)
Cross into the Alentejo to a hilltop castle town chartered in 1203 and to Évora, where a Roman temple from the 1st century still stands in the main square. Both are on our Montemor-o-Novo and Évora day trip.
8. Nazaré, the legend of 1182 (about 100 km)
A knight, a deer, a cliff in the fog and a miracle: Nazaré began with a legend. Explore it on the Nazaré Origins day trip from Lisbon, or join a local walk once you are there.
9. Tomar, the city of the Templars (about 115 km)
Founded by the Knights Templar in 1160, Tomar is where the Order of Christ helped launch the Age of Discovery. Walk the Convent of Christ on our Tomar and Convent of Christ tour.
How to choose
For a first visit, Sintra and Mafra combine royal palaces with short travel times. If you love the sea, choose Nazaré, Guincho or Comporta. For deep history, go to Tomar or Évora. Not sure? Tell us about your ideal day and we will suggest a route.