TLDR: Six day trips worth the train ticket from Lisbon: Sintra (40 min train, fairy-tale palaces and the Pena Palace), Cascais (40 min train, seaside town and Boca do Inferno cliffs), Évora (1h30 train, Roman temple and the Capela dos Ossos), Óbidos (1h bus, medieval walled town and ginjinha cherry liqueur), Setúbal and the Arrábida coast (1h train + drive, dolphin watching), and Mafra (1h bus, the largest baroque palace in Portugal).
Insider tip from Casa Almada
Take the 8.41am Sintra train from Rossio rather than the popular 9.15am or 10am. You arrive in Sintra by 9.20am, walk to the Pena Palace through the empty park, and queue with 12 people instead of 200. Buy timed tickets online the night before — the on-the-day desk is the slow option.
Lisbon is one of the best base cities in Europe for day trips. Trains and buses run everywhere, the Atlantic coast is 30 minutes away, the Alentejo plain starts an hour east, and you can be in fairy-tale castle territory by 9.30am if you catch the right train.
Casa Almada sits in the heart of the Old Town with quick metro access to both Rossio and Cais do Sodré, the two stations that handle most of these trips. This is the local guide to the six day trips actually worth your time, with what each one offers and the realistic logistics for getting there and back.
Sintra: the fairy-tale palace day
Sintra is 28 km west of Lisbon, 40 minutes on the suburban train from Rossio station. Trains run every 20 minutes from 6am, €4.60 return with the Lisboa Viva card. From Casa Almada it is a 14 minute walk to Rossio.
The headline visits are the Pena Palace (€14, 9.30am-6.30pm), the Moorish Castle (€8, 9.30am-6.30pm), the Quinta da Regaleira with its initiation well (€11, 10am-7pm), and the Sintra National Palace in town (€10, 9.30am-7pm). Allow 6-8 hours total. Pena alone takes 2 hours including the queue and the bus up.
Practical: take the local 434 hop-on-hop-off bus from Sintra station up the hill — €13.50 return, runs every 15 minutes. Walking the hill takes 90 minutes uphill. Lunch in the town centre at Tascantiga on Escadinhas da Fonte da Pipa for petiscos at €4-€8 a plate.
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Cascais and the Atlantic coast
Cascais is the seaside fishing town turned royal summer resort, 40 minutes on the train from Cais do Sodré station. Trains every 20 minutes, €2.30 each way. The line follows the river then the Atlantic coast all the way out — sit on the right going west for the full sea view.
In Cascais itself, walk the old town’s pedestrian streets, swim from Praia da Rainha or Praia da Conceição, eat fresh fish at Marisco na Praça in the central market hall, and walk 20 minutes west to the dramatic Boca do Inferno blowhole cliffs.
Combine with a stop at Estoril halfway back — the famous casino, the Tamariz beach, and the avenue of art deco villas. Both Cascais and Estoril are easy half-day visits if you want to combine.
Évora, Óbidos and the further-out trips
Évora sits 130 km east in the Alentejo plain, 1h30 by train from Oriente station. UNESCO listed historic centre with the 1st-century Roman Temple (free), the Cathedral (€4.50), the bone-walled Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos) at the São Francisco church (€6), and the white-washed alleys around Praça do Giraldo. Lunch on Alentejo black pork at Botequim da Mouraria. Allow a full day.
Óbidos is the medieval walled town 80 km north of Lisbon, 1 hour by Rede Expressos bus from Sete Rios (€8 each way). Walk the entire defensive wall (free), explore the cobbled main street, and try the local ginjinha cherry liqueur served in a tiny chocolate cup (€1.50). Best visited Tuesday-Thursday — weekends are busy.
For nature, Setúbal and the Arrábida coast (1 hour by train from Roma-Areeiro plus a short drive) offers white-sand beaches at Galápos and Portinho, plus dolphin-watching boat tours from Setúbal harbour (€35 per adult, 2 hours). Mafra 40 km north has the largest baroque palace in Portugal (€8, 9.30am-5.30pm) and the adjacent royal hunting park, easily reached by Mafrense bus (€7 return, 1 hour).
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- Sintra: 40 min train from Rossio, €4.60 return. Pena Palace €14, Quinta da Regaleira €11.
- Cascais: 40 min train from Cais do Sodré, €2.30 each way. Combine with Estoril.
- Évora: 1h30 train from Oriente, ~€20 each way. Roman Temple free, Capela dos Ossos €6.
- Óbidos: 1h bus from Sete Rios, €8 each way. Walled town, ginjinha cherry liqueur.
- Setúbal / Arrábida: 1h train + short drive. Beaches plus dolphin-watching €35.
- Mafra: 1h bus, €7 return. Baroque palace €8.
- From Casa Almada: Rossio 14 min walk, Cais do Sodré 18 min walk, Oriente 7 min metro from Rossio, Sete Rios 12 min metro.
- Best months: April-June and September-October for the inland trips. Cascais and Arrábida work May-September for swimming.
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Casa Almada — luxury family apartment in the heart of Lisbon
220 m² of beautifully restored space across 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, sleeping up to 9 guests plus 2 infants. Three super king beds that split into singles, blackout blinds throughout, original art by Lisbon artists, Egyptian cotton linens, Rituals products, and a stunning rooftop terrace with panoramic city views. Tram 28 at the bottom of the street, Sé Cathedral around the corner, Castelo de São Jorge ten minutes on foot. A far cry from the soulless chain hotels of yesterday.
From €219/night. FTC disclosure: this is our own apartment booking page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Lisbon?
Sintra is the headline answer for first-time visitors — fairy-tale Pena Palace, Moorish Castle, and Quinta da Regaleira all sit within 6 km of each other. For seaside, Cascais is the easy alternative. For history and Alentejo cuisine, Évora.
How do you get from Lisbon to Sintra?
Take the suburban train from Rossio station direct to Sintra. 40 minutes, trains every 20 minutes, €4.60 return with a Lisboa Viva card. Buy the card at the station and load it. From Casa Almada, walk 14 minutes to Rossio.
Can I do Sintra and Cascais in one day from Lisbon?
Possible but rushed. The two are connected by a 40 minute bus (Scotturb 403, €4.55), but you lose 2 hours total in transit. Better to do them on separate days. If you must combine, do Pena Palace in the morning, take the 403 to Cascais for lunch and a beach hour, train back to Lisbon by 7pm.
Is Évora worth a day trip from Lisbon?
Yes for history, architecture and food enthusiasts. The 1st-century Roman temple, the bone-walled chapel and the UNESCO old town are unique in Portugal. Skip if you only have 3 days — Évora is best added on a 5+ day Lisbon stay.
What is the easiest day trip from Lisbon?
Cascais by train. 40 minutes from Cais do Sodré, €2.30 each way, no transfers, regular service. The town is walkable from the station, the beaches are 5 minutes on foot, and the cliffs of Boca do Inferno are 20 minutes’ walk west.
If you are planning your stay around this, take a look at the rest of our Lisbon travel blog for itineraries, restaurants and seasonal tips.