Copy it into your account, move it to your own dates and make it yours — swap stops, change the pace, add days.
Free account, no credit card. Copying, moving and adjusting are included.
Arrival and first evening in the Baixa
The pure train journey from Berlin to Lisbon is very long. If you'd like to travel at a relaxed pace, plan an overnight stop along the way.
Keep the first evening low-key: just arrive, check in and grab something to eat in the Baixa.
Long leg — build in breaks.
Your trip starts here. Since flying is out of the question for you, you'll plan the journey to Lisbon by rail.
A central hotel right on Rossio square in the Baixa, within walking distance of Rossio station and the tram lines. Ideal as a base for all your day trips, as trains to Sintra and Cascais depart from here.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
The Age of Discovery
It's best to tackle Jerónimos and Torre de Belém early, as it gets busier towards midday.
Buying tickets for the monastery and tower online in advance saves a lot of waiting time.
The magnificent Jerónimos Monastery, built in the Manueline style, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Portugal's most impressive buildings. The richly decorated cloister and the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões tell the story of the great age of seafaring.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
The city's most famous pastry shop has been baking the original Pastéis de Belém to a secret recipe since 1837. Warm, with cinnamon and icing sugar, they're an essential stop — even if there's a queue, it usually moves quickly.
This sturdy watchtower on the banks of the Tejo dates from the early 16th century and was once the starting point for voyages of discovery. From the viewing platform, you get a sweeping view over the river, and the narrow spiral staircases are a bit of an adventure.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
This sail-shaped monument to the discoveries commemorates Portugal's great navigators. Take the lift up to the viewing terrace for a view over the huge mosaic compass paving below.
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
Old Lisbon on foot
Alfama is hilly and cobbled, so comfortable shoes are essential.
It's worth visiting the Elevador de Santa Justa early, as long queues form later.
This neo-Gothic cast-iron lift from 1902 connects the lower-lying Baixa with Chiado. From the viewing platform at the top, you look out over the rooftops of the old town as far as the castle. Early morning is when the queue is shortest.
The Moorish castle sits high above the city and offers the widest view over Lisbon and the Tejo. Along the ramparts and between the towers, you can trace the city's history well.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Lisbon's oldest district is a maze of narrow lanes, steps and fado bars. It's well worth simply wandering here, pausing at the Miradouro das Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia viewpoints, and stopping at a small tasca for lunch.
This Romanesque cathedral from the 12th century is the city's oldest church and has withstood earthquakes and centuries. The imposing building with its two bell towers sits right along the route of Tram 28.
Fairytale palaces amid greenery
If crowds worry you: go on a weekday and start as early as possible, ideally on the first train around 8am. The Palácio da Pena is noticeably quieter before 10am than in the afternoon; late mornings and weekends are the busiest.
Book a good early-morning time-slot ticket for Pena in advance.
Sintra is hilly; covering Pena and Regaleira in one day takes stamina. Use the buses between the sights.
This colourful Romantic palace on a hill above Sintra, with its towers, battlements and bold colours, is one of Europe's most spectacular castles. The surrounding Parque da Pena, with its exotic plants, is a lovely place to wander.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
An enchanting estate with a palace, grottoes, small towers and the famous Initiation Well, a spiral staircase descending deep into the earth. The mysterious park, with its tunnels and waterfalls, is an experience to explore.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
Sintra's historic centre, with the National Palace, small shops and cafés. Try the local specialities travesseiros and queijadas before catching the train back.
The Atlantic and the westernmost point of Europe
The detour to Praia da Ursa is optional and only for the sure-footed. Without sturdy shoes or in bad weather, it's best to skip it and spend more time in Cascais instead.
It's almost always windy and cooler at Cabo da Roca than in the city, so bring a jacket.
Bus route 403 can get crowded; allow a bit of buffer time for connections.
Long leg — build in breaks.
The westernmost point of mainland Europe, where sheer cliffs drop 140 metres straight down into the Atlantic. A lighthouse and a monument mark the spot, and the wind and vastness make quite an impression.
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
A wild, remote beach with dramatic rock spires in the water, reached on foot via a steep path. The view from above is already worthwhile; the descent is demanding and only recommended with sturdy footwear and caution.
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
This elegant coastal town was once the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family and today has a charming old town, small coves and a lively waterfront promenade. At Boca do Inferno, the surf breaks spectacularly against the cliffs.
A silent monastic world and a last look at Lisbon
The Convento dos Capuchos is the hardest place to reach without a car. If the connections seem too awkward, swap it for a relaxed final day spent entirely in Lisbon.
If you skip the trip to Capuchos, you'll have more time for the market, the Baixa and revisiting a favourite spot.
The train journey back to Berlin is long; book seats and night-train sections well in advance.
A modest 16th-century Franciscan monastery whose tiny cells are lined with cork, tucked deep in the woods of the Serra de Sintra. Its stark simplicity and moss-covered rocks make it a quiet, very different contrast to the grand palaces.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
The great market hall at Cais do Sodré brings together stalls from well-known Portuguese chefs and traditional dishes under one roof. A good spot for a last meal together, with everything from fish to pastéis on offer.
One last stroll through the Baixa, with its geometric wave mosaics, Rossio square and souvenir shops. Time for one final bica coffee before the journey home begins.
Copy it and move it to your own dates.
Free account, no credit card. Copying, moving and adjusting are included.