Lisbon: 3 perfect days

DAY 1

MORNING

A vintage tram and fortress stroll.

So get on early at Martim Moniz to avoid a packed tram and potentially a wooden seat. Enjoy the narrow, twisting alleyways and views.

AFTERNOON

A charming medieval maze

Alfama's medieval lanes lead south to the sea. Try out the Lisbon Cathedral, an impressive 12th-century church.

Dinner and fado

EVENING

Fado, a Portuguese music style with traditional guitar and melancholy vocals, is famous in Alfama. Music outshines red wine and seafood dish.

DAY 2

Arch, elevator, earthquake

MORNING

Explore the square, then Baixa's main strip, the shop-lined Rua Augusta. The neo-Gothic Elevador de Santa Justa connects the Baixa quarter to the Bairro Alto.

Art, artifacts, and some serious hedge

AFTERNOON

Lunchtime at Maria Peixeira includes octopus and bacalhau. Calouste Gulbenkian, a private museum of ancient Egyptian and Greek artifacts.

A night out in Bairro Alto

EVENING

Cheap bars, live music, and jazz clubs await after supper. North of Principe Real, the scene calms.

DAY 3

Maritime monuments in Belém

MORNING

Start your morning at Torre de Belém, monument to Portuguese sailing that appears to float on the Tagus River.

Late-Gothic ode to Vasco de Gama

AFTERNOON

After seeing late-Gothic splendor, head around the block to Pastéis de Belém for egg custard pies, another Lisbon must.

Night on the town, Lisbon style

EVENING

Tram 15 takes 25 minutes to Cais do Sodré, a beachy party zone. Before dinner, go along the sea at Time Out Market Lisboa, a food hall.

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