Lisbon · onenicetrip

The reason we’re here

Night of 12–13 June 2027

Night of Santo António

Avenida da Liberdade and the old neighbourhoods, Lisbon

Lisbon honours its patron saint with the Marchas Populares on Avenida da Liberdade and street parties with grilled sardines in Alfama, the Bairro Alto and other old quarters. The festival is free and ends in the early hours, and 13 June is a municipal holiday. In 2026 the evening began at 21:00; the 2027 programme will be announced closer to the date.

Every year on the night of 12–13 June. Source ↗

The plan(and a late night)

Five days: the river at Belém, a day in Sintra, and the night of Santo António.

Where we sleep

4 nights

Base in the Baixa

Baixa, Lisbon

Day 1 · Thu 10 Jun
Belém, by the water
The first afternoon follows the Tagus out to Belém, where the Manueline monastery and the old tower look over the river. 10 June is Portugal Day, a national holiday, so the waterfront will have company.
- Jerónimos Monastery2 h
  A monastery begun in 1501 in the Manueline style, all carved stone ropes and sea creatures, and the resting place of Vasco da Gama and the poet Camões.
  What to see
  - The south portal
  - The tombs of Vasco da Gama and Camões in the church
  - The two-storey cloister
  Time
  About two hours.
  Tip
  The monastery is closed on Mondays and on 13 June, which is why we come on Thursday. Buy the ticket online beforehand to skip the longest queue.
  To eat
  Pastéis de nata, the custard tarts of Belém, eaten warm with cinnamon.
- Belém Tower1 h
  A small fortified tower on the water, built in the early 1500s under King Manuel I to guard the mouth of the Tagus.
  What to see
  - The tower from the riverside path
  - The terrace and the loggia
  - The sun going down over the Tagus
  Time
  An hour, or longer if you stay for the sunset.
  Tip
  The spiral stairs are narrow and only a few people go up at a time, so a queue forms. The tower looks just as good from the waterfront walk outside.
  To eat
  A bica, the small strong coffee, at a kiosk on the waterfront.
Day 2 · Fri 11 Jun
A day in the hills
A morning train to Sintra, a painted palace on the ridge and a garden full of tunnels. We come back to Lisbon in the evening light.
- Pena Palace3 h
  A romantic palace of yellow and red towers on a ridge above Sintra, built from the 1840s for King Ferdinand II on the ruins of an old monastery.
  What to see
  - The colourful terraces and the Triton arch
  - The royal rooms, still furnished
  - The park and its viewpoints over the coast
  Time
  Three hours, with the park.
  Tip
  Trains leave Rossio station and take about 40 minutes. Buy the ticket online beforehand, as June queues are long, and wear shoes for the steep cobbled climb.
  To eat
  A travesseiro, the puff-pastry pillow filled with almond and egg cream, from a Sintra bakery.
- Quinta da Regaleira2 h
  An estate redesigned by the Italian architect Luigi Manini in the early 1900s, with a small palace, a chapel and gardens full of grottoes and tunnels.
  What to see
  - The Initiation Well, a spiral stair of nine flights
  - The tunnels linking the grottoes
  - The small palace and its chapel
  Time
  About two hours.
  Tip
  The steps in the well are damp and the tunnels are dark, so wear shoes with grip and keep your phone torch ready.
  To eat
  A queijada, the small sweet cheese tart of Sintra, before the train back.
Day 3 · Sat 12 Jun
The night of the saint
A slow morning in Alfama, beside the church of the saint’s birth, and the castle for the view. After dark, the marches come down Avenida da Liberdade, and the old neighbourhoods fill with music and grilled sardines.
- The Sé and Santo António1.5 h
  Lisbon’s cathedral, founded in 1147, stands a few steps from the small church built where tradition says Santo António was born.
  What to see
  - The Romanesque and Gothic nave
  - The cloister and its Roman excavations
  - The church of Santo António, rebuilt after 1755
  Time
  An hour and a half.
  Tip
  In 2026 the saint’s collective weddings were held at the Sé from 14:00, so come in the morning before the church fills.
  To eat
  Grilled sardines on a slice of bread, the dish of the saint’s night, if a street stall has them.
- São Jorge Castle2 h
  The hilltop fortress above Alfama, with medieval walls and towers, looks down over the rooftops, the Tagus and the whole of the Baixa.
  What to see
  - The walls and towers
  - The view over the Baixa and the river
  - The peacocks in the gardens
  Time
  About two hours.
  Tip
  The castle is open every day of the week. The wall-walks are uneven and have drops, so watch your step, and go in the afternoon for the soft light.
  To eat
  A glass of ginjinha, the sour-cherry liqueur, on the way down through Alfama.
- Avenida da LiberdadeEvening
  On the night of 12–13 June the Marchas Populares come down this avenue, with one march from each historic neighbourhood in costume, dancing and singing.
  What to see
  - The marches from each neighbourhood
  - The costumes and paper arches
  - The crowd on the pavements
  Time
  The parade runs late into the night.
  Tip
  The avenue closes to traffic from the late afternoon, and in 2026 the evening started at 21:00. Arrive early for a place along the railings, or watch from a side street.
  To eat
  Grilled sardines at one of the street parties of Alfama or the Bairro Alto after the parade.
Day 4 · Sun 13 Jun
Santo António’s day
A municipal holiday, and a late start after the night before. We walk down to the river square, then cross by ferry to the statue on the far bank for the view back at the city.
- Praça do Comércio1 h
  The big arcaded square opening onto the Tagus was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake and is the gateway to the grid of the Baixa.
  What to see
  - The triumphal arch on Rua Augusta
  - The steps down to the river
  - The yellow arcades
  Time
  An hour, slowly.
  Tip
  The arch has a viewing terrace you can climb for a look over the square and the river. Go before lunch on a holiday, when the plaza is still quiet.
  To eat
  Bacalhau, salt cod cooked in many ways, which Lisbon eats all year.
- Cristo Rei, Almada3 h
  A huge statue of Christ on a pedestal, inaugurated in 1959, stands on the far bank of the Tagus and looks across at Lisbon.
  What to see
  - The view of Lisbon from the platform
  - The 25 de Abril bridge
  - The ferry crossing from Cais do Sodré
  Time
  Three hours with the ferry.
  Tip
  Take the ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas, then a local bus or a short taxi up to the sanctuary. A lift inside the pedestal goes up to the viewing platform.
  To eat
  Grilled fish at a riverside place in Cacilhas, the fishermen’s old quarter.
Day 5 · Mon 14 Jun
A last quiet morning
Nothing to rush for: a basilica, a garden, and a viewpoint over the rooftops before we leave.
- Estrela Basilica and Garden1.5 h
  A white domed basilica, begun in 1779 by Queen Maria I to fulfil a vow, looks over a calm garden with a bandstand and a pond.
  What to see
  - The dome seen from the garden
  - The nativity scene of more than 500 cork and terracotta figures
  - The garden’s bandstand and pond
  Time
  An hour and a half.
  Tip
  Monday closes many museums in Lisbon, but a basilica and a garden make an easy last morning. Look for the nativity scene by Machado de Castro inside.
  To eat
  A pastel de nata and a coffee at the café in the garden.
- São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint45 min
  A terraced garden in the Bairro Alto looks across the valley to the castle hill and over the roofs of the Baixa.
  What to see
  - The view across to the castle
  - The garden with its busts
  - The old streets of the Bairro Alto below
  Time
  Forty-five minutes, or an hour with a drink.
  Tip
  The view across to the castle is best in the soft light of late morning or evening; the garden is open air, so a Monday does not matter.
  To eat
  A ginjinha or a small coffee at a kiosk by the viewpoint.