Three days in Lisbon & Sintra

Day 1 — Alfama, the castle and fado

• 09:00 Coffee and a pastel de nata at Manteigaria, Rua do Loreto. Standing at the counter, cinnamon on top.
• 09:45 Tram 28 from Praça Luís de Camões — or walk up through Chiado if the queue is long.
• 10:30 São Jorge Castle. Book the 10:30 slot; the ramparts are empty for the first half hour.
• 12:15 Descend through Alfama via Largo das Portas do Sol and Miradouro de Santa Luzia.
• 13:15 Lunch in a small tasca near Largo de São Miguel. Grilled fish, house wine, €14.
• 15:00 Museu Nacional do Azulejo (bus 794 from Santa Apolónia). The tile museum explains everything you have been photographing. €8.
• 17:30 Riverside walk back to Campo das Cebolas; stop at a kiosk for a vinho verde.
• 19:00 Sunset at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.
• 21:00 Fado in Alfama. Expect a €25 minimum spend and absolute silence during the songs.

Day 2 — Belém, LX Factory and the west

• 08:45 Tram 15E from Praça da Figueira to Belém (25 minutes).
• 09:30 Jerónimos Monastery at opening. Cloister first, church afterwards. €12.
• 11:00 Pastéis de Belém — join the queue for the takeaway counter, not the room.
• 11:45 Belém Tower from the outside, then the Padrão dos Descobrimentos viewpoint (€6).
• 13:00 Lunch at Mercado de Algés or a riverside restaurant in Belém.
• 15:00 MAAT: the exhibition, or just the walkable roof, which is free.
• 16:30 LX Factory under the bridge: bookshop, roastery, rooftop.
• 19:30 Dinner in Santos or Cais do Sodré. Early drinks on Pink Street if you have energy.

Day 3 — Sintra, done properly

• 07:41 Train from Rossio (€2.45). Arrive Sintra 08:21.
• 08:45 Rideshare or bus 434 to Pena Palace for the 09:30 opening. €20 with the park.
• 11:15 Walk 15 minutes downhill to the Moorish Castle. €12, huge views, far fewer people.
• 12:45 Descend the Santa Maria path into the historic centre.
• 13:30 Lunch at Tascantiga — petiscos and a glass of Colares wine.
• 14:45 Quinta da Regaleira. €15. The initiation well, the grottoes, the Waterfall Lake.
• 17:00 A hot travesseiro at Piriquita on Rua das Padarias.
• 17:46 Train back to Lisbon. Final dinner in Príncipe Real.

If you have a fourth day: take the train from Cais do Sodré to Cascais (40 minutes, €2.45) and walk the boardwalk to Praia do Guincho, or swim at Praia da Conceição.