🇵🇹 Lisbon, Portugal — Cruise Port Guide
Seven hills of azulejo-tiled facades, rattling yellow trams, and custard tarts still warm from the oven — Europe's sunniest capital works hard to charm.
Updated September 2026
Quick facts
Getting ashore
When to visit Lisbon
Best in spring (March-May) or fall (September-October) with mild temps; summer is warm and dry (upper 20s°C) and winters are mild but rainy.
Getting back to the ship on time
Independent trips to Sintra get bogged down by road and train congestion, especially on the return leg, so allow at least 2 extra hours of buffer before all-aboard. Don't count on the funiculars either: the Elevador da Glória has been closed since its fatal September 2025 derailment, and the Bica and Lavra remain shut too, with no reopening dates.
All-aboard is ship's time — check it in the daily programme, and set your watch to it.
Things to do in Lisbon
Tram 28 ride
Rattle through Alfama and Graça aboard the classic yellow tram.
Belém Tower & Jerónimos
Manueline masterpieces from the Age of Discoveries.
Alfama & São Jorge Castle
Climb lanes of tiled houses to the Moorish castle walls.
Miradouro sunset
Toast the rooftops from São Pedro de Alcântara or Graça.
Baixa & Chiado stroll
Grand plazas, mosaic pavements and historic cafés.
LX Factory
Creative complex of shops and eateries under the bridge.
Popular excursions
Belém: Jerónimos & Custard Tarts
Age-of-Discovery monastery, Belém Tower and the original pastéis de Belém.
Sintra & Pena Palace
Fairy-tale hilltop palace in UNESCO Sintra, under an hour from the ship.
What to eat
- Pastel de nata
- Bacalhau à Brás
- Bifana (pork sandwich)
- Grilled sardines
- Ginjinha (cherry liqueur)
Weather by month
Best time to visit: May–Sep (dry season)
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59° | 47° | 3.9" |
| Feb | 61° | 48° | 3.5" |
| Mar | 65° | 51° | 3" |
| Apr | 67° | 53° | 2.7" |
| May | 72° | 57° | 2.1" |
| Jun | 78° | 62° | 0.7" |
| Jul | 82° | 65° | 0.2" |
| Aug | 83° | 66° | 0.3" |
| Sep | 79° | 64° | 1.3" |
| Oct | 72° | 59° | 3.9" |
| Nov | 64° | 53° | 4.6" |
| Dec | 59° | 49° | 4.5" |
Local phrases
A little history
Fado, Lisbon's melancholic song tradition, is UNESCO-listed — Alfama is its home.
The 1755 earthquake levelled the city and shaped the elegant grid of the rebuilt Baixa.
Locals queue for pastéis de nata dusted with cinnamon — eat them warm.
Lisbon's hills are steep: trams and funiculars are attractions in their own right.