Do you want to visit Lisbon and spend as little as possible? Then follow this Top 10 of free visits, museums and activities to do that I created for you to enjoy without breaking the bank.
Table des matières
What to do for free in Libonne – Stroll along Rua Augusta
Not sure what to do in Lisbon for free? Rua Augusta is the main pedestrian shopping street. It connects the central square of Rossio to Praça do Comércio.
Find a good spot, and watch the passers-by circulate. You’ll meet a succession of street performers, acrobats, musicians, who will add to the entertainment of just watching the excitement of the street.
Stroll through the markets
Lisboners still do a lot of their shopping in the markets that can be found in many of the outlying areas.
These are great places to sample local products, not to mention the real people you’ll meet there.
The most central food market is the Mercado da Ribeira, near the Cais do Sodré neighborhood, but the best of all is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Indeed, at the Feira da Ladra, a flea market made of bricks and mortar, you can find everything from broken alarm clocks to old Portuguese colonial antiques.
Top free things to do in Lisbon: See art from Picasso to Warhol at the museum
While it’s true that opportunities to see original works by Picasso, Dali, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko up close and personal are fairly rare, the rich art collection of Madeira’s José Berardo, on display at the museum bearing his name, will allow you to do just that.
This modern gallery, located in the Belém district, houses works by some of the biggest names in contemporary art, and is entirely free (except for certain temporary exhibitions).
Travel back in time in Lisbon
The modest but no less fascinating Nucléo Arqueológico Archaeology Museum is hidden under a modern bank building at Rua do Correiros 9, in the heart of the Baixa district.
Reservations are required to participate in one of the weekly guided tours, which will take you on a totally free journey into the past, revealing Roman fishponds, ancient burial sites, and some of the pilings that support downtown Lisbon.
Get free access to Lisbon’s best sights and monuments
While the city’s main sights and monuments can be expensive, most of them offer one free morning per week or month, with free admission.
So, on the first Sunday of every month, you can enjoy the most beautiful sites, including the National Azulejo (Ceramic) Museum, the National Antigone Art Museum, the Hieronymites’ Monastery of Belém, the Tower of Belém, and the Gulbenkian Museum’s unmissable art collection.
Enjoy Lisbon’s free concerts
Lisbon has a dynamic calendar of festive events, with many free concerts and other artistic demonstrations throughout the summer.
The biggest and most important festival is that of the city’s patron saint, Santo António (St. Anthony), which takes place every year on June 12 and 13 and features masked parades and entertainment in most neighborhoods.
To experience this event to the fullest, I suggest you go to the narrow streets of the Alfama district, which are fully occupied by the atmosphere of the festival, and where there are candy stands and traditional dancers.
Stroll along the banks of the Tagus
The banks of the Tagus have recently been opened to pedestrians, and you can now walk from the central Comercio square to the outskirts, to the historic district of Belém, from where the greatest Portuguese navigators embarked on their long voyages.
The most pleasant part is the pedestrian path that starts from the lively Santo Amaro pier, passes under the 25th of April bridge, and continues to the Tower of Belém, in about 30 minutes of walking.
Lisbon tip: See the city from above
Do as the city’s elders did and find a good vantage point from one of Lisbon’s many miradouros (lookouts).
The city spans a series of hills, and most of them have a lookout point at the top, which often hosts a small outdoor café.
The most beautiful of these are the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, with its dazzling view of the Alfama, the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, which overlooks the Baixa, and the Miradouro de Santa Catarina, a favorite of gypsy guitarists, whose melodies will enchant your ears.
Reach the beaches
Some of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal are located a short distance from the capital.
You can easily reach the trendy Estoril beach and the crowded Cascais beach, both of which are accessible by a fantastic railway line that runs along the Tagus estuary to the Atlantic Ocean.
Many locals, however, prefer Caparica with its majestic waves, which make it a popular resort for surfers.
Rent a bike for free in Lisbon
The seaside resort of Cascais offers tourists a free bike rental service in Lisbon, every day from 8am.
All you need to do is show your ID, and then you can explore the old fishing village at your leisure, or ride up the steep path to the sandy square of Guincho to the north.
To conclude this article, I can tell you that Lisbon is a city where there is a multitude of things to do, even for visitors with a very small budget who are looking for free activities and things to do.
Feel free to leave me a comment if you have more and don’t forget to share this article with your family and friends if you liked it! Enjoy your stay in Lisbon!
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