Is Lisbon expensive to visit?

Round-trip economy fares from New York (JFK) to Lisbon (LIS) typically start at $600–$1,000, including one checked bag up to 50 lb (23 kg) and a carry-on. The eastbound flight takes about six and a half hours. Several US and Portuguese airlines fly nonstop from the New York area, and TAP Air Portugal connects Lisbon with many other US cities.

Fares peak from June to August and around Easter. November through February usually brings the lowest prices outside the holidays. Lisbon is also a natural starting point for a longer trip north. Our Lisbon and Porto itinerary continues by train to the Douro.

Prices for a 4* hotel in Lisbon start at about $140 per person per night. You can also stay in a 2–3* hotel or guesthouse from around $90. Rates rise from May to October, during Web Summit in November, and during the Santo António festivities in June. The city also charges a tourist tax per person per night, paid at the hotel.

At the top end, hotels like the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz, the Bairro Alto Hotel, and the Pestana Palace often charge $600+ per night for a standard room. Entry-level 5* hotels start at around $300 per person.

Location shapes your stay as much as star rating does. Chiado and Príncipe Real are central and well connected. Alfama is full of character but has steep, cobbled streets, so it suits travelers with light luggage. Avenida da Liberdade and the area around Marquês de Pombal usually offer more space for the money.

Guided tours in Lisbon typically cost $30–$80 per person. That covers a food walk through Mouraria, a guided visit to Belém, or a fado evening in Alfama with dinner included.

Tickets to the main sights cost $9–$23. The cloister at Jerónimos Monastery is about $21, and the Castelo de São Jorge is about $17. The National Tile Museum costs about $9 and is one of the city's most interesting smaller museums. In Sintra, Pena Palace and its park cost about $23.

The Lisboa Card bundles public transport with entry to Jerónimos Monastery, the Belém Tower, and more than 30 other sites. It pays off when you plan two or three paid sights in a day.

Plenty of Lisbon costs nothing, from the miradouros (viewpoints) at Graça and Senhora do Monte to an afternoon walk through Alfama's narrow streets. For a fully private day, a four-hour guide starts at around $280 per group.

Lisbon is hilly but compact, and most visitors combine walking with the metro and trams. A single ticket costs about $2.20 and is valid for one hour. With a reloadable Navegante card, Zapping fares drop to about $2 per ride. A 24-hour pass for the metro, buses, trams, and funiculars costs about $8.40. A Tram 28 ticket bought on board costs about $3.80.

The metro connects the airport to the city in about 20 minutes for the standard fare. A taxi to the center costs $12–$20, and rideshare apps are widely used for short trips at $6–$12. Suburban trains run from Rossio Station to Sintra and from Cais do Sodré to Cascais for under $3 each way.

You won't need a car in the city, where parking is scarce and the streets are narrow. A rental makes sense for the Alentejo or the Algarve, at $35–$60 per day for a small car in peak season. For a full Lisbon, Sintra, and Cascais route, see our Lisbon, Cascais, and Sintra itinerary.

Lunch is the best value in Lisbon. A prato do dia (daily special) at a neighborhood tasca costs $12–$16, often with soup, a drink, and coffee included. A main course of grilled fish or meat costs $15–$25. A three-course dinner with wine runs $45–$80.

Snacks are part of daily life here. A bifana (pork sandwich) costs $3.50–$5, a pastel de nata $1.50–$2, and a bica $1–$1.50. A glass of house wine costs $3–$6, and an imperial (small draft beer) $2–$3.50. Don't miss the seafood, especially clams à Bulhão Pato, or the grilled sardines in June.

A fado dinner with a live show in Alfama costs $60–$100 per person. Tasting menus at Michelin-starred restaurants start at around $150. Tipping isn't expected, but leaving 5–10% for good service is appreciated. Dinner usually starts around 8:00pm.