What travellers report

Do not chase robbers; hand over your belongings willingly as they are not worth your life.

In Lisbon, be careful in Rossio Square where most pickpocketing happens, but overall Lisbon is very safe.

Be aware of taxi scams in Lisbon; one traveler was overcharged by about 5 euros.

Try other conventual pastries like Ovos Moles, Doce de Azeitão, and Barrigas de Freira.

Sintra is often misty; one user says it is even better in misty weather because the castle is average and overcrowded, but the park covered in mist is like a fairy tale.

The Sintra train being dangerous is a myth; trains are usually super busy and full of people, so there is simply no way to get robbed, maybe a pickpocket if you're unlucky.

Sintra is around a 1-hour train ride from Lisbon and was the highlight of the trip even in rain.

The fastest train from Porto to Lisbon takes only about 2 hours; a slower one takes 3 hours.

Portuguese bakeries exist in New York, so you can find pastéis de nata there.

Avoid flashing cash or fancy watches/jewelry and stay aware of your surroundings to deter pickpockets.

Prices in Alfama in June can be ridiculously high; a chouriço can cost 10€, which is too much.

The irrigation channels (levadas) and the paths alongside them offer miles and miles of easy walking, with jaw-dropping vistas.

In Portugal, tipping is not expected; in cafés and bakeries people generally do not tip at all, particularly when drinking coffee at the counter.

In restaurants, locals may round up the bill or leave a small amount, around 5 percent, if the service was genuinely good; leaving 10 percent is seen as generous, not normal.

Taxi and ride-hailing drivers do not expect tips either; some people round up the fare or leave the change, many do not.

Even if you don't ask for the price list before, you can ask for it after; they have to have it written down. If they don't give it, ask for the complaints book; if they don't give the complaints book, you can call the police.

People wait 30 to 45 minutes for Tram 28 in Martim Moniz; you can take the same tram in Estrela and avoid the queue.

Be careful with pickpockets on Tram 28; it's quite common.

Avoid going in empty carriages late at night and be mindful of your stuff.

Take Tram 28 in Lisbon; it was a favorite activity for a solo traveler.

Lisbon is generally very safe for solo travelers, including at night, but trust your gut.

Use a small hip/sling pack worn across your chest to keep valuables secure; it's common among locals and tourists.

You can do both Porto and Lisbon in 9 days.

Sintra palace is a tourist trap; it was packed with tourists even in late October, making it hard to walk around.

Yes Hostel and Home are top-tier hostels in Lisbon; each has a cheap dinner available and is great for socializing.

In Alfama, a table with 2 chouriços, salad, sangria, and bread could be 25-30€; 35€ might be stretching it.

8 days in Lisbon is a lot; consider planning overnight trips such as Porto to break up the stay.

Beach hopping in Lagos was amazing; kayak tours to the Benagil Caves are recommended.

If you want to meet people, go on a group walking tour your first day; it's a super easy way to meet other tourists.

If things are super busy, Montserrat Palace in Sintra has a stunning garden and interesting history and was very quiet.

In Portugal, pastéis de nata can cost as little as €1.20, even at a beach in Vila Nova de Gaia, and are superior to those abroad.

Stay at HOME hostel in Lisbon and try mom's cooked meal at least once; it's good and cheap.

Say 'muito obrigado' not 'multo obrigado'; 'pastel de nata' is singular, 'pastéis de nata' is plural.

Lisbon is not outwardly racist but don't be surprised if people stare at you all the time, especially older white people.

The National Tile Museum in Lisbon is absolutely incredible.

Skip Algarve if you only have 4 days; it gets boring fast. Consider Coimbra, Nazare, or Tomar instead.

7 days in Lisbon is a lot; you can day trip to Nazaré or spend a night in Coimbra.

4 days in Lisbon might be too many.

Sintra was amazing and cool to see; it can be done as a day trip from Lisbon.

Lisbon can be done in about four days; transportation is easy, including a train down to Lagos.

Cabo da Roca looks hard to get to using public transport.

The first image shows the Bica Funicular (Ascensor da Bica/Elevador da Bica); it is not a tram and it is not in Alfama.

In France, you can buy acceptable pastéis de nata at Lidl; heat them in the oven or microwave for about a minute and add cinnamon.

For privacy in Lisbon hostels, choose one with curtains around the beds and select a room with fewer beds.

Pack shower shoes, a towel (many hostels charge for it), and ear plugs if you are a light sleeper.

European hostels have a diversity of ages but often lean more young (18-24).

One user turned in their car the same day after nearly hitting a tram and ubered the rest of the trip.

Pack light with a carry-on only — cobblestone streets and hills make rolling large suitcases a real workout. Comfortable walking shoes with grip are essential because calçada portuguesa gets slippery.

The Lisboa Card does not cover local transport once you're actually in Sintra/Cascais, just the intercity leg.

The Porto Card value had dropped; map out the itinerary first and see if it's worth it depending on how museum-heavy you go.

Lisbon's metro is clean, safe, efficient, and cheap, though buses were not tried.

The area between Martim Moniz and Jardim da Cerca da Graça is rough and should be avoided or approached with caution.

Waste bins overflow in Lisbon due to insufficient infrastructure despite constant collection.

Noo Bai Cafe in Lisbon offers fantastic city views and delicious food; worth the difficult hilly walk.

Midnight Mass at São Nicolas in Lisbon is beautiful and moving; a highlight of a trip.

Pena Palace and Moorish Castle: preferred the castle; Pena Palace interior is a tight single-direction path where it's often difficult to get past groups.

Nazare is a lovely beach town; there isn't much to do and wouldn't spend more than a day there, but it could be a nice break between Porto and Lisbon.

Lost Inn Lisbon is described as having a lovely vibe, with guests mostly in their mid to late twenties.

Bring a lock as some hostels don't provide one, and lock your luggage in case it doesn't fit in the locker.

From Lisbon you can make several day trips to Sintra.

Porto is smaller with less to do in the city itself and is more touristy; Lisbon is much bigger and feels more like a real city with many excellent museums and excellent public transit.

Braga and Coimbra are really nice day trips or overnights from Porto; Braga especially with Bom Jesus a must visit.

Aggressive drug dealers approach people in the middle of the day, including next to a playground full of kids, and in Barrio Alto it was every 30 seconds.

Tell the drug dealers to piss off and keep moving.

Lisbon has excellent public transit.

Split the trip with 4 days Porto and 5 days Lisbon.

A 30-year-old hostel goer recommends ear plugs (Loop quiet ones), a sleeping mask, shower shoes/flip flops, a lock, locking luggage, and a mesh or hanging toiletry bag for the shower.

Wandering around without a plan is half the fun in Lisbon.

Miradouro da Senhora do Monte is a free and gorgeous lookout point of Lisbon with an amazing vista of the city.

Monastery dos Jeronimos was closed on a Monday, but walking around the outside was still beautiful.

Pasteis de nata are divine; one user had at least one every day.

Pateo - Bairro do Avillez was the most expensive meal of the trip (still affordable compared to the states) but had a cool experience and ambiance.

Main neighborhoods like Baixa and Chiado get busy during the day, but lesser-known neighborhoods like Ajuda can be checked out during peak tourist times.

Tuk-tuks can be used a few times to reach viewpoints and some of the higher neighborhoods.

If you're into beaches and nightlife, focus on Algarve. If you're into hiking, Madeira.

Many miradouros require serious uphill walks, but others are more easily accessible. Tuk-tuk tours are a great way to get around to these spots.

All of Lisbon's funiculars and lifts are closed following an accident.

A user reports being sexually assaulted, harassed, groped, catcalled heavily or followed in Lisbon, among other cities.

Take the train from Rossio station in Lisbon to Sintra; it takes about 1 hour.

Start the hike to Pena Palace at around 8 am to avoid crowds.

Walking from Sintra center to Pena Palace, Moorish Castle, and Quinta da Regaleira totals about 25 km with many hills.

Take Tram 28 to ride through historic neighborhoods in Lisbon.

Use public transport in Lisbon because the city is very hilly and walking will hurt your legs.

Take a 45-50 minute train from Cais do Sodré station in Lisbon to Cascais; it is included in the day pass ticket for train, tram, and bus.

Be cautious of drug dealers on Rua Portas de Santo Antão in Lisbon; they may become aggressive if you refuse to buy.

If threatened in Lisbon, call the national emergency number 112.

Report incidents to PSP, the police force with jurisdiction in Lisbon; they have a station focused on tourists.

Arrive at Lisbon airport 3 hours before your flight; passport line took 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Try pastéis de nata at Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon.

Visit Time Out Market in Lisbon, a food court with many great restaurants.

Eat at Super Mario in Lisbon; if you leave a tip, the owner will ply you with alcohol.

Take a day trip to Ericeira, a cool surf town, and eat at Taberna Lebre.

Hostels in Portugal cost around $50-70 per night, and 3-star hotels around $110-130 per night, as reported by a user.

The train ride from Lisbon to Porto is easy and reasonably priced.

Attend a Benfica match in Lisbon for a fun experience.

Visit Sintra as a day trip from Lisbon, but consider staying a night or two.

In Sintra, use taxis to get around between attractions.

Buy tickets in advance for Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Palace in Sintra.

Take the Metro from the airport to Rossio Station for €1.45

Avoid buying a ticket and the long queue by walking up the hidden stairs behind it for great views

Sintra is almost a full day with travel, around 8 hours or more

If you have less than a full day in Lisbon, skip Sintra and stay in Lisbon

It is cold in Sintra, wear long clothes and not flip flops or shorts

Skip the tour inside the house if it is too crowded; it is not worth standing in line for 2 hours

Be suspicious of places open too early for things to actually be fresh; a pastry eaten at 7 AM caused food poisoning

Hostel pub crawls may go to cheap cocktail places to fuel up before a club rather than interesting bars

National Museum of Contemporary Art (Chiado Museum) closes at 2PM and opens later, so time your visit well

Tram officers may claim you did not validate your card and demand a penalty of €85 cash or €150 later; report to police

Beware of taxis at the airport; a ride to downtown is at most €25, outskirts up to €30, with good flow €15

Use Uber or similar and always pay on the app; an Uber requesting live money is forbidden

The bread, butter, or cheese brought to your table is not complimentary unless told otherwise; if you eat it, it goes on the bill

Lisbon streets are cobblestones and hills are real; wear comfortable shoes with grip, especially if it rains

Try a 'bom dia' or 'obrigado' instead of speaking Spanish; a small effort in Portuguese goes a long way

Skip renting a car in Lisbon unless heading beyond the city; parking is hard and traffic is chaotic

If someone is waving you in from the door, it is usually not a great sign and often targets tourists

Do not catch the tram near Baixa; walk or Uber to western pick-up spots to be more likely to get a seat

Many smaller shops, tascas, and bakeries still prefer cash, so bring some

Lisbon sun is strong, even in spring, so do not forget sunscreen