Is the Lisboa Card Worth It? Review and What is Included
When planning a trip to Lisbon, you may be considering buying a Lisbon city pass, but is the Lisboa Card worth it? This guide will help you learn what’s included in a Lisboa card, how much it costs, when and where to buy one, and a review of the card.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Lisbon Tourism Board. All thoughts and opinions are my own. In addition, some of the links in this post are affiliate links; if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
What is a Lisboa Card?
A Lisboa Card is a city pass available to purchase that grants free public transportation and free or discounted access to over 30 local attractions, shops, and restaurants. The Lisboa card is designed to save you time and money, providing freedom and flexibility while exploring Lisbon.
How Much Does a Lisboa Card cost?
How much a Lisboa card is depends on the buyer’s age and the card’s validity period.
There are three options for the duration of a Lisboa card: 24hr, 48hr, and 72hr.
A Lisboa card price starts at €13.40 for a 24hr child pass and €21 for a 24hr adult pass and goes up to €23 for a 72hr child pass and €44 for a 72hr adult pass. Children’s pricing applies to those ages 4 to 15, and adult pricing is for 15+ years old.
Tip: If you buy your pass online at the Visit Lisboa website, you can often buy one for a 5% discount.
What Benefits are Included in the Lisboa Card?
The Lisboa card has a variety of benefits: including free access to over 30 local attractions and public transportation, fast-track entry at certain attractions, and discounts on select services and points of interest not already included in the card.
The public transportation benefit of the Lisboa Card is free rides on the Lisbon metro, buses, lifts, trams, and CP trains to Sintra, Cascais, Setubal, Fertagus, and Azambuja. Save your feet from overwalking, and enjoy this fantastic Lisboa card benefit and Lisbon’s well-connected transportation system.
With over 30 local attractions to choose from, ranging from museums to monuments, and other points of interest, it is easiest to list them for you to see everything included in the Lisboa card. Here they are, listed in point form below with the English name followed by the Portuguese name (where applicable), and the most popular attractions are bolded:
Attractions Included in the Lisboa Card
- Jerónimos Monastery / Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
- Belém Tower / Torre de Belém
- Pilar 7 – Bridge Experience
- Lisboa Story Centre
- National Tile Museum / Museu Nacional do Azulejo
- National Coach Museum / Museu Nacional dos Coches
- National Museum of Ancient Art / Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga
- The Sintra Myths and Legends Interactive Centre / Sintra Mitos e Lendas
- Santa Justa Lift / Elevador de Santa Justa
- The Royal Convent of Mafra / Palácio Nacional de Mafra
- National Pantheon / Panteão Nacional
- The Palace of Ajuda / Palácio Nacional da Ajuda
- Museum of Royal Treasure / Museu do Tesouro Real
- Chiado Museum / Museu do Chiado
- National Ethnology Museum / Museu Nacional de Etnologia
- National Costume Museum / Museu Nacional do Traje
- National Theatre Museum / Museu Nacional do Teatro e da Dança
- National Archeology Museum / Museu Nacional de Arqueologia
- Music Museum / Museu da Música
- Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves Museum House / Casa Museu Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves
- National Army Museum / Museu da Guarda Nacional Republicana
- Ceramics Museum of Sacavém / Museu da Cerâmica de Sacavém
- Air Museum / Museu do Ar
- Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória / Mosteiro de Batalha
- Monastery of Alcobaça / Mosteiro de Alcobaça
- Convent of Christ / Convento de Cristo em Tomar
- Neo-Realism Museum / Museu do Neo-Realismo
- Michel Giacometti Museum of Labour / Museu do Trabalho Michel Giacometti
- Casa da Cerca – Almada
- Capela do Espírito Santo dos Mareantes de Sesimbra
- Municipal Gallery of Setúbal / Galeria Municipal Setúbal
- Sesimbra Maritime Museum / Museu Marítimo de Sesimbra
- Convento de Jesus / Museu de Setúbal
- Mourisca Tide Mill / Molino de Marea de Mourisca
- The Arch in Rua Augusta / Arco da Rua Augusta
- Cold Green House
- Centro Interpretativo da História do Bacalhau
- Centro Interpretativo do Roaz do Estuário do Sado – Dolphins Centre (CIRES)
In addition to free access to all of the above attractions, the Lisboa card offers discounts on other Lisbon attractions like the Oceanário de Lisboa and Telecabine Lisboa, as well as on tours, shopping, and restaurants. Discounts are 10% to 50 % and can be found in the Lisboa card guide.
Popular Lisbon attractions not included in the card include Castelo de S Jorge and Se de Lisboa.
Is the Lisboa Card Worth It?
The Lisboa card can be worth it, depending on what you plan to see and do while in the city. If you plan to use public transportation frequently and do a lot of sightseeing in a short period of time, then having a Lisbon card is worth it and can save you money.
Seeing two or more sites, plus using public transportation multiple times a day, can get you the cost of a 24hr Lisboa card. Combine seeing multiple attractions per day across three days, and you can save money by buying a 72hr Lisboa pass. Do the math and calculate the cost of the card vs the savings to see if it’s worth it for you.
A Lisboa Card is perfect for first-time visitor to Lisbon or anyone who wishes to experience as much of Lisbon as possible within a time limit.
During my visit to Lisbon, the Lisboa card was a valuable asset. Giving me freedom and flexibility to not have to worry about buying additional tickets for attractions and transportation, making getting around the city a breeze.
The Lisboa card fast track was perfect when visiting the popular Jerónimos Monastery as we avoided having to line up twice, able to skip the ticket line While I did a scooter rental in Lagos, the Lisboa card was perfect to use to get around Lisbon and made me consider getting one for Porto as well, but I decided to walk everywhere.
Where to Buy the Lisboa Card?
You can buy a Lisboa card online or in-person at a few different locations, including the airport (Arrival’s Hall), Palácio Foz (Praça dos Restauradores), Lisboa Welcome Center (Praça do Comércio), and Stª Apolónia International Railway Station.
When you buy a Lisboa card, it is not activated and is valid for up to one year until you use the card.
How to Activate the Lisboa Card
To activate a Lisboa card, use the card for the first time. When activating it by using public transportation, simply tap the card on the metro or bus, and it will verify.
The Lisboa Card is by hours, not days, so whatever time you activate your card, it is valid until the 24, 48, or 72 consecutive hours are over. For example, if you start your 24 hr card at 11 am, it will be valid until 11 am the following day.
Once activated, the clock begins for your Lisboa card, whether it is 24hr, 48hr, or 72hr. Write the date and time that you first used the card on the card to keep track of how much time is remaining.
When is a Lisboa Card Not Worth it?
A Lisboa card might not be worth it for you if you don’t plan on taking public transportation or visiting multiple attractions while you have a card. If you plan to see attractions one day, not the next, but see attractions again on the third day, don’t purchase a 72hr card; buy one only on the individual days you plan to visit multiple attractions.
You do not need to buy a Lisbon Card plus a separate transportation card, as that would not save you money. If you plan to visit multiple attractions and use public transportation on the same day or consecutive days, it is worth it to purchase a Lisboa card. In the case you don’t wish to sightsee or want to walk everywhere, a Lisboa card may not be a good fit for you; save it for a sightseeing day.
If you are a student or a European Youth, a Lisboa card might not be worth it for you as many attractions offer youth and student discounts.
In the case that Monday is one of the days you are visiting Lisbon, be aware that many museums and monuments are closed on Mondays. With Monday closures, you may not be able to visit everything you wish to in order to maximize your Lisboa card value. Keep this in mind when planning your trip to Lisbon, and see if the card will work for you.
Helpful Tips to Get the Most Value from Your Lisbon Card
To get the most value from your Lisboa Card, check out these tips:
- Plan what attractions you want to see in advance
- Visit as many attractions as you can in the short time you have your card
- Start your days early to maximize your time exploring and visiting sites
Lisboa Card Review: Final Thoughts
Is the Lisboa card worth it? Yes, I enjoyed having a Lisboa card: 72 hours during my 3 days in Lisbon.
It saved me time from having to line up for attraction tickets or count coins for public transportation. Do the math to see if it’s worth it for you, but I recommend a Lisboa Card if it makes sense for you. Lisbon is a wonderful city, have fun exploring.
Buy your 24hr, 48hr, or 72 hr Lisboa Card today ➜
Happy travelling!
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