Unusual Things To Do in Lisbon

9 Fun and Unusual Things To Do in Lisbon

Bicycle tour through Lisbon

In a nutshell

  • You want to do some unusual and fun things in Lisbon besides sightseeing? Then you are at the right place!
  • In this article, we present 9 fun activities that will make your trip to Lisbon a very special one.
  • How about a street art tour through Lisbon or exploring the city by bike? Watching a soccer game is also a very unusual thing to do in Lisbon.
  • Curious? Then just read on and check out all of our 9 tips for fun things to do in Lisbon.

Streetart Tour

Street art in Lisbon
There’s a great deal of street art in Lisbon. A work of art hidden behind every corner. Really awesome!

Lisbon is a city of artists and it feels like there is cool street art on every corner – some of the art is absolutely stunning!

As you probably wouldn’t discover many of the artworks on your own, we highly recommend taking a street art tour.

These are led by guides who really know their way around and can tell you something about the background to the artworks.

Book a street art tour in Lisbon

Experience the Sunset from the Boat

Sunset on the Tagus River in Lisbon
A sunset boat tour on the Tagus River offers a unique view of the Ponte 25 de Abril

The sunsets in Lisbon are something very special. Most tourists watch them from one of the viewpoints in Lisbon. However, it is more unusual to experience it from a boat.

From the water, you can see the city and Lisbon’s attractions from a different angle. In the evening, the sun makes Lisbon glow in reddish colors and then everything looks twice as beautiful.

A boat tour is a fun activity in Lisbon that you can organize in many different ways: on a sailboat, on a private boat or on a party boat.

Book a sunset sailboat tour in Lisbon
Book a private boat tour in Lisbon
Book a partyboat in Lisbon

Visit Cool Markets in Lisbon

Mercado Campo Ourique in Lisbon
Strolling through the market Campo de Ourique is an unusual thing to do in Lisbon

Whether it’s flea markets or food markets – we just love markets! And there are some really great markets in Lisbon. The most famous is the Time Out Market at Cais do Sodré. We show you three more unusual markets in Lisbon:

  • Feira da Ladra
  • Flea market at the LX Factory
  • Mercado de Campo de Ourique

The Feira da Ladra is a huge flea market that takes place every Tuesday and Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm behind the Igreja de Santa Engrácia. You can buy all kinds of junk here.

There is another great flea market every Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm at the LX Factory. It’s not only worth it for all the bric-a-brac, but also because the place is totally hip. The LX Factory is an old industrial site that has been converted into a cool hipster district.

The Mercado de Campo de Ourique is a market hall where you can buy fresh produce or eat your fill at a snack bar in the middle of the hall.

Discover Lisbon by Bike

Bicycle tour through Lisbon
Cycling along the banks of the Tagus River is a unique highlight in Lisbon

Lisbon, the city of 7 hills and cycling? At first glance, they don’t seem to go together, but they do. The promenade along the Tejo is a great place to cycle.

The route from Cais do Sodré to Belém, for example, is mega beautiful. You cycle past the Ponte 25 de Abril and can reward yourself with delicious pastéis de nata in Belém.

You can also do the whole thing on a guided tour – then you don’t have to worry about hiring a bike and you have a guide with you.

Book a bike tour from Lisbon to Belém

And if you want to climb the hills of Lisbon by bike, the best way to do it is on an e-bike. You can do a really cool city tour of Lisbon with little effort.

Book an e-bike tour through Lisbon

Food Tour through Lisbon

Pastéis de Nata
Eating pastéis de nata is one of the best things to do in Lisboa

Lisbon’s gastronomy has a lot to offer. So be sure to try the city’s traditional cuisine: seafood, bifana, pastéis de nata – delicious!

But you should also try typical drinks such as wine and the sour cherry liqueur ginjinha.

A great option for getting to know Lisbon’s cuisine is a guided food tour. You will be accompanied by an expert who will tell you more about Lisbon’s cuisine.

Especially cool: a culinary tour like this is also a great activity when it rains.

Book a food tour through Lisbon

Learn to Surf

Carcavelos beach near Lisbon
Surfing is such a fun thing to do in Lisbon

Surfing is a very fun activity in Lisbon, especially among young people. This is because the city is only a stone’s throw away from the sea.

There are plenty of surfing beaches around Lisbon, which are suitable for both beginners and professionals.

If you want to learn to surf, we recommend Praia de Carcavelos. This is not only one of the most beautiful beaches in Lisbon, but also a great beginner’s beach for surfing.

It’s just a 30-minute train ride from Cais do Sodré to Carcavelos.

Book a surf course at Praia de Carcavelos

Watch a Soccer Match

Stadium Lisbon
We watched the match Sporting vs. União Madeira – it was a very fun thing to do

Watch out soccer fans! Lisbon is home to two of Portugal’s top teams: Benfica and Sporting.This means you have the chance to watch one of the teams live in the stadium almost every weekend.

Benfica is the better-known and more successful team, but Sporting also plays in the first division – so both stadiums are often packed.You can get tickets on the Benfica website and on the Sporting website.

If there is no match when you are in Lisbon, you still have the option of taking a stadium tour.

Book the tour through Benfica Lisbon’s Luz stadium

Experience a Fado Evening

Fado Lisbon
The fado culture is deeply rooted in Alfama

Fado is a traditional music style from Lisbon. Fado music is sad, romantic and very emotional.

The singing is in the foreground and is traditionally accompanied by a Portuguese guitar, a classical guitar and a bass guitar.

There are many fado bars in Lisbon, especially in the old town district of Alfama. Live performances take place there in the evening, where you can enjoy the music with wine and food.

Important: It is best to reserve a table in the fado bars in advance. We recommend the bar A Baiuca.

Kayaking in Arrábida

The dream beach Galapinhos near Lisbon
The beach of Galapinhos is not without reason one of the most beautiful beaches in Portugal

Kayaking is a very fun thing to do in itself. And in Lisbon you can even do it at one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe: Praia do Galapinhos.

It is located in the Arrábida National Park southwest of Lisbon. Here you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in Lisbon and lots of nature.

For the kayak tour, you will be picked up in Lisbon and driven to Arrábida. Then you paddle off and can go snorkeling at Galapinhos beach – a real fun activity in the surroundings of Lisbon!

Book Kayaking in Arrábida

These were 9 fun and unusual things to do in Lisbon

What activities did you do in Lisbon? Do you still have questions? Feel free to write to us in the comments.