Hello,
We will be in Lisbon for 5 nights from April 22 through 27. I have a few questions.

First, regarding weather and clothing. I have checked weather websites, and it seems the average high temp for Lisbon in April is the high 60’s. I know weather can change from year to year, but I like to hear from people who live there and people who have been in Lisbon during April what kind of weather they have typically experienced. I want to make sure I am bringing the right clothing, and I don’t want to over pack.

I am planning on bringing a spring coat, a sweater, and long slacks/jeans. And short-sleeve and 3/4 sleeve tops. And an umbrella, of course. Does this sound about right? I could throw in one pair of capris in case the weather is warmer. I just don’t want to overpack.

And this brings me to my next question. Footwear. I never wear heels any more; I only wear shoes/sneakers with good support. I will bring one pair of sneakers and at least one pair of good walking shoes. I know some people recommend shoes with grippy soles because of the hills, cobblestone streets, and if it rains, the cobblestones are slippery. My current pair of shoes are getting old and I notice the sole is starting to wear and become smooth. Can someone recommend some good brands of shoes with grippy soles in case I decide to purchase a new pair? Which I realize I should do soon to break them in.

I have read mixed reviews about the tram 28 and Justa Elevator. Some people feel they are too crowded and not worth the long waits in lines. Would we be missing anything if we take taxis instead to go uphill? I have some mobility issues due to arthritis and am not sure how much uphill walking I can do.

Thank you so much!

I was in Lisbon in April of 2016 and it rained a fair bit however I was just in Lisbon in February and was told that last year it was very dry and there was a shortage of rain for the farms. So who can predict this year? I think what you are planning to take is just fine.

In February of this year it got up to 17 or 18 degrees Celsius in the sunny afternoons. That's about mid 60's Farenheit. It will be warmer than that in April so depending on your personal preference you might want capris.

You can't underestimate the number of hills and steep streets to climb in Lisbon. Unless you are close to the river or in Baixa, you can count on hills. The brand of shoe isn't as important as looking at the sole to see if it looks ridged and not flat. I wore Skechers with a fairly thick sole and ridged grippy looking soles. These were fine on the steep streets. I had a pair of Goretex Eccos that are comfortable and which I thought would be ok, but which were too slippery. The sole on those is just too smooth.

Re: Tram and Elevador - I am of the opinion that you don't need to take either. The tram is extremely hard to get on and is very very crowded so is not comfortable and you can't see outside for being squished. We waited an hour in February to get on one and we were not in the busiest part of the route. (I was with a friend who had not been to Lisbon before or I wouldn't even have attempted it) In the end, we didn't take the tram at all. I've done it on other trips, but I don't feel it's worth waiting an hour to take. The Santa Justa Elevador is pretty to look at and not really much more than an elevator. And there can be long lineups to ride it - just look at it and take some nice photos. It is likely worth it for you to take a taxi to the Castle instead of taking Tram 28 if that was the reason for taking the tram. The taxi can get you all the way up to the castle which is a limited traffic zone and you can minimize your uphill walking by doing so. If you take a tuk tuk, they will give you a bit of a tour for more money, but they can't take you all the way to the castle as they aren't licensed to go into that zone.

While taxis are cheap and I would not hesitate to take them as often as you like, there is also the option to go uphill from Baixa to Chiado via that metro station's escalators.
You don't need a metro ticket to use them. Last time I was there, only the uphill escalators worked.
An alternative is the (regular) elevator inside the Armazens do Chiado department store - which take you from/to the same levels as the elevador Sta Justa, but you don't pay for it ;-)

In case you want to ride an elevador, the elevador da Bica does not get as much attention than Santa Justa.
It could come handy if you were at the Riberira Nova market hall (not a market anymore, but a ton of restaurants etc.) near Cais do Sodre and wanted to go up to Chiado, e.g. to Miradouro de Santa Catarina.
I must admit that I never took any of the elevadores, simply because I found them too expensive.

By the way.. I just noticed that there is a (new?) viewpoint on top of a shopping center, which looks very easily access.
Amoreiras 360° Panoramic View

Yayoye and Cowboy 1968,
Thank you so much for your detailed and very helpful replies! I was getting discouraged because people weren't responding to my post.

Yayoye, thanks for confirming that I am bringing the right clothing. I will definitely pack one pair of capris. And thanks for sharing your experiences about the weather. The other day I purchased a new pair of walking shoes. I went to The Walking Company, a local shoe store that specializes in, you guessed it, walking shoes! I explained to the store clerk what Lisbon is like, and he recommended Abeo shoes. They have thick, grippy soles. I have been wearing them every day to break them in, and so far they are very, very comfortable.

And I appreciate hearing about your experiences with the trams. I saw Mark Weins video on Lisbon the other day, and he mentioned he waited in line for an hour for the Tram 28, which I don't want to do. That sounds like a waste of time. And I have been reading about pickpockets on the trams, as well. Thanks for the tip about taking a taxi to the Castle, instead of the tuk-tuk. I prefer to be dropped off right at the castle entrance because I would rather save my energy for wandering around Alfama after we visit the Castle.

Cowboy1968, thanks for the information about the escalators in the metro, the elevator in the department store, and the Elevador da Bica. This is all very, very helpful information.

THANK YOU!!!

Karenwoo your trip is getting close! In September we went to France for a month and I was cold for about 3 of the 4 weeks. I had taken basically what you are packing, but at the last minute decided to throw in one of those lightweight down jackets that can be rolled up and stuffed into its own bag. Doesn’t weigh much but was a lifesaver for me. Next time I think I might take a lightweight wool sweater for layering.

And don’t forget you can always buy something there if the weather is not what you expected.

We were in Portugal in mid September and found the days warm, but the nights quite chilly, so I also recommend a good sweater.

We did a segway tour around Lisbon and that was great for going up and down hills to sightsee.

I can't remember how we got up there but we were up at the top of tram 28 and then walked down stairs rather than getting on the tram to go down.
I wore sneakers a lot and also have black sketchers and I like Merrell and Clarks for good walking shoe brands.


You will love Lisbon!

I agree with Cowboy 1968 about the usefulness of the escalators in the metro to get from downtown to the Chiado area. And, also agree that the escalators are often out of order!

If you want to take any of transit in Lisbon, including any of the trams, or the train to Belem or Cascais, or the bica between Cais do Sodre, you should invest in a Via Viagem card. You can buy it for 50 cents from a machine in the metro and load it with as little as 5 euro. Choose the "zapping" option. This is reloadable, but the real reason for buying it is that it is much cheaper to take the bica or the tram if you have a card. You pass it over a card reader at the entrances to the metro or the tram or the bus or the train platform.

FYI - we took the train from Cais do Sodre to the Belem stop instead of trying to take the tram which can also be very busy. It's marginally more money than the tram, but you can ride in much more comfort. There are stairs at the Belem stop, but ignore them and go to the little station house. From there you can exit to the street without climbing any stairs.

Just a note to Cowboy 1968 - there is still a food market at the Mercado do Ribeira which is the market I think you are referring to. There are many restaurants type places, but in the other part of the market you will find fishmongers, a chicken lady, produce sellers and some butchers. They close early in the day so if you went in the late afternoon, you would have thought that part of the market was closed. But I just bought fresh produce, chicken and clams at the market. It is still a legitimate food market, albeit much reduced from the past.

We were in Lisbon in November and wore summer clothes - unbelievable . I was just recovering from major surgery so. Couldn't stand in the line for tram 28 . We did however go on Gloria - the funicular . We made sure we were there at 8.30 am and it was fine . Loved exploring the area at the top .

@yayoye - thanks for the clarification.
I guess there were that many eateries at the market that I did not notice the actual market stalls. And yes, I think I had been there in the afternoon.

re. tram 28
I rode it only 2-3 times in all visits to Lisbon altogether. Each time it was not really planned but more good luck that we noticed a 28 which was not crowded and just hopped on. But I've only been to Lisbon in the shoulder seasons, so tourist crowds were not that big.
Once I woke up really early and took 28 at around 7am through an (almost still) sleeping Lisbon at dawn - which was magical.
The via viagem card which yayoye mentioned is really helpful to get around.
It's also good for the many regular city buses. If you have a smartphone with internet access, Lisbon's transport system is fully integrated into Google Maps, including the bus lines. Which I found often a much less crowded option to get to Belem than the tram (otherwise the train which yayoye mentioned is also a better option as it obviously can carry much more passengers than the tram to Belem.

In summary, I think that Lisbon is really rewarding for travellers at a slow pace who take the time to leisurely stroll around to take in the architecture, the viewpoints, the streetlife, watch people, stop at every other pasteleria to sample another pastry (just kidding, you'd eat 20K calories a day if you stopped at every other pastelaria as there are SO many), eat lunch at regular/basic neighborhood restaurants. We had one of our best (3 course) lunch menu at a pastelaria across from the tram museum / tram depot (which mostly seem to cater for the employees of the tram company) for €10 including wine and water.

Lisbon is a box of wonders and even or especially when you get "lost", you can find the little wonders in places which no travel guide mentions.

Hi, Karen! I'm glad to hear you will be soon on your way to enjoying another great trip in Europe. I will just add our experience with weather on two separate trips to Portugal in April. On our first trip we had some beautiful sunny days in Lisbon and short sleeved shirts were comfortable once we shed our sweaters. On the second trip, we were just passing through Lisbon on our way back and forth to Sintra and then Porto. That time, we had some rain and cool night temperatures, and actually some snow on our way back from the Douro River valley. Your packing list looks similar to mine for those trips and, as long as you can layer, I think you will be fine. One nice cozy sweater or fleece always comes in handy, I think.

As as far as shoes, I am always at a loss. My tried and true walking shoes for traveling to Europe are starting to look shabby too and I dread the thought of replacing them.

In Lisbon, we only briefly considered traveling on Tram 28. It was just always too crowded. We never took the elevators either, for the same reason. I agree that hills are an issue but taxis are an okay solution. I also agree with Cowboy that Lisbon is a great city to approach slowly and just wander a bit.

Have a wonderful trip. Let us know how it goes!

I don't have anything valuable to add, except to say that I'm jealous! Lisbon is one of our favorite cities. Friendly people, great prices, lots of good restaurants, easy day-trips to Cascais and Sintra. Have fun!

Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for all your helpful information!
I have a few more questions and comments.

Yayoye, you mention the Via Viagem card. Does this include the train to Sintra?

You and Cowboy1968 mention the Mercado do Ribeira. Is this market also called the Time Out Market, or are they 2 different markets? If so, is one better than the other? We love markets and always make a point of visiting them during our travels.

Which train station do we get the train from to go to Belem? There are about 4 train stations in Lisbon, right?

Candace, so nice to hear from you! Thank you for describing the weather you encountered in Lisbon in April. I have several fleeces, and will definitely pack one of them. Thanks for the tip! I remember reading your trip report about your adventures in the Douro River Valley and the snow! Didn't you have to travel some windy and narrow mountain roads?

Northie, I have issues with arthritis so I can't stand in lines for a long time, either.

And last but not least, Cowboy, I love your description of Lisbon!!! I hope I can wake up early enough to ride the trams at dawn! Where is the tram museum? I'd like to find the restaurant you mention.

BTW, how does one insert a partial quote into a reply?

Thank you!

1) Mercado da Ribeira = time out market
2) train station to Belem is Cais do Sodré in the south end of Metro's green line. A good alternative is the fast tram departing from Praça da Figueira.
3) no idea about other questions, sorry.

You use the "Quote" button below and manually delete the parts you don't want to quote.
That's how I do it - maybe there is a more elegant way.

The tram museum is this one:
Museu da Carris
Tram/bus stop Estacao de Santo Amaro, on the route to Belem.

The "restaurant" I mentioned is nothing special.
I guess there are hundred places like that in Lisbon.
But if you want to try it out, it's the pastelaria right at the corner of R. 1° de Maio and R. Luis de Camoes.

A "real" restaurant we liked had been:
Lisboa - Madame Petisca EN Lisbon
It features a stunning view from the top floor / roof top terrace.
Since it's a rather small place, I think reservations are recommended.

For a very different touch of Lisbon, you can check out the Parque das Nacoes area.
The aquarium is stunning (if only as an option for a rainy day).
Also the gondola ride along the river is nice (probably not a rainy day option).

Happy travels.

Yes - you can use your Viva Viagem card to get the train to Sintra. I'm not sure what the fare is - I think you can check the Carris website to see what the fare is. You catch the train at Rossio station for Sintra.

For Belem you go to Cais do Sodre and catch a train going to Cascais. The fare is going to be less than 2 euro because I think it's only 2.50 or so to get all the way to Cascais. Belem is maybe the third stop from Cais do Sodre. They announce the stations in advance and also you can read the name of the next stop on the electronic message sign over the door at the end of the car. You can also get Tram 15 from Praca do Figueira to Belem. It travels along the river and makes a stop at Cais do Sodre. We thought it was very crowded, particularly when we wanted to leave Belem, hence the suggestion to take the train. But you have a choice. There's also bus service from the centre of town, but that takes longer.

The TImeout market is located inside the Mercado do Ribeira. TImeout was chosen several years ago to revitalize the market which was formerly only for produce, meat, etc. Now the market is divided into 2 sections - the Timeout part where there are tons of restaurants - some with counter seating but also some where you get your food and then find a spot on the long benches with seating in the middle. It's very lively and is open quite late for this kind of food. The traditional market is under the same roof, but in another section of the building.

Yayoye, thank you so much for the detailed train information!

I just got back from Lisbon yesterday. The suggestion for a lightweight down jacket is a good one. I wore mine daily.

In Belem if your are going to both the tower and the monastery, go to the tower first and buy your monastery ticket there. Saved us at least an hour long line.

The view from the rest room on the top floor of the Armazens do Chiado Mall is wonderful (and free).

My best tip though is the Confeitaria Nacional cafe on the corner of Praca da Figueira. On the ground floor is a take out bakery as well as table service restaurant, and upstairs is a cafeteria style cafe with fabulous food at amazing prices. I ate there when I was in Lisbon 12 years ago and went back this time and I don't think they've raised their prices at all and the selection and quality is even better. You can get quiche and soup or menu of the day which was things like baked chicken, salmon, pork, etc. The main course plus two selections of vegetables plus a drink, a dessert and coffee was less than €10.

Isabel, thanks for your tips!
I've read that the line for the tower is always long, and that it's not worth waiting in line for. I assume you had a short line? I'm wondering if I should purchase our monastery tickets online. The drawback is that I don't like being regimented. I like to decide when we wake up what we are doing that day. Are the views from the tower worth it? I've read you can take an elevator to the top of the Discovery Monument for excellent views. have you done that?

What was the temperature when you were in Lisbon? We arrive there on April 22 so a month from now. I plan on bringing my spring coat which is lined, and a lightweight fleece which fits underneath it. I don't have a down jacket.

I have been up the Discovery Monument and the views were good. The monastery deserves as much time as you can give it. I enjoyed the Coach Museum more than I expected.

BTW, there is a cafe on the top floor of the Cultural Center with outside seating and views across the river. (There's also a restaurant, don't confuse the two.)

We didn't go up in the Discovery Monument since the tower is the more interesting building, but I would think the view from the Discovery Monument would be better (closer to the monastery plus you'd have the tower itself in the view). The line for the tower was very short compared to the monastery - that line was very long. I didn't look into buying tickets ahead of time as I really didn't expect such crowds, being off season and all. I have to say I definitely noticed the crowds all over Lisbon compared to 12 years ago. That trip was in July. Everyplace in Europe (on the 'tourist map') is getting more crowded each year but I really noticed it in Lisbon. I'm not sure I would say going up in the tower is 'worth' it, but certainly go look at it up close, it's a beautiful building. I hadn't gone into it on my last trip so for me it was worthwhile, but I love that kind of architecture. Certainly the monastery is the more spectacular building.

The temperatures were high 50s, low 60s - about 5-10 degrees (Fahrenheit) below normal but all of Europe has had a horrid month of March. While we were dealing with rain and wind, England and France were dealing with snow. So I don't think you can go by that, hopefully things will get back to normal in April. You will probably be fine with what you are bringing and if not there's plenty of shopping in Lisbon.