We have only from 2 p.m. one day until 3 p.m. the next to get our first taste of Portugal in Lisbon. We were considering hiring a driver for the first afternoon to take us out to Sintra and Caiscais, returning us by evening to the Alfama where we hope to enjoy some good fado. (alternatively the Barrio Alta?) If we only have time to actually go into one palace in Sintra, which should it be? Does anyone have recommendations for our fado experience, since I'm getting the impression that the major spots are ridiculously overpriced with lousy food no matter how good the fado is? Assuming we do the above plan the first day, what should our priorities be the next day for half day available? Considering Belem for the monastery, or just staying in Lisbon to explore different neighborhoods.

Sintra can easily consume a couple of days, but you can do Caiscais in an afternoon, before and after lunch. Regardless of where you want to visit, you need to buy your tickets ahead of time. If you were to try to see the monastery in Belêm without advanced tickets, you could find yourself standing in a long line for hours because of all the boat people. For Fado, which can be found in most bars and cafés in the city, you can check Casa de Linhares and Senhor Vinho, which is considered one of the best, according to Maribel.

If you're planning on not making lunch reservations, you can always try your lunch at Lisbon's Time Out Market. There are some excellent dishes available, but then you have to find a place to sit.



The crowd in front of Jeronimos in low season.



Time Out Market Lisbon



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This is a hard question to answer because everyone has different interests. We were in Lisbon last April for 5 days and loved it! We did spend 3/4 of a day with a tour to see Sintra and Cascais. We only had time to visit Pena Palace, and made a quick stop at Boca do Inferno and drove through Cascais and Estoril. We loved Pena Palace and liked what little we saw of Cascais. However, if it were me, I would spend what little time you have in Lisbon. It's a wonderful city and I think you would get a good feel of the city by wandering its neighborhoods and perhaps doing a tuk tuk tour. It is a hilly city, so walking could be difficult depending on your mobility. But it's so interesting and the miradouros (viewpoints) are wonderful. You get great views of the city and the river, and there are cafes where you can get a drink and enjoy the views.

Our favorite day was visiting Sao Jorge Castle and then wandering around the Alfama. You might hear people say the Alfama is touristy, but that is only true by the castle area. After we visited the castle, we followed Rick Steves walking tour of the Alfama. This brings you to the heart of the Alfama, where people live. We saw clothes hanging outside to dry, heard tv's or radios coming from apartments, saw children riding bikes on the few flat areas. And we saw very few tourists.

If you can't do a lot of walking, perhaps you could hire a driver to take you around Lisbon's neighborhoods. Jeronimos Monastery was a highlight for us, as well. We arrived when it opened, and the line was short, so we thought it would be a short wait. We waited in line for an hour because they let the tour groups from the cruise ships in first. You should check to see if you can buy tickets online.