Is the Lisboa card worth it? That was the question that I pondered on when we arrived in the city. Honestly, after a full day of exploring Lisbon, I really regretted not getting it for a variety of reasons including the fact that it includes access to free public transportation. With two toddlers in tow, this would have made exploring Lisbon so much easier and cheaper.
That’s not to say that we did not enjoy wandering around Lisbon but since everything is generally either uphill or downhill, the children found it difficult to walk far. That’s saying something because our kids generally walk 5 kms and the elder one can easily walk 8. Even I struggled to keep pace at times.
This was just one of the reasons why the Lisbon card made sense. There are more reasons why I would buy it in a heartbeat the next time I head back and I’ll explain why in a bit. So if you are wondering ‘Is the Lisboa card worth it?’, stick around and read on.
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If you want to visit a lot of Lisbon in a very short period of time, you should really book your Lisbon card before you reach. Its super convenient!
Table of Contents
What Is The Lisboa Card?
The Lisbon card is designed specifically for travelers visiting the capital city of Portugal. Generally speaking, people spend anything from 1 day in Lisbon to 3 days in the city. Then there are people who visit on a transit stop. Whatever the reason or duration, everyone has the same objective: To see as much of the city as they possibly can.
This however can get expensive and tiring. That’s where the Lisboa card comes in. You’ve probably noticed that I’ve been using Lisbon and Lisboa interchangeably. Before you get confused, I want you to know that Lisbon is called Lisboa in Portuguese. Hence the card is referred to as both the Lisboa card and the Lisbon card. It’s the same thing.
The Lisboa card gives you access to free transport during the validity of the card. It also gives you free access to museums and historic buildings in addition to a discounted fair to many other locations.
Some really iconic landmarks that caught my interest which are on the Lisboa card are:
- Tram 29
- Pilar 7 Bridge Experience
- Rua Augusta Arch
- Santa Justa Elevator
- National Pantheon
- National Coach Museum
- Sao Jorge Castle
- National Tile Museum
- National Museum Of Theater and Dance
- National Archeology Museum
- Fado Museum
- Belem Tower
- Jeronimos Monastery
It also includes a discounted fare to places like
- Lisbon cathedral
- Torre de la Iglesia Castelo del S. Jorge
- Sintra Palace
- Museum of Art, Architecture And Technology (MAAT)
- Pena National Palace and Park
The card also provides discounts on some of the Lisbon tours. Access to the public transport that includes metro, Carris, CP-Comboios de Portugal and FERTAGUS.
How Do You Buy A Lisboa Card?
Buy the Lisboa card online. It is super easy. All you have to do is check the requisite number of days , i.e. 1,2 or 3 and pay for it accordingly. Note that to book tickets for children they need to be accompanied by at least one adult. This is for all children under 12 years of age. Once you do this, you download the app on your phone and follow its instructions. Super simple!
Is The Lisboa Card Worth It?
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The main question however is, is the Lisboa card worth it? I think that the card offers a lot of value but you need to be clear that you will not use the whole value of the card. You will not be able to visit all the monuments that are free in a day even if you use the public transportation to get about. Doing all of them in 72 hours is also a stretch. That however does not mean that the Lisbon card is not worth it. Quite the contrary.
The cost of the Lisbon card varies depending on the number of days you book for:
- 24 hours: Adults: 27 euros, children 4-12 years: 18 euros
- 48 hours: Adults: 44 euros, children 4-12 years: 24.50 euros
- 72 hours: Adults: 54 euros, children 4-12 years: 30.50 euros
“The 72-hour Lisboa Card is definitely worth it if you want to see a lot of Lisbon and use almost all means of transport without any hassle”
Isabell (Read more reviews now!)
Despite not being able to cover all the attractions, you will definitely manage to visit a number of them. If you visit 4-5 of the attractions per day, you break even or better. This is considering that you take the public transport about.
One of the things that makes the Lisboa card worth it is the free public transport. Not only does it help you get from spot to spot fast, it also helps you keep your stamina up because walking up and down the streets of Lisbon can be tiring. This is particularly useful if you are traveling with children.
Who Is The Lisboa Card Best Suited For?
Now when answering the question, is the Lisboa card worth it?, I need to mention that there are some people that this card is better suited for and some who it is not. That will make all the difference in the amount of value you will get from the card.
First off, if you intend to move around Lisbon at a very leisurely pace then this card is not the best suited for you. It is intended for people who want to see the city at a fast pace and who are visiting Lisbon for 1 day, 2 days or 3 days.
Ideally speaking, it works best for first time visitors but since there are so many attractions on the list and a variety of discounts, it also works great if you are visiting Lisbon for the nth time and want to check out some of the cool museums and attractions in the area.
“The card is interesting if you take the opportunity to visit all the monuments and transport because it is still very expensive. It also allows you to have many discounts so don’t hesitate to take it out everywhere! For your information, if you have a baby under 3 years old, you have priority everywhere! We traveled with a 2 year old baby and this allowed us to visit everything without paying anything on site.”
Amandine (read more reviews now!)
How Long Is The Lisbon Card Valid For?
It is important to know that the Lisbon card is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase. This means that if your trip gets rescheduled for whatever reason, you can still use it later. Note that all 2 or 3 days of the card have to be used consecutively.
Check The Availability Of The Lisboa Card On Your Dates
Always consider getting the Lisboa card in advance because it does save you money but more importantly, you will find that the time it saves is totally worth it. You could just waltz into the Sao Jorge Castle and breeze pass the lines which is quite something especially if you are in the city for a day.
Important Things That You Should Know When Buying The Lisboa Card
- Once you buy the card, it is not transferable because this is a personalized card. So make sure that you enter everyone’s names correctly.
- Mondays are the days when all the national monuments are closed. I can’t emphasize this enough. The Lisbon card isn’t the most ideal on Mondays! There are additional holidays that are public holidays where the museums are also closed so read the fine print!
- The buses in Sintra are from a different company and hence not included in the price.
If you want to visit a lot of Lisbon in a very short period of time, you should really book your Lisbon card before you reach. Its super convenient!
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