Is the Lisboa Card worth it?

Lisbon is a reasonably affordable capital city compared to some others, but when you’re trying to squeeze in all the top attractions, entrance fees can start to add up. If you’re looking to save a few pennies – leaving more to spend on yet another pasteis de nata – you might want to consider picking up a Lisboa Card.  But is the Lisboa Card worth it?

This post refers to the Lisboa Card 2024. Please ensure that you check the website for current costs and list of included attractions as these may be subject to change.

Mr Fletche and I recently returned from our second Lisbon city break this year. Our first trip was about getting to know the layout of the city – albeit in the rain – and we wouldn’t have got the benefit from purchasing a Lisboa Card. Second time around though, we intended to visit more of the monuments and museums. Which is why we decided to purchase the Lisboa Card, if only for the convenience of having an admission ticket and a public transport ticket in our pocket.

We used a sightseeing pass for the first time in Dublin, and found it to be an excellent moneysaver. We hopped in and out of places that we may not have visited if we had had to fork out separate admission fees each time. It doesn’t pay off in all cities though, so do your research first – if it covers all the places you’re hoping to visit and saves you a little money, then it’s probably worth it. Particularly if public transport is included.

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What is a Lisboa Card?

The Lisboa Card is a city pass, designed to save visitors time and money. It includes unlimited travel on public transport, admission to 50 places of interest (and discounts on many more) and a useful city guide. You can see a full list of all the Lisboa Card discounts here.

We purchased our Lisboa Card at the tourist information booth at Praça do Comércio. The Lisboa Card is available for 24-, 48- or 72-hours; we purchased the 48 hours pass which was perfect for our itinerary. Alternatively, you can pre-purchase your Lisboa Card here and exchange your email voucher for a physical card at one of the collection points. The e-voucher is valid for a year from the date of purchase, and it’s also fully refundable if cancelled at least 24 hours in advance.

A 48 hour adult Lisboa Card currently costs £37 (€44). A 24-hour pass is £23 (€27) and a 72-hour pass is £45 (€54). Children’s pricing applies to 4-15 year olds.

How do you use the Lisboa Card?

The Lisboa card is activated from its first use. All you need to do is tap the card against the card readers at monument entrances and on public transport. There’s a space on the card for you to note the date and time of the first activation if that helps you keep track. We activated ours on our first afternoon, meaning that it was live for our entire second day and we were able to sneak in a couple of attractions on our final morning before our flight home.

One of the main advantages – apart from the money-saving – is that you don’t have to wait in line to purchase tickets. Your Lisboa Card is your ticket! It’s not necessarily a skip-the-line ticket so you will still need to factor in queuing time if you’re visiting at peak times. Particularly if you’re visiting Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Belém. But you won’t have to pay at the door, or juggle multiple tickets or passes or apps – just present your Lisboa Card and you’re in! And if you visit an attraction, but you’re just not that into it – just leave and head for the next. Lisbon has plenty to see.

Some attractions do require reservations, for example Belém Tower. However there is a separate queue for Lisboa Card holders to pick up a timed entrance ticket.

But what if you’re not a museum buff or a culture vulture?

If you plan on visiting just one or two of Lisbon’s attractions during your trip then it might not be worth purchasing a Lisboa Card. Paying admission as you go may work out cheaper. Similarly, if you’ve booked tours, or prefer to spend your time outside, admiring gardens, parks and some of Lisbon’s stunning viewpoints then the Lisboa Card may not be worth it for you.

The best way to make the most of your Lisboa Card is to plan ahead. Work out the things you’d really like to visit, and check if they’re included. Check what the admission costs would be if you were buying individual tickets. Also take into account any public transport you might use to travel around the city – funiculars and elevators are included as well as buses, metro, trams and urban CP rail services. My tip is to use Google maps to group together attractions in similar locations. You’ll also need to check which attractions require booking tickets in advance.

Many museums and attractions are closed on Mondays, so remember to take this into account when planning your Lisbon itinerary and considering if the Lisboa Card is worth it.

What did we save?

Here’s a breakdown of how we used our 48-hour Lisboa Card, along with what we would have paid without it:

• Day 1 (Afternoon): Return train from Cascais (€2,30); metro from Cais do Sodre to Baixa-Chiado (€1,80)
• Day 2: Tram to Belém (€3,10). Entrance to Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (€12,75). Tram from LX Factory to Santos (€3,10). Bica Funicular (€3,80)
• Day 3 (Morning): bus journey to and from National Tile Museum (€3.60). Museum admission (€8). Rua Augusta Arch admission (€4,50). Metro journey to the airport (€1,80)

If my maths is correct, we would have spent €44,75 per person, which meant we saved €0,75. Sadly not even enough for a pastel de nata!

Verdict: is the Lisboa Card worth it?

Even though we only made a miniscule saving, it’s a resounding yes from A Brummie Home and Abroad! It covered everywhere we were planning on visiting in Lisbon, and it allowed us freedom and flexibility. We could have utilised the card even more if we had planned our time in Belém better.

With the number of free and discounted tickets included I think the Lisboa Card really represents excellent value for money. Plus it was handy being able to hop on a tram, bus or funicular to get us to those higher areas of the city when our feet could carry us no further!

City passes are particularly ideal if the weather isn’t great. The Lisboa Card includes a plethora of museums which would be perfect to while away a wet weather day. Something we definitely should have considered on our first visit!

Buy your 24hr, 48hr or 72hr Lisboa Card here!

I try my hardest to keep the information in this travel guide up to date; however if you notice anything has changed please let me know! Happy travels, Emmalene