5-day Lisbon, Portugal itinerary

Fly into LIS, Aerobus 1 into Cais do Sodré, walk or short taxi to your stay. Pick up a Viva Viagem card at the metro — Zapping mode covers metro, tram, and buses.

Skip the first-night restaurant pressure. Graze — the pork sandwich stall (Miguel Castro e Silva) is worth the queue.

Sunset with a beer on the wall. Bring your own bottle from Pingo Doce; the buskers make it feel like a real evening.

Get there before 9am to avoid the tour buses. Eat two, standing, at the counter.

Book the timed entry online the night before — the walk-up queue routinely hits 90 minutes.

Walk east along the river from Jerónimos. The rooftop is free and the building itself is the point.

Dinner. Order the goose barnacles if they have them, and the tiger prawns. Finish with the prego on bread.

Start at Miradouro das Portas do Sol, wind down through the tiled alleys. No plan — get lost on purpose.

Tuesday and Saturday only. The city's flea market on Campo de Santa Clara; more junk than treasure but that's the sport.

Book ahead. Two sittings, small blue-tiled room, real fado, not the tourist circuit version.

Train from Rossio, 40 minutes. Buy the round-trip Sintra pass so you don't fumble at the return gate.

Go here before Pena. The initiation well is the whole thing — arrive by 10am.

Bus 434 from Sintra station. Skip the interior if the line is long; the gardens and exterior are the memorable part.

Back in Sintra town for a late lunch — small plates, no reservations, worth the wait.

Sunday brunch at Rio Maravilha (rooftop). Wander the bookshop Ler Devagar.

Board at Estrela heading east — less crowded than boarding at Martim Moniz. Ride to Graça.

Farewell dinner. No reservations; put your name down and wait at the bar.