Here’s how to plan a trip to Lisbon on a budget. With the tips we’ve put together, you’ll be able to save on accommodation, airline tickets, travel insurance, as well as all the sightseeing, shopping, museums and nightlife. Check it out.
1. Save money every day just by using water in Lisbon
This idea is very simple, but in the end it will save you a lot of money. For those who don’t know, it’s very common in European countries for people to ask for tap water in restaurants. It’s treated and perfect for drinking.
If you only ask for “tap water” in these places, they will bring you a glass bottle of natural water, which is a bit expensive – on average 8 euros a liter. So, always ask for tap water. It’s quite normal to ask for it, and it’s not rude or strange.
You can also go to any market near the hotel and buy bottles for 1 euro each. With these two tips alone, you can save around 150 euros (or more!) on a 10-day trip if you’re with two people, for example.
2. Save money by taking free tours in Lisbon
Portuguese cities have many free tours and attractions. In Lisbon, try to visit the squares, ports and tourist sites that are open to the public.
An incredible outing for those in Lisbon, for example, is to watch the sunset from its viewpoints and hills. Or go to the city’s Belém Tower (just the outside, which you can see up close), admire the São Jorge Castle from the outside and visit the Jerónimos Monastery on Sundays before 1pm, as admission is free.
3. Save money on tickets to paid attractions in Lisbon
There are incredible tours that take you to see the best of Lisbon and several other Portuguese cities. We’ve traveled the world and found a great company that offers all these guided tours at very good prices. On our last trips, it was precisely this Lisbon Tickets website that we used.
As well as being one of the biggest ticket sellers in the world, the site is very secure and you can buy all your tickets in one place. By the way, it’s always cheaper to buy your tickets in advance, online, to avoid queues and to avoid wasting your travel time.
Best-selling tickets:
- Free Tour of Lisbon
- Visit to St. George’s Castle Alfama district
- Lisbon Cable Car
- Lisbon Oceanarium
- Boat trip Tour of Belém
- Tour of Belém and Jerónimos Monastery
- Lisbon Card
4. Save money with travel insurance for Lisbon – which is mandatory
As well as being essential for your vacation, travel insurance is a must if you want to go to Lisbon. This is because, in order to enter any place in Europe, you need to have Travel Insurance with a minimum cover of 30,000 euros in medical assistance.
We have already tested several companies and this one has been the best. It’s reliable and at a good price.
5. Save on car rental in Lisbon
Another good recommendation on how to plan a trip to Lisbon on a budget is to save money on car rental. Many tourists who go there choose this option to have the freedom to get around, to be able to visit various places in the city, to go to the outlets and shopping malls with a trunk and to get to know the neighboring cities. So take a look at the tips below and make the most of it.
Book your car in advance
Make your reservation online as soon as possible, because another tip on how to plan a trip to Lisbon on a budget, and get a cheap car, is to book as far in advance as possible and online. The earlier you book, the cheaper you’ll pay. It’s well worth it and you’ll save a lot with promotions, paying much less than renting a car on the spot.
Don’t rent a GPS in Lisbon
Another good tip is not to rent a car with a GPS, as it costs a lot per day. Instead, you can buy a good chip, like the one we listed above, unblocked for international calls and with unlimited Internet. That way, you’ll be able to use the map and location apps with your own cell phone.
Use this incredible price comparator
There are some car rental price comparators in Lisbon (and throughout Portugal) that are sensational and search all the main car rental companies there, finding the best prices and excellent deals.
We recommend one that you can use by going to the website and entering the date of your trip. It then searches for all the best car rental companies in Lisbon.
If you want to do the search, click here on Car Rental Comparator. In just a few seconds, you’ll have all the options for renting a car in Lisbon from the best companies on your screen, and you can choose the cheapest one. You really will save a lot.
More tips: prefer larger and reliable rental companies, such as Europcar, Budget and Avis. Take out basic insurance when booking, which is super important and is usually included in the price. But don’t fall for the companies who, when you pick up the car, try to push extra insurance that isn’t worth it.
6. Save on shopping in Lisbon
There are stores selling souvenirs and souvenirs in Lisbon’s most touristy streets that are not cheap. Therefore, try to store in the stores further away, where the price will be considerably lower for the same products.
If you want to do a lot of shopping, go straight to one of the outlets near Lisbon, which have lower prices and lots of promotions.
Save a lot with Tax Free
Tax Free is in almost every country in Europe. This system allows all tourists to get back a good part of the taxes paid on purchases.
One tip is to always check if there is a sign saying that the store has Tax Free, or ask. In addition, there is a minimum amount within an establishment for you to be entitled to Tax Free on your purchases. In Portugal, this amount is 61.50 euros.
So, when you make a purchase with the excess amount, the clerk will ask you if you want the Tax Free. They will then ask for your passport, fill in a form and give you an envelope with the invoice and the form. This way, you only need to collect all the envelopes during your trip and, at the airport, go to the counter and get the whole amount back in cash.
7. Save money on accommodation in Lisbon
Location: the best place to stay in Lisbon if you’re looking to do some sightseeing is in the center. However, the prices to stay there are a little more expensive than in other areas. This may be worthwhile if your trip is short and you want to make the most of the sights. In these cases, look for places like Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodré.
Click here if you want to find out more about the area and the hotels in it. From there, simply enter the date of your trip to see the prices and choose an option. If you stay within the orange line shown on the map, you can’t go wrong.
You can also use this Lisbon Hotel Finder. We use it all the time because it’s the largest hotel booking site in the world. Its prices are unbeatable and there you can check out the opinions of tourists who have already stayed in the hotels. This search engine also has a great partnership with the establishments and offers free cancellation with almost all hotels, should you change your mind.
8. Save money on calls and Internet in Lisbon
Another tip on how to plan a trip to Lisbon on a budget is to save money when using your cell phone. In short, using your international roaming abroad is usually the worst option and ends up being much more expensive. And sometimes, in order to use the Wi-Fi, most hotels charge a very expensive daily fee and you can only use your cell phone inside the hotel.
For this reason, and many others, what most people do to travel cheaply to Europe, and which is very worthwhile, is to buy an prepaid SIM card. We always use this Mobile Chip. It’s electronic (eSIM), you install it instantly and you can use your cell phone’s internet anywhere in the world.
9. Save on train travel in Lisbon and Portugal
Train travel in Europe is very common, as well as being quick and comfortable. Using the train to visit neighboring cities in Lisbon can save you a lot of money, as airline tickets are generally more expensive.
To find the best tickets at the lowest prices, we recommend using this Europe Train Finder, which is the largest train ticket website in the world. It searches all the best train companies and shows you the best options.
10. Save on transfers in Lisbon
One tip we think is important for those who don’t want to rent a car or spend a lot on cabs is that the best way to get from the airport to the hotel, and vice versa, is by transfer. These days, they are cheaper than cabs and much safer, plus you don’t have to wait in queues and risk wasting time looking for one.
Unfortunately, as in every tourist city, we always hear reports of tourists being scammed by taxi drivers. They often charge a lot more than normal, or take much longer routes – which is very unpleasant, of course.
There is a very good website, Transfer Search, which is the largest in the world. It offers 3 transfer options: one way from the airport to the hotel, one way from the hotel to the airport or both (round trip). Just enter the airport you’re arriving at, the destination and choose the best option and type of car.
They give you the price, the journey time and all the information. We found it much cheaper than taking a cab from the airport and everything was always very quick and easy. It’s very worthwhile if you’re not going to rent a car. It’s also an excellent place to buy Lisbon tickets and tours.
