Is the Lisboa Card Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes for a Belém day: Jerónimos Monastery (€18), Belém Tower and the trams there and back cover a 24-hour card on their own.
- Skip itNo if you'll walk everywhere and skip Belém.
- Skip itNo for Sintra's palaces. They aren't covered.
- From €31 (24h)
- Trams, metro, trains
- Jerónimos + Belém Tower
What is The Lisboa Card?
The Lisboa Card is Lisbon's official card: unlimited buses, trams, metro and some trains, plus free entry to about 50 museums and monuments, for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Lisbon's hills make trams, funiculars and the metro worth having, and Belém's two monuments sit next to each other a tram ride away.
By our maths, you can save about 38% on a busy Belém and castle day compared with buying each ticket separately. Realistic on a Belém day plus the castle; less so if you skip Belém.
- Price
- €31 / €51 / €62
- Length
- 24, 48 or 72 hours
- Transport
- Included
- Jerónimos
- Included
How to get the most value out of The Lisboa Card
Jerónimos, Belém Tower and São Jorge Castle are €43-50, so one busy day covers the 24-hour card.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Split Belém across two days | Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower are next to each other. Do them on the same card day. |
| Plan Belém on a Monday | Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower close on Mondays. |
| Skip São Jorge Castle | It's free with the card (€17 directly). |
| Walk up to São Jorge Castle | Tram 28 or a bus on the card saves the steep climb to the castle. Go at about 10 am, the quietest time in our data. |
| Buy cards for under-13s for Belém | Under-13s are free at Jerónimos, and children up to 12 are free at São Jorge Castle. Price their transport before buying them a card. |
| Queue for the Jerónimos cloister at midday | The first half-hour after opening is the quietest in our data, and Belém Tower next door has timed slots, so book that around it. |
| Take tram 28 at midday | It's packed with tourists. Ride early, or use tram 12 for the same hills. |
| Visit Belém in the afternoon | Jerónimos queues build after 11 am. Go at opening and finish with pastéis de Belém. |
| Head to Jerónimos Monastery without checking how busy it is | Check Jerónimos Monastery's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another Lisbon sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for Jerónimos Monastery, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in Lisbon →Who The Lisboa Card is for
Good fit
- Visitors spending a day in Belém
- You'll ride trams, including the 28
- You'll visit São Jorge Castle
- Adults aged 25-64, who pay the full €18 at Jerónimos
Skip it if
- You'll walk everywhere and skip Belém
- Sintra is your main trip
- You're 13-24: Jerónimos is €9 and the castle €8.50 for you, so the card pays back less
- From €31 (24h)
- Trams, metro, trains
- Jerónimos + Belém Tower
What the pass covers
The card covers about 50 museums and monuments, plus public transport.
- Jerónimos (€18) and São Jorge Castle (€17) alone are €35, more than a 24-hour card.
- Sintra's palaces aren't covered: Pena is €20 and Quinta da Regaleira €20.
The big sights
- Jerónimos MonasteryIncluded€18 on its own; closed Mondays.
- Belém TowerIncludedAbout €8-15 on its own.
- São Jorge CastleIncluded€17 on its own.
- Pena Palace (Sintra)Not included€20.
- Quinta da Regaleira (Sintra)Not included€20.
- OceanárioExtra cost€25.50-29.90; 15% off with the card.
- From €31 (24h)
- Trams, metro, trains
- Jerónimos + Belém Tower
Pass vs individual tickets
Jerónimos (€18), Belém Tower (about €8-15) and São Jorge Castle (€17) come to €43-50, before transport. A 24-hour card is €31.
Worked example: one busy day
| Attraction | Adult ticket bought separately |
|---|---|
| Jerónimos Monastery | €18 |
| Belém Tower | About €8-15 |
| São Jorge Castle | €17 |
| Total separately | €43-50 + transport |
| Lisboa Card, 24 hours | €31 |
- From €31 (24h)
- Trams, metro, trains
- Jerónimos + Belém Tower
Fine print
- Activation
- Starts at first use.
- Transport
- Buses, trams, metro and funiculars.
- Closures
- Jerónimos and Belém Tower close on Mondays.
- Refunds
- No cancellation or refund once the card has been used or the voucher redeemed, and no exchange after the voucher expires.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The Lisboa Card is official, from Visit Lisboa.
- Reassuring: Refunds: No cancellation or refund once the card has been used or the voucher redeemed, and no exchange after the voucher expires.
- Watch out: Jerónimos and Belém Tower close on Mondays.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Plan Sintra on the card | Sintra's palaces (€20 each) aren't covered. |
| Start the card on a Monday | Jerónimos and Belém Tower close on Mondays. |
| Queue at Jerónimos Monastery at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for Jerónimos Monastery's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in Lisbon. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with Jerónimos Monastery.
Check live crowds in Lisbon →- From €31 (24h)
- Trams, metro, trains
- Jerónimos + Belém Tower
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy Lisbon’s attractions are right now →
- From €31 (24h)
- Trams, metro, trains
- Jerónimos + Belém Tower
FAQs
Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
+
Yes for a busy day: Jerónimos, Belém Tower and São Jorge Castle are €43-50 directly, against €31 for 24 hours, plus transport.
How much is the Lisboa Card?
+
€31 for 24 hours, €51 for 48 hours and €62 for 72 hours.
Does it include Sintra?
+
Not the palaces; Pena and Quinta da Regaleira are €20 each.
Does it include São Jorge Castle?
+
Yes, entry is free with the card.
Does the Lisboa Card include the Oceanário?
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Not free entry. The Oceanário is €25.50-29.90 for adults by time slot, and the card takes 15% off; the late-afternoon slot is cheapest.
Is the Lisboa Card worth it for a young adult?
+
Less so. Under-25s pay €9 at Jerónimos and €8.50 at São Jorge Castle, so those two cost €17.50 directly. Add up your rides before buying.