Planning a trip to Europe soon? While there are many amazing cities to explore, Lisbon should be your first destination. After spending a weekend in Portugal’s capital, I’ve organized a short itinerary of must-see neighborhoods in this breathtaking city.

Belém

After my six-hour flight from New York, Belém was the first area in Lisbon I explored. In Belém, you can take a stroll along the coast where The Torre de Belém is located — a fort built in the early 1500s to protect the port. This landmark was used for ships that embarked from the banks of the River Tagus to Brazil which allowed Portugal’s royal empire to prosper.

You can also satisfy your taste buds with some delicious pasteles de nata or as we refer to them as egg tart pastries. Although you can get this sweet flaky pastry almost anywhere, one of the most popular places is Pasteis de Belem.

If you want to walk through Lisbon’s art and history you should definitely visit one of it’s many museums. Some of the well-known museums include The National Museum of Archeology, The Museu de Arte Popular, the Navy Museum, and the Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology (MAAT). My boyfriend and I got to visit the Museu Coleção Berardo (Berardo Collection Museum) for 2.50 euros and the Universidade Esta No Ar Difundir Arq. Moderna (The University is Now on Air Spreading Modern Architecture exhibit for only 3 euros each.

We ended our first night in the LX Factory area where you’ll find bookstores, restaurants, and the melancholic music of Fado playing in the streets. One particular rooftop bar for cocktails and appetizers that I recommend visiting is Rio Maravilha (pictured below). It overlooks the 25 de Abril Bridge which is a mirror image of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Pena Palace

Even if it’s outside the city, you’re going to want to take a day trip to Sintra. If you take the metro, which is very easy to navigate, it’s about an hour trip. Our Airbnb was located near Baixa – Chiado Metro Station and the green line took us straight to Sintra which was about 15 stops. Afterwards look for the 434 bus which takes you directly to the main estates and monuments such as the Castle of the Moors and Pena Palace.

Pena Palace sits atop the Sintra mountains surrounded by a forest of garden that overlooks the Portuguese River. What really stands out about the castle is it’s eccentric colors. The Romanticist castle is decorated in bright tile and vivid pastel colors giving it a fairytale feel, definitely Instagram-worthy!

Alfama

End your weekend by exploring the Alfama district. Alfama is Lisbon’s oldest district and you’ll see a lot of the trams passing by as you walk the local streets. We spent the day — with some sangria in hand — walking the narrow avenues of Alfama. Our Airbnb host suggested we “get lost” to truly experience and absorb the wonders of the city. Trust me, you don’t need a map to enjoy the beautiful tiled houses in this neighborhood and, yes, there’s plenty of photo-ops. We stopped to eat around Lisboa’s Cultural Center, took a nap on a nearby park, and then walked back to Portas do Sol to watch the sunset with some more sangria in hand. There’s plenty of small local cafes and lunch spots but Portas do Sol is the place to go to get the best view of Alfama.

Hope you enjoyed my three day guide to Lisboa. Follow me on Instagram for more Lisbon travel pics.