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Lisbon Cruise Port Guide: Alfama, Tram 28, Belém and Pastéis

Why Lisbon works so well on your own

Lisbon is a docking port with the old town on the quay. Alfama climbs straight up behind the terminal. Transport is cheap, and the main sights sit on two tram lines.

The real choice is between staying central (Alfama, the castle, the Baixa and tram 28) and heading west to Belém for the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower. Sintra works only on a long call.

Operational basics

Main terminal: Lisbon Cruise Terminal at Jardim do Tabaco, on Avenida Infante Dom Henrique. Most calls use it. Other terminals: Santa Apolónia (smaller ships, same routes into town), Alcântara and Rocha Conde de Óbidos (west of the centre, used when the main berths are full). Tender or dock: Docked. No tender. Walk to Praça do Comércio: About 14 minutes, flat, along the river Ship excursion price: Varies by cruise line Typical DIY day: €42.75 for the transport card, a 24-hour ticket, Jerónimos and the castle (2026)

Check your terminal. From Alcântara or Rocha Conde de Óbidos, Alfama is too far to walk comfortably. Use tram 15E, a bus, the Cascais line train or a taxi.

Getting around

On foot from Jardim do Tabaco: Exit, turn left and follow the river to Praça do Comércio, about 14 minutes. Alfama starts across the road. The castle is a steep walk of about 15–20 minutes. Pavements are polished limestone cobbles, slippery when wet, so wear shoes with grip.

Navegante Ocasional card: The card costs €0.50 at any metro machine. Load it with:

·a single Carris/Metro ticket, €1.90, valid one hour on buses, trams and the metro
·a 24-hour Carris/Metro ticket, €7.25, which pays off after three tram rides
·a 24-hour Carris/Metro/CP ticket, €11.40, which adds suburban trains to Sintra and Cascais

All 2026 prices. Touch the card on the reader every time you board.

Tram 15E to Belém: €3.30 on board, or included in the 24-hour ticket (2026). About 38 minutes from Praça do Comércio to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos stop. Busy when big ships are in, so go early.

Bus 728: Stops outside the cruise terminal and runs west along the river to Belém. €2.30 on board, or included in the 24-hour ticket (2026). A useful direct return when the 15E is packed.

Metro: Santa Apolónia station (Blue line) is about 7 minutes' walk from the terminal.

Taxi, Uber, Bolt: Licensed taxis wait in front of the terminal and are metered. Uber and Bolt work across Lisbon and are often the easiest way back from Belém if you are running late.

Lifts and funiculars: The Santa Justa lift and the Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars closed after the September 2025 Glória accident and had not reopened as of September 2026. Walk, or use trams and the metro.

Alfama and the castle: the morning

Alfama is Lisbon's oldest quarter, directly behind the cruise terminal. Cut through to Largo do Chafariz de Dentro. It is a steep climb of about 8 minutes to Miradouro de Santa Luzia and 6 more to the castle.

·Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Portas do Sol — free viewpoints over the river. Allow 1–1.5 hours for Alfama.
·Castelo de São Jorge — the castle on the highest hill of the old town, with the widest view of the city. €17 adult; €8.50 aged 13–25; €14 over 65; under 12 free (2026). Open 09:00–21:00 from March to October, to 18:00 in winter. Allow an hour. Go at opening, before the coaches.
·Lisbon Cathedral (Sé) — on the tram 28 route between Alfama and the Baixa. The cloister and treasury are charged; check on the day.
·Feira da Ladra — the flea market at Campo de Santa Clara, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Eat: grilled sardines and petiscos at the family-run tascas in Alfama's lanes.

Tram 28

The yellow historic tram through Graça, Portas do Sol, the Sé, Baixa, Chiado and Estrela, on the Martim Moniz–Prazeres route. €3.30 on board, or included in the 24-hour ticket (2026).

Skip the queue at Martim Moniz. Board mid-route, at the Sé or Portas do Sol, and ride west. It is slow in traffic and the city's worst spot for pickpockets, so keep your bag in front.

Belém: the afternoon

Jerónimos Monastery

·A Manueline monastery with a richly carved cloister. The church next door is free.
·€18 adult; €9 aged 13–24 and 65+; under 13 free (2026)
·Open 09:30–17:30, last entry 17:00. Closed on Mondays.
·Entry is by timed slot. Book online in advance.
·Allow 1–1.5 hours.

Pastéis de Belém The custard-tart bakery on Rua de Belém, next to the monastery. Manteigaria in Chiado is the central alternative.

Belém Tower

·The 16th-century fortress tower on the river, reopened on 27 May 2026 after works.
·Limited to about 900 visitors a day in half-hour slots. Entry is charged; check the official booking site.
·Book ahead, or just see it from outside.

A day plan for a 17:30 all-aboard

Assumes docking at Jardim do Tabaco at 08:00, not on a Monday, with a timed Jerónimos ticket for about 12:15.

Time	Action	Cost (2026)
08:15	Into Alfama via Largo do Chafariz de Dentro, up to Santa Luzia and Portas do Sol	Free
09:00	Castelo de São Jorge at opening. About an hour on the walls	€17
10:15	Down past the Sé into the Baixa, along Rua Augusta to Praça do Comércio	Free
11:15	Navegante card and 24-hour ticket, then tram 15E to Jerónimos (about 38 minutes)	€0.50 + €7.25
12:15	Jerónimos cloister; the church is free	€18
13:30	Lunch and custard tarts in Belém, then the riverside to Belém Tower	Varies
15:15	Start back: bus 728 to the terminal, or tram 15E and the 14-minute walk	Included
16:30	Back on board, 60 minutes before all-aboard	—

Common mistakes at Lisbon cruise port

Going to Belém on a Monday. Jerónimos is closed. Do Alfama and the castle instead.

Paying €3.30 on board for every tram ride. Load the €7.25 24-hour ticket onto a €0.50 card instead.

Queuing for tram 28 at Martim Moniz. Board mid-route, or ride before 09:30.

Turning up at Jerónimos or Belém Tower without a timed ticket. Book online in advance.

Trying to fit Sintra into a short call. Allow at least 5–6 hours. The train from Rossio takes about 40 minutes, and the palaces are on the hill above the station. Otherwise take the ship's tour.

Eating on Rua Augusta. Menus without prices are the classic overcharge. Bread, olives and cheese put on the table are charged if you eat them.

Return timing guide

The rule for a 17:30 all-aboard:

·From Belém: leave by 15:15
·From Alfama or the Baixa: leave by 16:00
·From Sintra: be on a train back to Rossio by 14:30

Tram 15E from Belém to Praça do Comércio takes about 38 minutes, plus the 14-minute walk to the terminal and queues.

All-aboard	Leave Belém by	Leave Alfama or the Baixa by	Sintra train back by
16:30	14:15	15:00	13:30
17:00	14:45	15:30	14:00
17:30	15:15	16:00	14:30
18:00	15:45	16:30	15:00

If you are running late, take a licensed taxi or call an Uber or Bolt. In Sintra, a taxi is the only quick option. Call the port agent number in your daily programme if you will be late.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Lisbon cruise port to the city centre? From Jardim do Tabaco, walk about 14 minutes along the river to Praça do Comércio. Alfama starts across the road from the terminal.

Is Lisbon cruise port a tender port? No. Ships dock at Jardim do Tabaco, Santa Apolónia, Alcântara or Rocha Conde de Óbidos.

How do I get to Belém? Tram 15E from Praça do Comércio to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos stop, about 38 minutes, or bus 728 from outside the terminal. €3.30 on the tram or €2.30 on the bus if paid on board, or use the €7.25 24-hour ticket (2026).

Can I visit Sintra from Lisbon on a cruise port day? On a long call of 9 hours or more. The train from Rossio takes about 40 minutes. Book palace tickets in advance and be on a train back by 14:30 for a 17:30 all-aboard.

Do cruise passengers pay Lisbon's tourist tax? Yes. Since April 2024 Lisbon has charged a tourist tax per disembarking cruise passenger over 13. It is collected through the port and normally included in your cruise fare or port charges.