What I Spent: 4 Day Trip to Lisbon in February
Colorful buildings, music, art, history, and amazing food. If Portugal isn’t on your bucket list, it should be! But, I know budgeting is a big part of planning any trip, so I’m breaking down what I spent during my 4-day, 5-night stay.
This was a fairly last-minute trip (booked just 3 weeks out thanks to a flight deal!), and while prices can vary, I hope this gives you a helpful starting point. Your costs may be higher or lower depending on your travel style.
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Lodging
Casa do Bairro by Shiadu: 5 nights for $584 total
I loved staying here. The staff was incredibly kind and welcoming, the location was central and walkable, and the hotel even upgraded us to their best view room when we arrived. It was quiet during our stay, which is another perk of traveling in the off-season—fewer guests can sometimes mean surprise upgrades!
Consider browsing sites like Airbnb or booking.com to compare and choose lodging that meets your needs. You might also consider staying in another city for a night or two. After visiting Sintra for a day, I do wish we had stayed there overnight. If you’re curious about Sintra and what it has to offer, check out this post.
Flights
Roundtrip to Lisbon from Nashville, TN: $606.01
This was the price including all fees, booked about three weeks before the trip (super spontaneous lol). For Nashville departures, $600 is pretty standard for a good deal, though since then I’ve seen prices as low as $550. I recommend starting your flight search at least three months in advance. If your dates are flexible, setting a flight alert can really help you catch the best fares.
Activities
This is a mix of paid and free experiences I would recommend. You can pick and choose based on your interests!
- $1 walking tour (be sure to tip your guide!)
- Lisbon Cathedral: €5
- Evening boat tour on the Tagus River: ~$40
- National Pantheon: €9
- National Tile Museum: €11
- MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology): €9
- Jerónimos Monastery: €10
- Belém Tower: €6
- Roundtrip train to Sintra: ~€10
Estimated total for activities: ~$123
Transportation
Lisbon is a pretty walkable city, but we used Uber several times—and it’s one of the most affordable cities I’ve visited for rideshare.
Uber rides ranged from €5 to €14, and our total for all rides was around €57 (about $62 USD). Ubers are often cheaper in Lisbon, especially if you’re traveling with other people. Instead of buying separate tram fares, you can split the cost of an Uber and end up saving money.
The train to Sintra was about €5 each way, and pretty easy to navigate.
Food & Drinks
Our hotel included a generous free breakfast every morning, which saved us a lot. Outside of that, here’s a rough estimate of daily food and drink costs:
- Coffee & pastries (2–3 times): ~€5-€10 each
- Gelato or dessert (3–4 times): ~€5-€10 each
- Lunch (4 days): €10–€15 per meal
- Dinner (4 nights): €15–€25 per meal
Depending on your food choices, you could comfortably budget around $35–$50 per day on food.
Estimated food total for the trip: ~$200–$250
Total Trip Estimate (Per Person)
| Category | Cost (USD) |
| Flights | $606 |
| Lodging | $584 (less if you’re splitting with someone!) |
| Activities | ~$120 |
| Transportation | ~$72 (again, less if you’re splitting with someone!) |
| Food | ~$225 |
| Total | ~$1,600 |
Final Thoughts
This trip was a great reminder that Europe can be accessible on a moderate budget, especially if you’re open to traveling in the off-season and flexible with your plans! There’s plenty of free or low-cost things to do, and even popular attractions are reasonably priced. The free hotel breakfast helped us save on food, and we were still able to enjoy great local restaurants, snacks, and desserts.
Whether you plan to spend your whole trip in Lisbon or split your time with places like Sintra, I hope this gives you a useful baseline as you start to plan! Happy traveling!
Madison is a Nashville-based traveler sharing itineraries, packing tips, and budget-friendly travel advice to help adventurous women plan epic trips and see the world.
