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What days are museums free in Lisbon?

The famous Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in Lisbon is free on the first Sunday of the month. This is well worth a visit if you're a fan of modern technology. There are a few others in Lisbon that are free before 14:00 on a Sunday, but only to residents in the city.



As of a major policy shift in 2024–2026, free museum access in Lisbon is no longer restricted to just "Sunday mornings." Instead, Portuguese residents and residents with a tax number (NIF) can visit 37 national museums and monuments for free on any 52 days of the year. For international tourists, however, "free" days are becoming rarer. Many major sites, like the National Tile Museum or the Ancient Art Museum, still offer free entry on the first Sunday of every month for everyone, but these days are incredibly crowded. To combat "overtourism" in 2026, several museums have shifted to "Pay What You Want" hours on Friday evenings. A much better value for tourists is the Lisboa Card, which provides free entry to 39 museums (including the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower) and unlimited public transport for 24, 48, or 72 hours. If you are a student or a senior (65+), you can almost always get a 50% discount any day of the week by showing your ID, which is often a better strategy than braving the massive queues on the rare "free" Sundays.

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Is the Pena Palace in Sintra open on Mondays? If you are planning to visit this city, avoid Monday! Reason: the palaces, museums, and castles are open Monday in Sintra. And in Lisbon, everything is closed.

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Fares are good value: the Lisbon–Porto express route and Faro–Lisbon both cost around €20. Under-4s travel free, under-13s half-price, and there are discounts for under-29s and senior citizens over 65 with relevant identification.

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The 'Park Ticket' for the Palacio da Pena. There is a second entrance ticket to the Palacio da Pena, which provides entrance to the grounds only. The 'Park Ticket' costs €7.50, but surprisingly little of the palace and the terraces can be seen.

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In tourist areas, smaller shops usually stay open all day except some will close on Good Friday and / or Easter Sunday. On Christmas Day and New Year's Day shops are closed. Many small shops in the villages and of course all post offices and banks observe the holidays strictly.

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Is the castle worth the entrance fee? The adult admission fee to the Castelo de São Jorge is €10.00, children under 10 are free and students are €5. This does make the castle one of the most expensive tourist attractions in Lisbon, but the entrance fee is worth it.

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