A beautiful long weekend in Lisbon

Lisbon is ideal for a long weekend. The airport is close to the centre, the city is compact but full of variety, and the Atlantic coast and the palaces of Sintra are close enough for a day's drive. Here is how we would spend three days.

Day one: Chiado and the viewpoints

Stay in or near Chiado and spend your first afternoon on foot. Lisbon is a city of hills, and its reward is a series of viewpoints, or miradouros, over red roofs and the river. Walk slowly between them, stopping for coffee. For dinner, go to Príncipe Real, then have a late drink on a rooftop.

Day two: Belém

Head west along the river to Belém in the morning. The Jerónimos Monastery and the Tower of Belém are together a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery's cloister is one of the great sights of the Manueline style, with stone carved into ropes, shells and sea creatures. Go early. In the afternoon, visit MAAT, the museum of art, architecture and technology on the waterfront. And yes, have a custard tart.

Day three: Sintra and the coast

Collect a car, or take a driver, and head for the forested hills of Sintra, a UNESCO cultural landscape of romantic palaces and gardens. Book timed entry to the most popular palaces in advance, and arrive early. Then drive west to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, and follow the Atlantic coast back through Cascais at sunset.

If you have longer

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, one of Europe's great private collections set in a modernist garden, deserves an unhurried morning. South of the river, the long beaches and rice fields around Comporta make an easy escape.

Based on research. Book popular sites in advance, and check opening times before you go.