One of Europe's most unsung cultural capitals, there is so much to do in Lisbon you might plan for a week, not a mere three days. But in three days you can sample quite a bit of Lisbon's available options, many of which turn out to be museums. There are museums here focused on everything from Lisbon's rich maritime past to decorative Portuguese tiles, and everything in between. Almost everything is made more affordable by the purchase of a Lisboa card, offering free and discounted admissions to dozens of activities including the Metro.

Lisbon holds many treats for young children, including a world-renowned zoo, a planetarium, a highly-regarded aquarium, a maritime museum with a children's section, and an interactive science museum.

Lisbon, historically an unsung gem among European capitals, with Portugal as a whole being less expensive than its Spanish neighbour, is getting increasingly expensive as it gets "discovered." But the single biggest factor in making your stay in Lisbon affordable is purchasing a "Lisboa Card," a city pass that offers free or discounted admissions to more than 80 museums, sights and tours -- as well as transportation within the city. Even outside the city, various tourist attractions are free or discounted because of the card. Essentially, everything you want to see or do in Lisbon can be done more affordably with the card.

Even among European capitals, Lisbon is remarkably rich in museums, catering to all sorts of esoteric tastes. Where else could you find an entire museum devoted to cinema, electricity, or horse-drawn carriages? So you don't have to go far to actually go "off the beaten path" in terms of finding unusual diversions and attractions not common to other locations.

There are many beautiful areas within a few hours' drive of Lisbon that are also worth seeing, from seaside villages to towns rich with Medieval history.