Odivelas travel guide
King Dinis's tomb at the end of Lisbon's yellow line
A residential suburb at the northern terminus of Lisbon's yellow metro line, with the medieval monastery where King Dinis is buried. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months. An hour or two covers the sights; stay longer only as a cheaper base for Lisbon.
Odivelas sits at the northern end of Lisbon's yellow metro line, about 8 km from the city centre. Most people who live here commute into the capital. By area it is one of the smallest municipalities in Portugal, densely built and almost entirely residential. Visitors come for one building, or for a room that costs less than one in central Lisbon.
That building is the Mosteiro de São Dinis, a Gothic Cistercian convent founded by King Dinis in 1295, who chose it as his burial place. It has been a national monument since 1910. Ask about visits at the municipal visitor centre, Conhecer Odivelas, in the exhibition centre on Rua Fernando Lopes; it opens on weekdays only.
As a base, it suits travellers who will spend their days in Lisbon anyway. Trains start at Odivelas and call at Senhor Roubado before running south through Campo Grande to Marquês de Pombal. Pontinha, on the blue line, also falls inside the municipality. Evenings are quiet, so plan dinner in town.
Explore Odivelas by theme
Find your kind of trip: 24 travel themes, each with the packages in Odivelas.
Odivelas at a glance
The essentials first-time visitors ask about, in one place.
Explore more of Portugal
Pick a place by travel style: beaches, nature, cities, heritage, islands.
Nothing in that category yet.
Top things to do in Odivelas
One royal monastery, then the metro into Lisbon.
No things to do in Odivelas are listed yet. Browse all things to do
Best time to visit Odivelas
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Mild days for pairing the monastery with sightseeing in Lisbon.
Hot and dry, with central Lisbon at its most crowded.
Packages in Demand
A Journey to Remember
Tours, activities and day trips in and around this destination, with the details you need before booking.
No packages in Odivelas are listed yet. Browse all packages
Create Your Custom-Made Trip to Odivelas
Traveling to Odivelas? Chat with a Local Travel Specialist in Odivelas Who Can Help Organize Your Trip.
START HEREOur Travel Experts are Recommended by
Plan your trip
Practical answers before you go. Pick a topic.
Getting there
Red line, then yellow to the end
Take the metro. From Lisbon airport, ride the red line to Saldanha and change to the yellow line, which ends at Odivelas; Senhor Roubado is the stop before. The yellow line runs from Rato through Marquês de Pombal and Campo Grande, so most of central Lisbon needs no change. Pontinha, on the blue line, serves the Ramada side.
- From the airport
- Red line to Saldanha, then the yellow line to Odivelas
- Yellow line
- Rato, Marquês de Pombal and Campo Grande to Senhor Roubado and Odivelas
- Blue line
- Pontinha, on the western edge of the municipality
- Taxi
- Ride-hail from the airport, the easy option with bags
- At Saldanha, follow the yellow signs and check the platform display says Odivelas, not Rato.
- Taxis and ride-hail cars from the airport use the ring roads and are quicker with luggage.
Where to stay
Near the terminus or Senhor Roubado
Stay close to a yellow-line station, either near the Odivelas terminus and the monastery or one stop closer to Lisbon at Senhor Roubado. Boarding at the first stop gets you a seat every morning. Ramada has quieter streets and small guesthouses but needs a bus, and Pontinha is on the blue line to the Baixa.
- Odivelas centre
- Near the metro terminus and the monastery; boarding at the first stop means a seat every morning
- Senhor Roubado
- One stop closer to Lisbon, beside major roads, handy for drivers
- Ramada
- Quieter streets and small guesthouses, but a bus ride from the metro
- Pontinha
- On the blue line instead, direct to the Baixa and Santa Apolónia without a change
Getting around
Carris Metropolitana buses and the yellow line
Walk between your room, the metro and the monastery, which are close together in the centre. Carris Metropolitana buses, run here by Rodoviária de Lisboa, cover outer parishes such as Ramada and Póvoa de Santo Adrião and run on to Loures, Amadora and Lisbon. One reusable Lisbon card covers metro and buses; touch it each time.
- Metro
- Yellow line south into Lisbon
- Bus
- Carris Metropolitana local and regional routes
- On foot
- Metro terminus to the São Dinis monastery
Know before you go
What makes Odivelas worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- King Dinis's tomb in the Gothic church of the São Dinis monastery, the reason to make the trip.
- Boarding at the terminus, before the yellow line fills up on its way into Lisbon.
- Lower room prices than in Lisbon's historic quarters, with a direct line into town.
Good to know
- The visitor centre closes at weekends, so ask about monastery visits on a weekday.
- Nightlife means Lisbon: local restaurants are neighbourhood places and close early.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Odivelas, month by month
Month-by-month climate figures for Odivelas are being researched.
Staying at the first stop of Lisbon's yellow metro line
Stay in Odivelas for a quieter, cheaper room at the start of Lisbon's yellow metro line. You board at the first stop and ride south through Campo Grande to Saldanha, where the red line runs to the airport. Book near Odivelas or Senhor Roubado station, and plan to eat most evenings in Lisbon.
Staying here makes sense if you want a quieter, cheaper room and do not mind a metro ride each morning. The yellow line starts at Odivelas, so you get on at the first stop and ride south through Campo Grande, where the green line crosses, to Saldanha for the red line back to the airport. Before heading into the city, walk to the Mosteiro de São Dinis to see where King Dinis was laid to rest in the 14th century. Evenings are quiet and restaurant choice is limited, so most guests eat in Lisbon. Book close to Odivelas or Senhor Roubado station ; avoid the wider municipality, where you would depend on local buses. Senhor Roubado also puts you a few minutes closer to the city on every ride.
King Dinis's Gothic tomb at the São Dinis convent
Start at the Mosteiro de São Dinis, a short walk from the Odivelas metro terminus, where King Dinis is buried in a carved Gothic tomb in the Cistercian convent he founded. Interior access varies while part of it becomes a university residence, so ask about guided visits at the Conhecer Odivelas visitor centre on Rua Fernando Lopes.
Start at the Mosteiro de São Dinis, a short walk from the Odivelas metro terminus. King Dinis founded the Cistercian convent for nuns and asked to be buried in it, and his carved Gothic tomb is the reason to come. The complex was altered over the centuries and until 2015 housed a girls' boarding school for military families; part of it is now being converted into a university residence, so access to the interior varies. Ask at the Conhecer Odivelas visitor centre on Rua Fernando Lopes, on a weekday, about guided visits.
The nuns left a sweet legacy. Marmelada branca de Odivelas, a pale quince paste tied to the convent kitchens, is the town's speciality; look for it in the pastry shops around the centre and eat a slice with fresh cheese or simply with a coffee.
For lunch, stay local. Neighbourhood restaurants put up a prato do dia on weekdays, often grilled fish or a meat stew, and in Ramada, Tutto Combinato on Praça da República cooks Italian. Then take the yellow line south and give the afternoon to Lisbon.
Travelers are asking
No questions yet about Odivelas. Ask the community or our travel team, and the answer will show here once it is published.
Our travel desk answers questions about Odivelas
How we research our Odivelas travel guide
Yellow-line stops and access to the São Dinis monastery were matched to Odivelas council information and Visit Portugal.
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Checked against trusted sources:
Official website of OdivelasVisit PortugalIPMA, Portuguese weather service
Before You Go...
Discover Trips & Info
A Travel Network Connection Travelers and locals
Incredible Event & Festival, Don't Miss!
Most Popular Event & Festival of Odivelas
Festivals and events in this destination, with dates, venues and ticket details where available.
No upcoming festivals or events in Odivelas are listed right now. Browse all events
Memorable Experiences
Where to Go (& NOT Go) In Odivelas!
Roaming the World one Adventure at a Time: Travel Tales, Tips, and Inspiration for wanderlusters.
Subscriber
Popular car hire destinations
Explore more options to hire a car for cheap
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Odivelas.
Cancellations & changes
Take the red metro line from the airport to Saldanha, then the yellow line north to its last stop, Odivelas.
General
It works if you value lower prices and a direct metro line over atmosphere. The yellow line runs straight to Campo Grande, Saldanha and Marquês de Pombal.
Not much. The Mosteiro de São Dinis, a Cistercian convent founded in 1295 with the tomb of King Dinis and a national monument since 1910, is the one sight; the rest is residential.
King Dinis, who founded the Cistercian convent at the end of the 13th century and chose it for his tomb.
Access to the interior varies, so ask at the Conhecer Odivelas visitor centre on Rua Fernando Lopes, which opens Monday to Friday only.
Yes. Senhor Roubado and the Odivelas terminus are on the yellow line, and Pontinha, on the blue line, sits on the western edge.
A pale quince paste linked to the convent's kitchens and sold in local pastry shops, the town's best-known sweet.
April to June and September to October, when Lisbon is mild and less crowded than in July and August.
Walk between your room, the metro and the monastery, which are close together in the centre. Carris Metropolitana buses, run here by Rodoviária de Lisboa, cover outer parishes such as Ramada and Póvoa de Santo Adrião and run on to Loures, Amadora and Lisbon. One reusable Lisbon card covers metro and buses; touch it each time.
Timing & weather
An hour or two is enough for the monastery. Any longer stay only makes sense as a base for exploring Lisbon by metro.
The best time to visit Odivelas is Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct. Warm enough for long days on foot in Lisbon, without the July and August heat.
- Spring and autumn: April - June, September - October (Mild days for pairing the monastery with sightseeing in Lisbon)
- Summer: July - August (Hot and dry, with central Lisbon at its most crowded)
Getting there
Carris Metropolitana buses link those outer parishes with the metro stations. In the centre you can simply walk.
Take the metro. From Lisbon airport, ride the red line to Saldanha and change to the yellow line, which ends at Odivelas; Senhor Roubado is the stop before. The yellow line runs from Rato through Marquês de Pombal and Campo Grande, so most of central Lisbon needs no change.
Visa & documents
Portugal's entry rules are the Schengen area's. Citizens of the EU and of many other countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records non-EU travelers' fingerprints and a photo at the border.
Health & safety
Portugal is one of Europe's safest countries, and pickpocketing on Lisbon's tram 28 and in crowded tourist areas such as Baixa is the main risk. Strong Atlantic waves and currents make lifeguarded beaches the safe choice, and wildfires are a summer risk inland. Call 112 for police, fire or ambulance.
