Oh, Lisbon! - Tips and Recommendations
This was my 4th time in Lisbon and I can’t get enough!
Two of my trips in 2019 were to Portugal and I spent a good amount of time in Lisbon each time. I fell in love with this city and its little streets, the cute cafes with strong coffee and the subtle smell of cinnamon of the pasteis the nata. It becomes magical when it’s rainy and oh, I began to miss it just by writing these words…
So I resurrected my blog and decided that Lisbon would be a good place to start and I want to share with you a few things that I’ve learnt during my visits.
Some of my favourite things to do:
start my days with a walk to Manteigaria and enjoy an espresso with a pastel de nata (or several)
just walk around, get lost and discover cute streets and look at the colourful tiles
take the tram Nr. 28 or Nr. 12 and go to the S. Jorge Castle or Alfama - the route is one of my favourites, especially in the evening (it’s crowded during daytime) - it’s about the ride, not the destination
go to the botanical garden
have coffee in small coffeeshops that I stumble upon
go for walks in the evening in Alfama
TIP: Pack some comfortable shoes, because this is the best place to walk.
Some food & bar recommendations:
Eight - vegan
The Food Temple - vegan
AO26 - vegan
Guacamole - Mexican
La Puttana - Pizzeria
Time Out Market - several restaurants - great food scene
LxFactory - several restaurants and bars, recreational
Gin Lovers Bar - the location of this place is a gem
Lost In - great view and garden, didn’t try the food (yet)
Manteigaria - there’s several locations
A Brasileira - one of the oldest cafes
Let’s talk pasteis de nata: my favourites are from Manteigaria, so if you’re going to Belem Tower, you can definitely drop by Pasteis de Belem, otherwise it might not be worth the trip just for the famous pastries! No other pasteis de nata that I’ve tried over the years came close to the ones from these two places.
TIP: Here’s my google maps list with places for Lisbon, I’ll make sure to add more things.
Don’t miss:
Fado! Finding a small restaurant or bar hosting a fado concert is guaranteed in Alfama in the evening. TIP: Google “Amalia Rodrigues” right now to get a taste of fado.
Vinho verde is a Portuguese vine and it’s a must try. TIP: You’ll have to order a whole bottle; if they sell it by glass, it’s not the real deal.
Pasteis de nata are the famous Portuguese pastries.
Portuguese Coffee makes for great espressos - ask the barista.
Accommodation:
To be honest, A. fell in love with this city right away, but I needed some time. On our first trip we stayed in a quite fancy 5 stars hotel, which was a bit further away from all the action, and that, for me, was not the right way to fully immerse in this city’s unique culture. I learnt that lesson and for our next trips we chose Airbnbs in more central areas (like Alfama, Rossio and in the Bairro Alto, literally next to the Elevator da Bica - a must see, by the way!)
TIP: My recommendation is to book an AirBnb (use this link to get a discount on your first booking) and get to live like the locals for a few days or head to Booking.com if you’re looking for a hotel.
TIP: Are you a light sleeper? Check the review section from AirBnb or Booking.com thoroughly, as some accommodations located in popular area might be loud.
Transportation:
I love to walk and there’s always so much to do within walking distance. The public transportation system is easy to use and quite cheap, around €6,40 + €0,50 for the rechargeable card for 24h. Click here for more information. You can get a day pass at kiosks or in the metro stations.
Trips to Sintra for example are available by train and also affordable.
Uber is pretty cheap: a 20 minute trip to and from the airport is around €8,50.
TIP: Want to ride several trams and funiculars? Then get a 24h pass for the public transportation