Introduction

Portugal was high on my bucket list, so when I found a cheap ticket almost a year out I just had to buy it. With COVID-19 still raging, I didn’t think that this trip was going to happen but I’m so glad it did. Lisbon is an interesting city with lots to do and see, and I highly recommend visiting. 

I stayed in an Airbnb for 1 night and at the Yes! Lisbon Hostel. The Airbnb was great if you just need to stay close to the airport or if you have a long layover. The hostel was a great experience! I stayed in a 6-bed room and met some interesting people. I liked how the beds had privacy curtains and a small light. However, I found it strange that the bathrooms on my floor didn’t have any paper towels (ex. nothing to dry your hands after you wash them). I would say this was the only strange thing.

I would recommend getting a Viva Viagem card at the airport, which is Lisbon’s transportation card. You can either buy passes per day, or have a stored value. I just put ~15 euros on the card and just used it throughout the time I was there. The city was very walkable, so I would only take the bus/tram/metro occasionally vs. all the time.

 

Day 1

Attractions
For most of these attractions, they are either just things you can see for a short bit, or you just look at the outside (since you may not want to go inside, etc.).

• Miradouro das Portas do Sol / Miradouro de Santa Luiza – These two viewpoints are very close to each other, so you can knock out both of them.
• Av. da Liberdade – I recommend biking through the greenway to get to Parque Eduardo VII! A scooter works too. You can start or end at the statue of Praca dos Restauradores to the park.
• Livraria sa da Costa – This is an interesting vintage shop.
• Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara
• Viewpoint of Monte Agudo -  It is a HIKE getting up to this viewpoint, but the view is absolutely stellar. There’s a little stall selling wine and beer, so it’s the perfect place to drink and take in the sunset. 

Just passing through

• Arco da Rua Augusta
• R. Augusta
• National Pantheon
• Santa Justa Lift
• Gloria Funicular
• Lisbon Cathedral
• St. Anthony’s Church
• Praca do Comercio
• Praca do Rossio
• Praca Luiz de Camoes

Nature

• Parque Eduardo VII / Observation Deck Park Eduardo VII

Food

• Ramiro – The seafood at this place is absolutely top notch. It’s kind of classy and somewhat expensive, so this is a “treat yourself” meal. I would definitely recommend making a reservation, since the line will be long. You have to get a number from a kiosk, and then the machine will call your number when they’re ready. After an hour’s wait, I ended up getting king prawn, bread with butter, and shrimp in garlic sauce and everything was absolutely delicious! I paid around 45 euros.
• Gelados Santini – I got the small size and they give you up to 2 flavors. I chose the marabunta and brigadeiro and it was both tasty!

 

Day 2

Attractions

• Castelo de S. Jorge / St George Castle Viewpoint – The castle is a must-do if you’re a history buff, and is probably cool enough to do even if you aren’t. It looks really interesting, and say you’re <25 years old to only pay 5 euros instead of 10.
• Jeronimos Monastery
• Belem Tower
• Miradouro da Graca
• R. Nova do Carvalho / Pink Street
• Miradouro da Senhora do Monte – I thought this particular viewpoint was too touristy, but it’s a nice overlook.
• Basilica da Estrela

Just passing through

• Padrao dos Descrobrimentos – Would recommend taking a picture of the bridge Ponte 25 de Abril from here.

Nature

• Jardim do Torel – This was one of my favorite gardens in Lisbon. The view is stunning, there’s a swimming pool, and it’s very, very lowkey. There were only a few people, and some of them were sunbathing. The flowers here are pretty too – would recommend!

Food

• Time Out Market Lisboa – The market has a HUGE food selection but it can get very crowded around lunchtime and dinner. I would recommend ordering something, and then trying to find and save a seat while you’re waiting. I got 2 dishes – one from Vincent Farges and it was the Portuguese sardines and panisse frito. The other dish was from Cozinha da Felicidade and it was an octopus dish. Both were absolutely amazing, but the market as a whole is definitely more on the pricier side.
• Pasteis de Belem – While in Portugal I was on the hunt for the best pastel de nata (egg tart) and I think this place was it. You can’t really go wrong with any of the regular chains, but the crust here is extra crunchy and it just kind of melts. It was so good that I ate 6 in one sitting! I recommend going to the nearby Garden Vasco da Gama to eat the tarts.

 

Day 3

Attractions 

• LXFactory – This center/market is super cool since a lot of the stores sell vintage-related stuff and things that are artsy. Everything was very interesting to look at, and on the other side there were individual stalls selling all sorts of homemade stuff. Overall it was a great experience!
  • Comur -Pastel de Bacalhau – In the LXFactory, there’s a small bakery that sells port wine with codfish cake with Serra cheese filling. The port was supposed to be a good pairing, but I wasn’t a fan. However, the codfish was absolutely AMAZING. It melts in your mouth, but I wouldn’t buy the port again because it was kind of expensive.
• Sanctuary of Christ the King – It’s a long trek to get here, but the view is definitely worth it. It overlooks the Ponce bridge and you can see all of Lisbon. The statue itself is also something to behold.

 
Food

• Oficina do Duque – The dishes here were absolutely top-notch. I got the codfish w/ corn bread and really liked how tender the fish was. There were things on the menu that I wished I could had tried too!
• Ortea – This place was spectacular. I went here with someone I met from the hostel and the vibes were very “green” – lots of plants decorated everywhere! We got the coffee lemonade, green juice, Amelia cheese spread with bread, Marie Antoinette bruschetta, Bela ciao, amuleto, and the passion fruit cake. Every single thing was delicious, and did I mention that this place is a vegan restaurant?
• As Bifanas do Afonso – This spot is super hole in the wall that serves simple sandwiches. The place is probably just as big as my bedroom. The bifanas sandwich is only 2.50 euros and is super good!
• Organi Chiado – Another vegan spot I would recommend. I got the penne rigani, which was so flavorful!

Nighttime

• R. da Barroca 43, 1200-086 Lisboa – This place is so hole-in-the-wall that I couldn’t even find it on Google Maps. But my group went to this really small bar that had the funniest staff who had great banter. The bar’s definitely dodgy but if you’re feeling adventurous, I would check it out (not entirely sure if the address is right)!
• Raw Culture – The interior is super chic, with some nice sitting areas and cool décor.

 

Day 4 (sintra day trip)

If you have more time during your trip, I would definitely recommend doing a day trip to Sintra. It’s very easy to do yourself since there are direct trains that go from Lisbon to Sintra and back, but I opted to do it through a tour the hostel did.

• Boca do Inferno – Pretty overlook that is great as a short stop
  
• Mirador del Cabo – This viewpoint gives Big Sur vibes and is absolutely pretty
  
• Praia da Adraga – A small beach that’s nice to look at but not the most important
  
• Casa do Preto – This spot serves Sintra’s exclusive local sweets, which are 2 different dishes that I can’t remember the name of. Both are REALLY good though.
  
• Park and National Palace of Pena – This is the crown jewel of Sintra, where you can literally spend the whole day walking around the palace and grounds. It’s SO gorgeous and it’s a great spot for a photoshoot. You don’t need to pay for the ticket that allows entry into the palace itself, the outside grounds is fine.
  
• Sintra National Palace – The downtown area is also very charming (where the palace is), which has very cute alleys and such.
  

Contents

Introduction
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
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