Dance and clap with strangers to traditional Fadó with the sound of glasses clinking late into a Tuesday night. And spend the day wandering through bright cobblestoned streets on the way to a castle. This is an old Mediterranean city with a young soul. We loved it here, which made this travel guide to Lisbon, Portugal a blast to write!
It may sound weird but Lisbon didn’t SMELL like an old city. The air is crisp and full of evidence that people are enjoying themselves. Think alcohol, espresso, salt air, and sometimes a slight scent of cigarette smoke. It’s also not a huge capital city (half a million people live there), so it’s easy to escape to famous beaches and outdoor adventures.
What to Do
The Popular Stuff
- Commerce Square: Lisbon’s huge main plaza is surrounded by cafes, restaurants and the Tagus River. The Square’s Rua Augusta Arch and statue of King Joseph I are highlights. But our favorite was walking along the river at evening, drinking piña coladas from a pineapple!
- Lisbon card: This includes entrance to the most popular attractions and public transportation (including to Sintra and the nearby beach, Cascais). It’s super convenient and pays for itself if you stay at least a few days. Buy it here.
- Sao Jorge Castle: The castle is perched above the rest of the city. You’ll get great views, walk on medieval walls, and visit an archaeological museum. The line gets long so get your ticket ahead of time.
- Tram No. 28: Lisbon’s most famous trolley is a fun blast from the past. It runs all day, connecting Commerce Square with neighborhoods uphill both on the eastern and western parts of town.
Cultural Experiences
- Go for a walk! Lisbon is one of Europe’s sunniest cities and the weather is quite perfect. There are public gardens and squares all over town, where you can enjoy a drink or pastel de nata (see below) to break up the day.
- Check out the museums. If you’re looking for something uniquely Portuguese, I recommend the Fado museum in the Alfama neighborhood
- Fado night! Any night of the week you can walk around Alfama and stumble upon multiple shows. Try a ginjina while you’re at it
Nature/Wildlife/Outdoors
- Night time e-bike tours. E-bikes still need you to pedal and are nice for Lisbon’s hills and cobblestoned streets. You can get tickets ahead of time here
- Sintra Day Trip: Sintra’s eccentric castles, nestled in nature, are a 1-hour train ride from Lisbon. Trains leave throughout the day. This is included in the Lisbon Card
- Urban parks hike: Stroll through the Parque Eduardo VII and its famous greenhouse. From there you can take the 1.6-mile hike to Lisbon’s largest park, Monsanto Forest Park. Take the marked hike named Corredor Verde de Monsanto.
What to Eat
- Ginjinha: After sunset the ginjinha ladies come out, God bless them. For just 1 Euro try a shot of this cherry-like liquor. Even better, pay the extra 50 cents for the chocolate shot glass!
- Pastries: Everyone told us to try the pastries, especially the pastel de nata, and they were right! Pastel de nata is a custard tart with cinnamon and is most popular at breakfast.
- Seafood: It’s probably not a surprise, but there are many fresh seafood options in Lisbon. Try the escabeche de polvo (octopus salad), really! Locals enjoy sardines on bread, and we recommend trying them with someone who knows what they’re doing.
Where to Stay
There are LOTS of good neighborhoods to stay in Lisbon, and each has its own charm and character. The most-visited ones include:
- Barrio Alto: You’ll probably end up here even if you don’t stay here. The city’s best nightlife is in Barrio Alto, as well as the admittedly touristy Bica Funicular.
- Chiado: Elegant and full of stores and cafes, Chiado also is home to the National Museum of Contemporary Art and the famous Cafe Brasiliero. Chiado has arguably the best views of the city too.
- Parque da Nações: This residential neighborhood is good for longer term stays and families.
These are all great spots, but if we had to choose ONE neighborhood to recommend, it would be Alfama. Alfama is Lisbon’s oldest neighborhood and walking distance to most major attractions such as the Sao Jorge castle and Commerce Square.
Plus, walking around Alfama is a trip on its own! The cobblestone streets turn into a collection of outdoor and indoor Fado concerts at night, and during the day you’ll wander among traditional restaurants, cafes, and avenues that stand out solely for the azulejos.
Since it’s in the city, there are no ecolodges but plenty of locally-owned bed-and-breakfasts and apartments for staying in Alfama. We use HotelsCombined to find such locally-owned spots. That’s because you can filter out hotels, and HotelsCombined uses a unique algorithm to find popular spots at good prices.
Check out where to stay in Alfama here!
What to Pack
Bring clothes for Mediterranean weather. That means:
- Light layers, since it will be sunny and warm during the day and cool at night.
- Sunblock.
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- A good walking backpack. You don’t a heavy-duty hiking backpack; a small one-day pack is perfect.
- Good walking shoes. Again, not for major hikes, but a good pair of sneakers are perfect for Lisbon.
- A rainjacket, especially if you visit between November and March
What to Buy
Lisboans REALLY love their seafood! So much that you can buy canned sardines and other seafood as a souvenir. The cans are beautifully designed and nothing like the ones at your local supermarket.
Plus, the Portuguese sardine fishery is a good sustainable model to support :)
If you try and like the ginjinha, bring a bottle of that home too!
There are also many, MANY small shops selling all types of products for tourists. These can range from personalized artisanal products to dime-a-dozen magnets and other cheap stuff likely not even made in Portugal. These places are concentrated in high tourist traffic areas such as next to Sao Jorge castle. Don’t look for them; they’ll find you.
Transportation
How to Get To Lisbon
Every travel guide to Lisbon, Portugal needs to mention this: it’s a little tricky if you’re coming from outside Portugal.
See, Portugal’s train system doesn’t easily connect to the rest of Europe’s. For example, you’d have to change trains at least twice to visit from Madrid in next-door Spain.
Simply put, you have to arrive to Portugal- either in the north (to Porto for example) or the Algarve down south. And then you’ll find regular, fast trains to Lisbon.
Trains from the Algarve can take as little as 2 hours, 50 minutes, and from Porto expect a trip of just under 4 hours.
Getting Around Lisbon
Since Lisbon’s weather is so nice and the city’s not too big, walking was our preferred method of travel.
But if you’re in a rush, the trams (trolleys) and metro system will get you to where you need.
A single fare on the metro costs 1.50 Euros. A 24-hour card is 6.40 Euros.
You can also take the metro (or a taxi outside) from the airport to any major neighborhood.
When to Visit Lisbon (Including Weather)
Lisbon is great to visit year-round, since it’s one of the sunniest cities in Europe. It does get cooler in the winter but is still very mild. Average temperature in winter months hovers around 55-60 F (13-15.5 C).
BUT keep in mind you’ll get more rain if you visit during the cooler months of November through March. There won’t be torrential downpours, but bring a rain jacket if visiting in the winter.
Conclusion
This travel guide to Lisbon, Portugal is just the beginning. We’ll be adding more on the country in future posts.
But to sum it up, Lisbon is AWESOME! It was the beginning of our trip in Portugal and the perfect introduction to a new country. Que legal!
