It seems like everywhere you turn, Lisbon is popping up on nearly every Hottest Destination list. This isn’t an accident, folks. There are so many reasons to fall in live with Lisbon, that within the second day of our trip, T and I found ourselves wondering, “How have we never been here before?”
Lisbon is one of those cities that has everything you want: It’s easy to reach (a relatively short six hour flight from New York), it’s significantly more affordable than other Western European cities, it has a food, wine, and port scene that will make your tastebuds swoon, and it’s chock-full of history, art, and music. It’s an easy city to navigate, relatively safe, the majority of people know English, and locals are affable and welcoming.
After we got over the fact that we haven’t been to Portugal until now, we then moved on to repeatedly saying, “We could totally live here.” Yep, Portugal is just that glorious, people. It’s a country that we hope to return to again and again, and maybe, you never know, somewhere us Hills find ourselves growing old(er) in.
Below are the highlights from our three magical days in Lisbon.
Seeing the Sights
São Jorge Castle
Dominantly perched upon an expansive hilltop, this Moorish castle towers over the city and provides sweeping views of Lisbon’s historic centre and Tagus River. The citadel dates from the medieval period and served as Portugal’s seat of power for more than 400 years.
Things to know: General admission is 8.50 € pp; open from 9am – 9pm during peak season (March 1st-Ocotber 31st).
Jerónimos Monastery
This ornate monastery is absolutely breathtaking–probably the most striking architectural site we visited during our time in Lisbon. It’s massive and imposing and was built as a thank you by King Manual to celebrate the country’s maritime discoveries. Talk about a thoughtful gesture! This UNESCO World Heritage Site is definitely worth a visit.
Things to know: General admission is 10€ pp; open from 10am-5:30pm (October-May) and 10am-6:30pm (May-September).
BELEM TOWER
This 16th-century tower serves as a monument to Portugal’s Age of Discovery on both land and sea. Due to time constraints, (read: we slept till nearly noon that day as a result of a ridiculously late night of shenanigans), we chose not to tour inside. The area and grounds are very picturesque and definitely worth a visit.
MONUMENT TO THE DISCOVERIES
Situated on the bank of the Tagus River, the Monument to the Discoveries is a decorated structure that was built in honor of Portugal’s fifteenth century navigators and their explorations and discoveries around the world. The iconic and ornate monument commands the shoreline and is a beautiful combination of grandeur and exquisite fine craftsmanship. It’s worth the ascent to the top for sweeping views of the river and city, as well as the ariel view of the impressive Compass Rose that adorns the square in front of the monument.
Things to know: Cost to visit the top of the monument is 5€ pp; open from 10am-7:00pm (March-September) and 10am-6:00pm (October-February). The roof is often closed on Mondays.
great MUSEUMs OF THREE COLLECTors
Three prominent museums honor the private collections of three astute art enthusiasts. Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Museu Coleção Berardo and MuDe showcase some of the world’s greatest private collections. Admittedly, we visited the Berardo Museum thinking we were at the Calouste Gulbenkian (which is the one we really wanted to go to) for a good thirty minutes before we realized that it was indeed not the museum we intended to visit. Did I mention that we were living it up into the wee hours the night before? Oops. The wing of the Berardo that we visited reminded me of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, displaying numerous pop culture paintings, photographs, and sculptures. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with this medium of art, it’s just not what we had in mind. Needless to say, we didn’t stay too long, and sadly, we never ended up making our way to Calouste Gulbenkian. So clearly we’ll just have to go back!
Exploring the Neighborhoods
alfama
Regarded as Lisbon’s oldest district, Alfama’s allure shines through its maze-like streets, cobblestoned alleyways, and intoxicating fado scene. What’s fado, you ask? It’s the heart and soul of the nation; Portugal’s painstakingly beautiful folk music that is regarded as a national treasure. Lisbon’s answer to the blues, Fado is filled with melancholy and conveys stories of loss, identity, and culture. Aflama is the neighborhood where Fado was born, and there is no shortage of incredible venues to listen to this musical style of storytelling. Head to R. do Diário de Notícias where fado venues line both sides of the festive street. The two clubs that we visited were surprisingly starkly different. The popular A Tasca do Chico, where the line begins queuing up about thirty minutes before opening, is a dark and cozy (read: small) bar that serves small Portuguese snacks. Restaurante Ja Disse is a full sit-down dinner kind of place with nightly fado performers that’s somewhat aimed towards an older audience. We were pleasantly surprised with how good the food was here and the singers were fantastic. Although Tasca do Chico seems to get all of the attention and hype, we found Ja Disse to be equally enjoyable.
Feeling pretty good (if not a bit cocky) that we landed the number one spot in Tasca do Chico’s line. To secure seats, plan on arriving at least twenty minutes before 7:30 pm.
BAiRrO ALTO
Known as the “Upper City”, this neighborhood occupies one of Lisbon’s legendary seven hills. One of its biggest draws is the Ascensor da Gloria funicular, which spans from Praça Restauradores up to the Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint. The tram and hilly street is reminiscent of San Francisco, and if you time it properly, you’ll be able to capture some fantastic photos in front of the trolly while it’s holding for passengers to board.
Things to know: A single tram tickets costs €3.60 and is included in the 24-hour unlimited public transport ticket. Ticket payment is made after you descend at the bottom of the hill.
At the bottom of the hill, there are a couple of fun and casual eateries–we enjoyed the wine and tapas at Ironic Café Bar, a lively spot with a lovely outdoor space adjacent to the tram.
BAIXA/CHIADO
A bustling area teeming with shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars. We stayed at a stunning Airbnb apartment in the heart of the district, where we were a short distance from many major sites, the metro, and Figueira Plaza. Highly recommend staying in this neighborhood!
Our incredible apartment
For a nearby outdoor lunch spot, head to Em Alta Na Baixa and order the Bacalhau à Brás, a mouthwatering concoction of cod, egg, and potato. I WILL learn how to make this plate of deliciousness, one of my favorites of all of the Portuguese dishes we tried.
BELEM
A lovely district that is brimming with many of Lisbon’s most iconic and visited sites (see above). Perhaps an equally alluring draw of this area is its world-renowned bakery, Pasteis de Belem, where locals and tourists alike queue up for their famously delicious Pastél de nata. These sweet egg custard tarts, which are widely recognized as one of Portugal’s national desserts, were originally created here in 1837 and even after all these years, the recipe remains highly secretive — in fact, the three sole individuals who know the recipe are known to never travel together! How can you not love a country that takes their desserts this seriously?!
Tip: If you can go later in the afternoon, the line is typically shorter than earlier in the day. We arrived after 4pm and only had to wait for about 10 minutes or so.
PRINCIPE REAL
A fun and spirited district at the top of the winding streets of Barrio Alto. The area boasts tons of trendy restaurants, bars, and adorable little pop-up markets. For a casual and convivial atmosphere, stop by Tapas – Bar 52. They offer an extensive tapas menu and drinks in a lively and colorful space.
Food, Glorious Food
BEL CANTO
Named the number one restaurant in Portugal and ranked 85th in the world, Bel Canto was my favorite dining experience of the trip. We opted for the Evolution tasting menu (9 courses, €165 pp) and the accompanying wine pairings (€110 pp) and every single morsel and drop were absolutely sublime. Bel Canto is of course luxurious and downright expensive, and it’s certainly not for everyone. But for an outstanding evening filled with divine food and wine matched with impeccable service, Bel Canto promises to be a dining experience you won’t forget.
Two Michelin Stars
Things to know: Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays; reservations accepted one month in advance and only by phone. If you can’t score a reservation, it’s worth putting your name on the waitlist. That’s how we got in!
Feitoria
This is an excellent restaurant by every standard–food, ambience, service, and attention to detail are all what you would expect from a Michelin Starred restaurant. But truth be told, it’s a pretty costly establishment, and while we found Bel Canto to be worth every Euro, I can’t say the same for Feitoria. It was a bit overpriced in our opinion and while every course was solid, for what you pay, nothing was truly exceptional. Tasting menus and à la carte options are both available.
One Michelin Star
TIME OUT MARKET
If you follow my blog even a little bit, then you’re probably familiar with my obsession with food markets. I seriously can’t get enough of them. Time Out Market is one of those markets that I could move in and happily live out my days. Seriously. What a lovely market to stroll through while stopping at the numerous food and wine stalls along the way. We enjoyed lots of delicious wines here, as well as our absolute favorite Pastéis de Nata of our trip.
Things to know: Open 7 days a week, opening at 10:00am. Located in the Mercado da Ribeira at Cais do Sodre.
For being Europe’s smallest capital city, Lisbon sure does pack a lot of punch. We have so much love for you, Lisbon. Here’s to many many more returns!
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