Portugal’s capital is quickly becoming one of Europe’s top tourist destinations and it is easy to see why. Lisbon is known for its charming old neighbourhoods, friendly locals and delicious food. Here is our guide of where to stay, eat and what to see.
Tusting Travels: The Lisbon Guide
Portugal’s capital is quickly becoming one of Europe’s top tourist destinations and it is easy to see why. Lisbon is known for its charming old neighbourhoods, friendly locals and delicious food. Here is our guide of where to stay, eat and what to see.
Where to Stay
We stayed in the Bairro Alto neighbourhood in a lovely Air Bnb – which there is an amazing selection to choose from. Staying in an Air Bnb is the perfect way to feel like a local, with your own little home to come back to at the end of each day. The Bairro Alto neighbourhood is one of the oldest areas of Lisbon, full of cobblestone streets, tiny alleyways, fun (and noisy!) bars and delicious restaurants. If you prefer staying in a hotel, the new Locke hotel comes highly recommended.
We only stayed in Lisbon for a long weekend but the city has more than enough to offer for a week-long stay, with beaches, national parks and historic sites within an hour from the city, there is more than you could ever wish for to do. We packed in a few wonderfully busy days and then headed off to a remote house in the hills to finish our break with some contrasting quiet.
Dining Destinations
Lisbon is known for its vibrant food scene; our favourite meal was at Magnolia, a wine bar, dinner and brunch restaurant; make sure to book for dinner as there is always a queue! A tiny open kitchen and brilliant team make the atmosphere incredibly friendly. The wine and small-plates-style food menu are diverse and delicious – you don’t want to miss the Japanese Crispy Chicken.
For Brunch, The Seagull Café is incredibly popular and has a delicious, fresh menu, run by the same team as Heim café and Pomme eatery – if any are nearby, you will not be disappointed.
After a long day of sightseeing, as a refuelling spot during shopping, or as an after-dinner treat, Santini is known as the best ice cream in Portugal and does not disappoint (we ended up there every day!). If you fancy a traditional pastel de nata, Pastéis de Belém is a firm favourite.
Hidden Gems and Views to Soak in
The best way to see and get around Lisbon is on foot – you can spend all day walking around the charming neighbourhoods to different restaurants, shops and historic sites. However, if your feet need a rest, the Tram 28 is a perfect way to see the city.
Lisbon has more sights than one could ever hope to see in a long weekend, but we would recommend the walk up to Castelo de S. Jorge, the castle is interesting to walk around but the view from the castle is the real crowd pleaser – better than any of the other touristy view points on offer.
A trip to the LX factory, just outside the city centre is more than worth a short uber ride – showcasing a modern side of Lisbon with an amazing selection of food and shopping.
If you are in Lisbon on a Saturday, we would highly recommend the farmers market along one edge of the Jardim do Principe Real for amazing organic centred produce, especially if you are staying in an Airbnb, and want to cook for yourself. Get there early for the amazing array of genuinely fresh produce and herbs, and the park itself is a great place to take a rest on a shady bench and soak up the relaxed-yet-vibrant feel of the place.
If we had longer in Lisbon, the first place we would have made the trip to would have been Sintra national park and Palace, the beautiful scenery and Romantic architecture is said to be stunning.
Our Best Travelling Companions
For a long weekend, a couple of Large Canvas Explorers easily held everything for our family of four; they’re easy to throw everything in and chuck in the back of a taxi from the airport to your accommodation. For a day of sightseeing, I carried my Hettie cross body, with just the essentials fitting my phone, wallet, sunglasses and a mini sun cream! The Hettie easily converted from cross-body by day into the perfect clutch for dinners out, and the Dovedale Backpack made a great carry-on, doubling up as a bag for a day out to a beach / national park for a hike.
