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City Guides, Travel Planning and Dream Vacations
Escape with us to one of the world’s most romantic, magical cities. Lisbon is 400 years older than Rome and Paris and rivals both in beauty. The spirit of exploration still lives here, inspired by those who set sail from its shores to discover the world. Come with us and explore its countless charms.
When traveling to Europe, we often plan multi-city itineraries that cover a lot of ground, affording us a taste of each stop we make. This time we decided to go deeper and base ourselves in the heart of Lisbon, booking walking and foodie tours with a fantastic tour company: Lisbon by Locals. Inclusive of several day trips (see our article: Best day Trips from Lisbon), our 8-day itinerary allows plenty of time to explore the best of Lisbon at an unhurried pace. Here we share our experiences in two parts: 1) Exploring Lisbon and 2) Best Day trips from Lisbon. Let’s get started…
Lisbon is known as the City of Seven Hills, and the rise and fall of those narrow streets cannot be underestimated. But one of the great gifts the change in elevation provides are sweeping viewpoints, known as Miradouros – vistas that stretch across the terracotta roofs all the way to the river Tagus and its far shores.
The charming and serene Torel Palace Hotel is a Villa perched on a hilltop, making our arrival to Lisbon simply spectacular. From the terrace above the pool we took in the view with a welcome glass of port, and tapas lunch on a sun-drenched afternoon.
Day 1: Baixa Venturing out on our first afternoon we descended the steep hill to the Avenue da Liberdade and the heart of Lisbon – Rossio Square. Take in the patterned tile sidewalks, ornate, colorful buildings with balconies stacked like wedding cakes.
The lively square is framed by two grand Baroque foundations at each end and is distinguished by its impressive wavy black and white cobblestone paving.
We strolled along Rua Augusta – Lisbons oldest and grandest pedestrian street lined with specially shops and cafes to explore. We were immediately taken in by the many pastry shops, featuring the Pasteis de Nata, Portugal’s signature…a delicious egg-custard tart that became a daily ritual during our stay.
Continuing towards the river, passing under the Augusta Triumphal Arch that marks the entry to the expansive Praca de Comercio. The square is framed by impressive colonnades, brightened by the stately buildings painted lemon-yellow. At is center is the bronze statue of King Jose 1 on his horse.
At the waters edge we gazed across the estuary of the Tagus River that feeds into the Atlantic.
Dining alfresco at Solar dos Bicos. The first of many meals featuring the freshest seafood and amazing local wines we’ve ever enjoyed.
Day 2 – Alfama: Lisbon’s old town. It was our first guide walking tour with Lisbon by Locals and our fantastic guide Ligea. We climbed the stairs (you can opt for an elevator) to the Castle of St George. The remaining walls (rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755) house a vista of the entire city.
We explored the insanely narrow streets, catching photo opps of the iconic Tram #28, lumbering up and down the hills in bright yellow and red.
We toured The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, often called Lisbon Cathedral or the Se de Lisboa – the oldest and most famous church in the city. It is an imposing structure in the heart of Alfama, featuring a wealth of ornate and decorative features.
We explored the main chapel, lofty vaults, admiring the stained glass rose window and sacred relics in the cloister and treasury.
Making our way through Baixa to the Chiado neighborhood we had a fantastic lunch at the city’s most famous cafe, A Brasiliera. An art Nouveau masterpiece from the 1920’s with mirrors and paintings from the era. The tables outside afford a view of the bronze statue of poet Fernando Pessoa.
The evening’s dinner at By the Wine. We purposely did this early in your trip to get a full education on Portuguese wines. The bottles that cover the ceiling made a dramatic and fun atmosphere.
You can choose from several tasting flights and learn as we did about the refreshing Vinho Verde translated as ‘green wine’ – a crisp, aromatic, and slightly spritzy wine from the North of Portugal. Despite the translation, Vinho Verde isn’t actually green: it’s a white wine, perfectly paired with fresh seafood.
And the food was excellent, cheese and meat pairings and a main course of grilled octopus
Day 3 We began with a ride on the iconic Tram #28. Meandering through Baixa and Alfama, navigating the narrow streets, seemingly inches away from walls, rounding impossibly tight corners and steep inclines. The worn leather seats and wooden interior was packed as tight as a can of sardines.
We exited at Carmo Convent. Once Lisbon’s largest church, the ruins are a stark reminder of the devastating 1755 earthquake.
Originally built in 1389 the site also houses the Museo Arqueologico with a fascinating collection of relics from dissolved monasteries.
From the convent ruins you can walk out to the ornate ironwork of the Santa Justa Elevator. The 11 second ride is a must-do, descending to the streets of Baixa. Tip: take the ride down with no wait rather than wait in line up to 45 minutes for the short ride up.
The afternoon was spent on a fantastic foodie tour with Ligea with Lisbon by Locals, sampling the local delicacies including:
Codfish cakes – Portuguese salt cod fritters, called pastéis de bacalhau, fried with salt cod, potato, onion, and garlic.
Bifana sandwich – these traditional Portuguese sandwiches made with thin slices of pork that are marinated and simmered in a sauce of white wine, garlic, and paprika and served on soft rolls with plenty of mustard and/or piri-piri sauce.
Grilled Sardines – Cooked properly so that the flesh has only begun to flake, they are tender and tasty.
Ginjinha – Portugal’s traditional liqueur made from brandy or fortified wine that’s been infused with sour cherries, sugar and cinnamon. It’s dark red, super sweet and surprisingly strong. We enjoyed the iconic drink at is home, the historic A Ginjinha Bar in Sao Domingos Square.
The Time Out Market is a vast collection of food and drink stalls representing local restaurants and features the very best of Portuguese local cuisine. Hours can be spent here!
I even had to try the octopus hot dog!
That evening we experienced an evening of entertainment with Portugal’s traditional Fado music in Bairro Alto, the neighborhood known for Lisbon’s nightlife. Restaurant O’Faia featured artists paying tribute to this tradition dating back to the 1820’s and probably earlier. It can be characterized as soulful and somewhat melancholy but there were certainly some lively moments with expert guitar and vocal performances.
That evening we ventured out for drinks to one of Lisbon’s top rated (secret) bars…the Monkey Mash/Red Frog Speakeasy.
Now, I typically don’t advertise speakeasies as not to give away secrets, but this on did show up in many guidebooks and online so I think we’re ok here. The drinks were exceptional and the mixologist highly entertaining and informative.
After 3 days venturing out of the city (see our article: Best Day Trips from Lisbon) we returned to walking itineraries and continued exploring the city’s major sights…
Day 6 – The great benefit of spending our entire trip at one hotel, centrally located afforded us the opportunity to continue exploring the city at our leisure. Our final two days were done with touring, and we were able to check off a few final things on our list as well as wander and explore. Sometimes the best moments can be experienced in just this way.
We began our day at St. Vincent’s Cathedral. The homage to Lisbon’s patron saint. This 17th-century church and monastery is one of the most important in the city. It is one of the most important monasteries in the city and not to be missed.
From there we wandered through Alfama, discovering more Miradouros, cafes and shops…grabbing pictures of the red and yellow trams whenever possible.
We made our way back to Baixa for more shopping at ensuring bottles of both white and red port accompanied us home.
A Tuk-Tuk ride is an adventure in itself on the hilly narrow streets, yet another great way to explore.
Our trip was timed perfectly to experience one of Lisbon’s major holidays, the Feast of Saint Anthony. The streets of Alfama were decorated with colorful streamers and squares were lined with food and drink stalls, featuring Bifama Sandwiches, Sardines and, of course, more Ginja.
We danced with the locals to traditional music. The party lasted far into the night!
Day 7 began with bright sunshine and an easy itinerary with plenty of time to stroll, eat, drink and experience Lisbon at our own pace.
We started at the Museo Nacional do Azulejo (The National Tile Museum). All week we had been amazed at the beautiful tiles that embellished building facades to cathedrals to restaurants and just about everything. Tiles have been the identity of Portugal over the past five centuries.
The museum is housed in a former convent with a beautiful chapel.
The exhibits were a journey through time, featuring artists spanning works from five centuries to the present day.
The Miradouro Portas do Sol was on our list from day one to stop, sit and take in the magnificent view past the tiled rooftops to the Targus River. We basked in the bright sunshine with an enormous pitcher of delicious sangria and a plate of codfish and chickpeas. A truly unforgettable experience.
After a leisurely stroll from Alfama to Baixa we made our way back to Rossio Square for wine and Oysters at the historic Cafe Nicola.
Our final evening began with a fantastic dinner at Otro. A modern upscale atmosphere with artful cocktails, local cheeses, fresh seafood and fantastic service.
And now the perfect ending to a perfect trip. Drinks at the swanky rooftop bar Seen in the Tivoli hotel. Fantastic concoctions like the Wasabi Papi and the Machu Pisco.
And the view…Lisbon at night, sparkling like a jewel.
A simply spectacular week. Seven and a half days of history, culture and architecture. Castles and Tram rides. Fortresses and cathedrals. Street food and seafood. Tiles and pastries. And the views…from the rooftops to the river. Lisbon is a treasure to behold…
When planning your tip, be sure to make use of both articles to craft your perfect itinerary:
We look forward to your comments and thoughts…Saude!
Interested in your own adventures to Lisbon? Carla is ready
help with custom itineraries and expert travel planning… please reach out to
carla@vacationkids.com for more info.
