I have recently returned from the beautiful city of Lisbon for a 3-night break. I’ve heard many wonderful things about this city and as it’s a major port of call for a lot of cruises I was super excited to see what this Portuguese City had to offer. Well, that and Madonna has recently set up residence there, I was thinking I might bump into her!!
So, we flew from Manchester Airport with good old Ryanair and 2 hours 45 minutes we arrived in Lisbon to torrential rain, and I mean torrential. Even though I knew it was going to rain today I still decided to pack Bright White trainers and sandals! I’m clearly not the best packer!
These are my top tips of things to do in this wonderful City
- Visit the ‘Old town’ of Alfama. This area is the oldest district in Lisbon, once the home to the fisherman and the poorest Portuguese. The area as pretty much stayed the same throughout the years. Today the area is transformed into a fashionable, bohemian artist district, whilst keeping its humble charm. This area is Hilly, like super hilly so just make sure you are ready for a Hike (or just get the number 28 tram that will take you straight to the top) The cobbled streets are full of colours, and character. If you’re lucky you might see the locals setting up a cart selling, they local Cherry Liquor for 1 Euro a Shot! If you are interested in the history of Fado, this is where you will find the museum (approx. 5E). Also, if you want to experience a traditional Fado night you can book some of the best traditional restaurants in this area. Once at the top of Alfama, you will find the castle but for me, even more, impressive is the spectacular views. You could quite easily spend an entire day looking around this area. Highlights – Ancient Castle (approx. 10E) – Ride the notorious 28 tram to the top(approx. 3E)– The Se Cathedral.
- Get out of town and go to the beach – If you fancy getting away from the hustle and bustle of a city. Then you can hop on a train cost 5E return trip and less than 40 minutes you are at one of many beaches along the coastal area. We decided on the largest resort of Cascais. The journey to Cascais was a lovely trip, along the coast passing such resorts as Estoril where they often have a surfing tournament great for watching people get ‘wiped out’ by the Atlantic Ocean! Cascais has a lovely little beach area with plenty of shops and lots of little restaurants. The whole vibe here was much more ‘English’ all the bars and most restaurants offered ‘fish and chips’, but It was pretty never the less. The main square area reminded me a little of Gibraltar. There is a busy marina a few minutes’ walks from the town center. Considering it was November this town was still busy with locals and tourist alike.
- Timeout Market in Lisbon is a real treat for any foodie. In 2014 Timeout magazine turn this old market into the worlds first food and cultural market. This place as 32 restaurants and kiosks, where you can get pretty much anything to eat or drink! Including a couple of stations that belong to Michelin star chefs. A great way to samples amazing food at cheap (er) prices. We went around 3 pm and managed to get a table no problem. If you go at lunchtime you might struggle as this place is busy. We sampled a few local delights and would highly recommend this place. One of the main local dishes here is cod, Cod-cakes, cod pie, cod-pizza. I’m guessing Starbucks offer a Cod latte, the Portuguese love it so much! The Timeout Market is situated just by the train station, approx a 20-minute walk from the main Port.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Lisbon in a Nutshell…
Love,
Bonnie x