My first trip out of the country after more than two years of pandemic life was one for the books. My family and I went to Lisbon for a week and what a great city it is. We’re all relatively similar in how we like to travel: taking it slow, wandering lots, and eating well. So it worked out that a week is (probably inarguably) an excess amount of time to spend in the city, which meant we had lots of time for aimless strolls and spritz breaks.
Lisbon for me is the perfect city for this laidback approach — the hills are no joke and taking it slow means lots of time for breaks. Plot out a few must-do’s in advance, and leave the rest up to chance. Stop at a beverage kiosk in a praça for a spritz and some people watching, or head up to a miradouro to take in the views. I had made a few reservations in advance, but we also stumbled upon some gems, and we always made sure to save time for pasteis de nata at the end of the day. While I’m by no means an expert, here’s a little round up of where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate.
To Stay
With four of us travelling, we needed something a little bit bigger but we also wanted to be centrally located. There’s a ton of options for Airbnb’s in Lisbon, and even though we didn’t book super far in advance, we still found this gem. It was in a beautiful historic building between Alfama and Graça, and the apartment itself was beautifully renovated. I didn’t get any of my own photos of the place because we very quickly made a huge mess of it with all of our things, but the pictures in the listing are very accurate.
To Eat & Drink
Javá Rooftop // We made a reservation here on our first night to soak in the views and get some healthy food in after a long red-eye flight (anyone else get horribly bloated after flying?). The menu was very vegetable forward with Mediterranean-inspired dishes. I had a grilled artichoke dish with labneh, chickpeas, and vegetables and it was honestly incredible. Make a reservation here if you’re serious about going, and bring an extra layer because it was quite windy up there.
Dear Breakfast // We went to the Alfama location on our first morning in town, again in search of something a little on the healthier end to make us feel better after plane food. I had some of the best smoked salmon eggs benny I think I’ve ever had, served on toasted brioche with potatoes and pickled onion on the side. I was ravenous so I also got a croissant, which was one of the best I’ve ever had. The building itself was also stunning and I think the perfect introduction to Lisbon architecture. This is another one that I’d recommend a reservation for, especially if you’re going on a weekend.
Vino Vero // A tiny little wine bar in Graça that specializes in natural & Portuguese wines. It was in this tiny little side street that was full of other restaurants, so the ambience was really fun, even on a weeknight. We didn’t try the food but the small plates and charcuterie looked incredible. A perfect spot to sit with a glass of wine and do some people watching
La Matta // In the span of a week, I went here four separate times: once to meet a friend for drinks, and three other times for dinners with my family. It was also right next door to Vino Vero which made for a very fun patio-hopping situation. I know, why would I get pizza in Lisbon, but it was some of the best pizza I’ve ever had and everything on the menu sounded too good to pass up. They also have one of the biggest and yummiest Aperol spritzes I’ve ever had for just €6, which put the $15 watery spritzes in Toronto to shame. Get the quattro formaggi pizza if you like lots of cheese, and the diavoletta if you like something spicy.
Leonetta // Again with the Italian food, I know, but Leonetta is your spot for pasta. Gorgeous interior, incredible handmade pasta, and 10/10 calamari. I could have spent all evening sitting at our high top table sipping cocktails and nibbling on antipasti.
Palma Cantina // A small little restaurant with a cute patio under a canopy of large trees. It was tucked away off the street so it felt like a little oasis in the middle of a bustling city. My mom and I went for brunch and we both had shakshuka which was delicious. They also have burritos which sounded divine.
To See & Do
Castelo de São Jorge // Probably the most classic Lisbon monument, the origins of the castle date back to the 2nd century BC which is simply mind-blowing. It was once a royal castle, and after years of restoration is now a museum. The grounds are quite large and you get a really incredible view of the city from the very top. There were also peacocks roaming around freely which I found to be hilarious and worth the price of admission.
Stroll up the Avenida da Liberdade // This tree-lined avenue is the perfect spot for an evening stroll. The street is home to some of the most high-end shops in the city, so if you’re looking for some designer retail therapy this is probably the spot. When we went in the evening the stores were already closed, but it was nevertheless a gorgeous street to wander up and down.
Get a drink at a kiosk café // I had no idea this was a thing before arriving, but Lisbon has these little kiosk cafés scattered throughout the city, offering drinks and sometimes snacks in the middle of a square or garden. After a good few hours of walking, stumbling upon one of these was always a welcome treat, and we would spend an hour or so with a drink each just watching the world go by. I sometimes feel like there’s this pressure when you’re travelling to squeeze in as many (tourist) activities as possible, but that’s really not my jam. I much prefer taking things slow and experiencing a city like a local, and I think these kiosks are perfect if that’s your approach as well. My personal favourites were Quiosque do Carmo and Quiosque Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara.
Scout out the miradouros // Speaking of miradouros, Lisbon does a great job of making the physical exertion of walking uphill worthwhile with dedicated viewpoints throughout the city. I wish I sought out more of these in advance, but São Pedro de Alcântara offered such a gorgeous view of the city. Miradouro de Santa Luzia is also supposed to be gorgeous with its traditional Portuguese tiling. The city does a great job of signposting these so you always know if there’s one nearby.
A pastel a day keeps the doctor away // I didn’t go a single day without consuming a pastel de nata, and often had more than one because when in Rome. I’m really making it sound like all I did was sit and eat on this trip, but these tasty morsels are the perfect excuse to sit down with a coffee and do some people watching. You can’t walk a block in the city without stumbling upon a pastelaria, and I’m sure they’re all as incredible as the next, but we did go to Fábrica da Nata multiple times so I think that speaks for itself.
National Tile Museum // This is an item for next time that just didn’t work in our schedule, but one I think is worthwhile. Portugal is knows for its tiles, and this museum is essentially a history of Portuguese tile heritage which I think is so cool. I found that the museums in general were sort of on the outskirts of the city so they weren’t super convenient to get to, but next time I will for sure splash out on an Uber to get myself here.
Costa da Caparica // I knew I couldn’t go to Portugal without getting a beach day in, and Costa da Caparica was such a nice spot. It was a €20 Uber each way, about 40 minutes out of the city, but it felt like I was so far removed from the hustle and bustle. We rented loungers at Princesa Beach Club and made ourselves comfortable for a good 6 hours. There were also activities like surfing for the more active among us. The beach seemed to stretch for miles and miles and even though it was a sort of overcast day, it felt so good to dip my toes in the ocean once again. There are a few other beaches on the outskirts of Lisbon but this one seemed to have a lot of locals and not as touristy as some other beaches might be.
