In October 2021, we went to Lisbon for a week. Originally we had this trip planned for March/April 2020, but you all know what happened… A year and a half later, we were finally able to go. And I’ve got to say, it was one of my favorite trips ever. Because we did so many different things, and got to see so many spectacular places. So without further ado, here are the 8 best things we did in Lisbon!
1. Eat Pasteis de Nata
#1 on our list of the 8 best things we did in Lisbon is a culinary thing, duh. If you go to Portugal/Lisbon, you will hardly be able to leave without having at least one Pastel de Nata. They are little puff pastries, filled with custard, and sugar on top. The good thing: they are pretty cheap (around 1,10-1,20 €), the bad thing: eating all of them isn’t too healthy, I reckon. If you have a sweet tooth, the pasteis are perfect for you. Because they. are. sweet. So sweet. I don’t think I’d be able to have more than one at a time. But if you’re just having one or two, you’re perfectly fine. And like I said, they are a classic, so definitely try one and decide for yourself.
2. Go to the beach in Cascais
Lisbon is located by the banks of the Tajo river. There are little sandy bits along it, but both these “beaches” and the river itself aren’t very clean. If you want to spend a day by the water, I would highly recommend to go to Cascais. You can either go there by car or train. Depending on were you start, and your vehicle of choice, the ride is going to take 30 to 60 minutes. We took the train, which lead us right along the shore.
After spending a lovely and relaxed day at the beach, we wondered about the city. There are a lot of cute little shops, as well as a lot of touristy stores (steered clear of those). To finish off our day trip, we had dinner at The House of Wonders. And it really is wondrous. They are a vegetarian/vegan restaurant, and the menu changes daily. They buy fresh produce every day, and depending on what they can get and what’s in season, they create the dishes. This also means: once a dish is sold out, that’s it. And, you really know what you’re getting, because you have to order at a counter, where they have a display plate of every dish on the menu that day. We ate on their rooftop terrace, which was just wonderful. You can check out the restaurant here.
3. Marvel the crazy castle of Sintra
#3 of the 8 best things we did in Lisbon is taking a day trip to Sintra. Once again, we went there by train, which took us about an hour. The main attraction in Sintra is its absolutely crazy castle. “Eclectic” doesn’t even come close to describing it. Imaging asking 4-5 kindergarteners to draw a castle, then mash it all up into one. That might do it. Like most castles, it is situated on top of a hill. If you’re lazy or in a hurry, you can take a bus or taxi there. Being the annoyingly fit people we are, we walked/hiked there. And if you’re physically able to, I would highly recommend doing so. You’re basically walking through a park/botanical garden/magical forest. It’s definitely not an easy route, but the views are absolutely worth it!
Once you make the climb, you have to pay an entrance fee to get into the Park and National Palace of Pena (“Crazy castle” is much catchier if you ask me, but oh well). Before you go, check if you need to book a spot in advance. You can do so here. The ticket doesn’t only get you to the castle itself, but there a whole park, a chalet, as well as a farm attached to it.
Considering the outside (see pictures below), the inside is pretty boring. You can walk through the castle as well. Just make sure you enter from the right side, we got told off for walking in the kitchens first and had to go all the way back.
4. Visit the Westernmost Point of Europe: Cabo da Roca
One of the most surreal places I have ever been to is Cabo da Roca. It’s located right on the shore of the Atlantic, and is the westernmost point of Europe. To get there, we took a bus from Sintra, which took about 45 minutes. To get there from Lisbon takes you between 1h45 (train/bus) to 2 h (car). If you’re only able to do one day trip, I would make it this one (plus take a little stop in Sintra, because you have to go there anyway). There really isn’t much to do at Cabo da Roca, other than hike. But there are so many incredible views and rock formations to see, that it’s absolutely worth the trip. I don’t think I have ever stopped so many times to take pictures. And, as a bonus, we saw a couple of dolphins!
Once again, hiking Cabo da Roca isn’t easy. Not only is it very steep in some places, but rocky and sandy. And, other than a little restaurant by the bus stop, there are no shops to buy food or drinks, so pack accordingly. This also isn’t the place for a nice and relaxed day by the beach, as you have to climb down the rocks to even get to the water. And, depending on the time of year, the waves of the Atlantic are quite high. But at the same time, I think this was my favorite thing of the entire Lisbon trip. Because it was just us, nature and the waves (and a few other tourists, alright).
5. Visit the Oldest Bookstore in the World
I’m a huge bookworm. So naturally, visiting Livraria Bertrand, the World’s oldest bookstore (check it out here) had to make it into the 8 best things we did in Lisbon. The bookstore opened in 1732. And while bookstores are always great, this one is especially magical, with all of the old furnishings. They also sell books in all kinds of languages, not just Portuguese. If you buy a book here, ask to have it stamped, as proof of buying it in the oldest bookstore in the world. You can choose between an English and a Portuguese stamp.
6. Watch the Sunset from one of the Miradouros
There are a lot of miradouros (viewpoints) in Lisbon. It’s a hilly city, after all. And I think, it is worth to climb some, both during the day, as well as to watch the sunset. To find a list of the best miradouros in Lisbon, click here.
The views over all the different parts of the city are absolutely wonderful and worth the effort to get up there. But once the sun sets, the magic starts:
Sunsets are always pretty romantic. But there’s something about seeing her go down over all the lovely little houses. Plus that bridge in the background. Magical.
7. Buy Some Pottery
Portugal is famous for its pottery, made from clay. When visiting the flea market in Alfama (not really worth the trip, IMO), we stumbled upon the cutest little pottery shop (check it out here). They sell all kinds of pottery, bowls shaped like lettuces, pitchers that look like a raspberry, but also the more “conventional” stuff. We actually got 4 plates and a mug there. And what can I say, the food tastes 10x better off my fancy plate, haha. It was interesting to bring them home, we put them into our carry-on, wrapped up in the fluffiest clothes we could find. But we managed to bring them home safe and sound.
8. Visit Rua da Rosa
The last must-do on our list of the 8 best things we did in Lisbon: Rua da Rosa (Pink Street). Officially called Rua Nova do Carvalho, it is absolutely crazy by night. Back in the day, it used to be the red light district. Now, it has turned into the epicenter of Lisbons nightlife. The street, although rather short, is lined with bars and clubs, which stay open until the early hours of the morning.
It is also worth paying it a visit during the day, as the street is not only actually painted pink, but also decorated with the most colorful umbrellas. Very instagramable, if you ask me.
And those are the 8 best things we did in Lisbon! Obviously, there are a million more things you could do. For example, riding Tram 28 is on most must-do lists for Lisbon. And if you’re not claustrophobic, this might be a fun thing to do for you. Because that tram is packed to the brim with tourists. Therefore, we passed on the experience.
One last thing to mention: If you’re going to Lisbon, make sure you pack your sunglasses! Everything is made of marble/white stone, and therefore VERY bright if the sun is shining. What a nice problem to have…
If you have been to Lisbon, or plan to go there, let me know your favorite things to do!
Lots of Love,
Lena
Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored.
Tolle Fotos!!!