Lisbon

Chances are if you’re going to visit Portugal, Lisbon will be on your list to stay for a few days at the very least, if not, it should be. The largest city and capital of Portugal, Lisbon is a vibrant city full of history, nightlife, great food, and some even better views as it is ideally situated on the Tagus River. Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and 2nd oldest European capital city (Athens, Greece is #1). Lisbon was conquered by the Moors in the 8th century, adding significant influence to the architecture, and was taken back in the 12th century by the crusaders.

Lisbon was hit by a ~M8.5 earthquake in 1755, which caused huge damage to the city and many historical sites, and was one of the most deadly earthquakes in history, with an estimated death toll of between 10-100k people. One of the areas that was least affected, and is the oldest in the city was the Alfama district, so paying a visit to this area you will be able to hear traditional Portuguese fado music, and see the original architecture with labyrinth-like streets, amazingly tiled buildings with significant moorish influence, and some impressive castles. Castelo de São Jorge is situated at the northern side of the Alfama district, the entrance fee for adults is 10€ and is certainly worth a walk around. The hill that the castle sits has played a vital role in the history of the city - it was the location of the fortifications (like the castle) occupied at one point by the Romans, Moors, Carthaginians and Phoenicians, before its final switch to Portuguese rule in the Siege of Lisbon in 1147. Not only full of history, the castle also has some incredible views overlooking the city.

Speaking of amazing views — if you aren’t keen on paying the fee to get into the castle (or you can do both as I have), there is a viewpoint not far from it, that is somehow typically empty. It’s a secret gem that we stumbled upon my first time in Lisbon, and remains one of my favourite views in the city — not to mention you get to take a glass elevator to get there! If you google ‘Lift Castelo’ in Google Maps, you will have the location of the elevator. Take this up to the top floor and instead of turning right like most people will do. Turn left, and have a peek around the corner to find this (not so hidden, but masked) spot. There is a bar here if you’d like to stay for a drink or meal, otherwise soak in the view without being surrounded by a million other tourists!

Worth a note in Lisbon is its food. Portugal is known for its Pastel de Nata (pastry of cream is the literal translation), and do not skip trying these… everyday. These little tarts are to die for and worth all of the calories. Add some cinnamon and icing sugar on top, and man oh man do you have yourself a treat. Another stand out to me in Lisbon is the Time Out Market. Time Out Market originated in Lisbon in 2014 and has since opened up locations around the world. In Lisbon, 26 restaurants, 8 bars, many shops/markets, and a music venue all call Time Out Market home. Curated to be an upscale ‘food court’ if you will, with the taste of high end restaurants and world-renowned chefs will not leave you disappointed, and will having you come back time and time again to try out new restaurants and dishes. Open from 10am, you can stop in for any meal of the day to enjoy some incredible food.

Other ‘must do’s in Lisbon include a visit to the Belem Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, spending time on a rooftop bar watching the sunset over the Tagus River, followed by a visit to Pink Street for some infamous Lisbon nightlife, and Praça do Comércio (the main square). Many people will also go for a ride on the Trolley cars, and my only suggestion for this is to get on the trolley outside of the tourist hot spots, or you can end up waiting in huge lines for a ride.