Lisbon is one of my favourite European cities – it’s the combination of a beautiful city, beach, great vibes and delicious food that sings to me. On my second visit, we packed in lots of sight-seeing, but also made time to explore the colourful streets and hunt down some great eats. Here’s how to see the best of Lisbon in three days!
Day 1: Life’s a Beach
Sun and sea-starved as we can sometimes get in London, the first thought on our minds was to make for the beach. Cascais is just 30 minutes by train from central Lisbon, with tantalising glimpses along the way of pretty tiled facades and sparkling waves. Super easy public transport may not be glamorous, but it is another great thing about visiting Lisbon. The transport card is easy to load, the trains and trams run along central routes, and we found they were usually on time and easy to catch.
Sardines are a classic Portuguese food and you can find them all over Lisbon. Usually served grilled and whole, there’s an art to lifting the fillets away from the bones – a very tasty art to master!
Gorgeous streets of Cascais
Sun and sea-sated, we made our way back into central Lisbon. If you’re tracing our steps, you might like to jump off the train at Belém, home of the famous custard tarts. Check out my post here if you’re ready for a tasty time!
We made our way over to our Air BnB. The first time I visited, I stayed very centrally near the Praça do Comércio, a huge plaza down near the river. However, we spent so much time in the fun bars and restaurants of the Barrio Alto that this time, we simply stayed there! It’s definitely a more lively area so if that’s what you’re after, great. However it is busy at night and also very hilly – if either of those aren’t your thing, Chiada or Rossio might be better areas for you.
Trams, street art and blue skies – some of my favourite Lisbon sights
Sunset over Lisbon from the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
We headed up the hill to watch the sunset from the Alcântara terrace, and then to the Lost In Esplanada bar. Perched on the side of the Barrio Alto, overlooking the town, it’s the perfect spot to watch the orange roofs glow in the sunset.
Sun put to bed, our attention turned to our stomachs. It would be difficult to choose just one place to eat – so we headed to the Time Out Market, home to (nearly) endless options. Set in a beautiful old building down near the port, the market has a fantastic collection of local and European food, playing on Lisbon’s strengths of seafood and charcuterie.
Busy nighttime streets in Barrio Alto
Of course I suffered my usual fomoof agonies (fear of missing out on food) but finally settled on the incredible seafood paella – I can’t go past it! Our group also sampled fish croquettes and a take on the famous Francesinha sandwich – steak and ham covered in cheese and topped with an egg and gravy. Dietary requirements kept me from sampling but I understand that insanely rich doesn’t even begin to describe it!
Of course, it’s practically law in Lisbon that you have a pastel de nata custard tart with virtually every meal. In the market, and all over Lisbon, you can find them still warm from the oven – they will melt in your mouth!
Day 2: Sun and Sintra
The next day was our big day of exploring. We started off by walking down to the beautiful Praça do Comércio to spot the Eiffel-like spans of the 25 April Bridge and the mini-version of Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue.
Emma, Anna and Laura looking gorgeous at the waterfront
Breakfast was at Tartine, where I had to sample the eponymous avocado and egg open sandwich. A great way to start the day, although sadly I can’t recommend the coffee. I can recommend, however, salivating over the many freshly-baked treats on display at their front counter!
We jumped on the train again, this time from Rossio station, and in 40 minutes were strolling the hilly roads of Sintra. This beautiful mountain town was the summer retreat for the Portuguese nobility for hundreds of years and is packed with beautiful castles and mansions. On my previous visit, we hired friendly local guides and tuktuks to whiz around the town. This time, we were planning to catch the tourist bus that connects the main sights, but were put off by massive queues. Instead, we hailed tuktuks again to get us around!
There’s so much to see in Sintra, you’d really need to stay out there to pack it all in. We concentrated on Peña Palace, including its beautiful grounds, and the Moorish Castle. Given this was August and the heat was already mounting, the shady paths of the Peña park were a welcome relief, even if it was still a fairly steep climb up to the Palace.
Jamie checking out a Moorish-style folly
The park and its former monastery were acquired by King Ferdinand in the 1840s and he turned the grounds into a beautiful park in the romantic style, with winding paths, follies and beautiful flower beds.
If the park is beautiful, the palace is… mindblowing. Some might call it a mess, others a union of very different architectural styles. Whether you love it or hate it, the multitude of contrasting colours and shapes make it fun to photograph and explore!
Despite the contrasts, girls just wanna have fun (and photos!) Photo credit: Jamie Grupen-Hall
Emma, Anna, Laura and I certainly couldn’t resist these beautiful yellow arches! Photo credit: Jamie Grupen-Hall
Once we’d finished twisting our heads around to catch every last angle, we walked down the hill – and back up again! – to the Moorish castle. I loved the panoramic views over Sintra and all the way out to the ocean, as well as the beauty of the ruins against the blue sky.
Peña Palace peeking out from the distance
After all our hiking, we were content to chill on the train back to Lisbon. But dinner was a treat that perked us right up – we splashed out on the gorgeous Cantinho do Avillez. I can never go past scallops and these were plump and juicy – just divine.
Day 3: Coffee, Street Art and a Castle in the Sky
Spotting one of Lisbon’s iconic 28 trams is always a good way to start the day!
We often joke that some of our favourite things to do when we travel are the same as in London – so going for coffee at Fábrica, a hipster coffee spot that would be entirely at home in East London, was right in character!
But we couldn’t linger in caffeine’s sweet embrace for too long – we had street art to spot and a castle to explore! Heading across town to Castelo de Sao Jorge from Barrio Alto we didn’t need to hunt out the street art, as it was all around us.
But the Castle was our goal so we hiked the many steps… although we did take a short cut to start! Pro tip: the Elevador Castelo on Rua dos Fanqueiros is a free lift that will cut out quite a bit of the climb.
Whether you take the lift or the tram part of the way, or enjoy the climb, I think you’ll agree that it’s all worth it when you get to the top!
Looking over the Alfama
Built by the Moors in the 11th century, it’s easy to see it would have been chosen as a brilliant defensive spot. Now, in addition to the gorgeous views, you can wander the ruins and learn more about the Moorish and Portuguese royals who ruled from the hilltop.
I loved walking the stone walls around the top of the old fortifications, gazing over Lisbon and imagining what life would have been like as a noble resident or soldier guarding the castle.
All too soon it was time to head down to sea-level (and reality!), to make the journey back to London. I know I’ll be back to visit Lisbon again for those relaxed joyous vibes, colourful streets – and all that sunshine!
Have you visited Lisbon? Check out more of my Lisbon posts here, or for more Portugal fun, how about Porto?
Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – check out their travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!
