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A chance to experience Lisbon
When deciding our vacation destination for 2023, we played a game of “Where in the World?” while combing through our timeshare website. Ultimately, we landed (virtually, of course!) on the island of Madeira – part of Portugal, but just off the coast of Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean. With two weeks off work and just one week on the island, we decided it was a great excuse to spend a few days on the Portuguese mainland.
Where to stay
As soon as we landed in Lisbon, we checked into our hotel – the quaint and welcoming, Emerald House Lisbon – then set out through the streets of Lisbon to explore. Our room wasn’t ready yet, so the concierge held our bags. We’ve found that most hotels will do this, so don’t be afraid to ask if you’ve got time before or after your stay.
It was raining when we arrived, so we thought sandals would be a better choice than soggy sneakers. Wrong! Definitely wear comfortable walking shoes with good grip on the soles. The beautiful mosaic sidewalks of Lisbon are slippery in the rain and more than seven miles later we were determined to make a better choice for day two.
[Click on images to enlarge]
Getting around Lisbon
Before leaving the U.S. for Portugal, I bought us each a 3-day Lisboa Card. This was a GREAT tip I’d heard and highly recommend. The Lisboa Card gives you free, unlimited access to public transportation – including the iconic Tram 28, subway, buses and funiculars of CARRIS lines – plus free or discounted admission to many museums and other attractions throughout Lisbon. It was well worth the cost and made transportation in and around Lisbon easy.
In addition to enjoying free transportation in Lisbon, the Lisboa Card gets you free access to trains that will take you to surrounding destinations, including Cascais and Sintra.
Where to eat
The Emerald House Lisbon serves breakfast every day. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet, including made-to-order omelettes and mimosas. This is a great way to start the day! You can also purchase meals throughout the day in their onsite restaurant. And in the evenings – between bouts of exploring – we grabbed a quick snack and cocktail during happy hour in the bar.
While exploring Lisbon, we found some great spots to grab a snack or enjoy a meal. Here are some of our favorites:
- Breakfast with cappuccino art at Café Janis. This is a bustling corner cafe that serves delicious fresh foods in a lively, welcoming atmosphere.
- Cheese-filled cod cake at the Beer Museum in the historic Baixa neighborhood. This is a common Portuguese snack found everywhere, but the atmosphere of the Beer Museum adds a little something extra. While there, wander around and learn about the history and tradition of beer making in Portuguese-speaking countries.
- Time Out Market – a fun marketplace where you’ll find several restaurants, bars and shops to explore.
- Tapas N Friends – a cool little bar near the Elevador de Santa Justa
Souvenir Suggestion:
Tinned Seafood
While in Lisbon, make sure to browse through one (or more) of the MANY canned fish stores and grab some tins to take home.
It’s an iconic piece of Portuguese culinary history. And the stores are fun and colorful!
If you’re used to eating dinner early, you might have a little challenge. Wandering around Lisbon, we found several bars and restaurants closed during daytime hours. It’s not uncommon for restaurants to open later, just starting to serve dinner around 7 p.m.
The streets truly come alive at night. There are many cafes where you can find late-night bites and music.
Things to do in Lisbon
Planes, trains and automobiles are great ways to get around, but nothing beats exploring a new city on foot. Walking with little to no true agenda allows you to take in all the splendor and little surprises that give each city its personality.
- Explore the Chiado and Barrio Alto neighborhoods, were you can find local artists selling original art depicting some of Lisbon’s iconic scenes (the bright yellow, iconic Tram 28, and stunning blue and white tile work Portugal is known for)
- Sip a glass of port and enjoy beautiful panoramic views of Lisbon from the top of the Elevador de Santa Justa (make sure to show your Lisboa Card for a discount)
- Explore Rossio Square – the heart of the city. The square features a central monument and two Baroque fountains, beautiful black and white cobblestone pavement designed to look like the ocean, flower stands, shops and cafes
- Head to Martin Moniz Square where the Tram 28 line begins. Hop on for free with your Lisboa Card and ride it to the end, enjoying views through the city, or hop on/off to discover unique destinations along the way. We got off Tram 28 at the Largo das Portas do Sol stop and found these treasures:
- A street-side table offering sips of port or ginjinha (a tart cherry liquor) in chocolate cups
- Bar Terraço de Santa Luzia – a rooftop bar above Miradouro de Santa Luzia where you can enjoy beautiful views of Lisbon and the Tagus river
- Toranja – Portas do Sol – an awesome store near the tram stop where you can shop and support local artists at the same time
Day trips from Lisbon
Cascais
From the Emerald House Lisbon, walk the short distance to the train station and hop on a train to Cascais (it’s free with your Lisboa Card!).
Cascais is a beautiful fishing village on the southwest corner of Portugal; about an hour train ride from Lisbon.
When we arrived, we walked into the frenzy of Ironman Portugal’s pre-race days! As an Ironman myself (another story for another time), I was super excited to see all the athletes and be immersed in the pre-race excitement. We stopped right away at a little outdoor cafe where we sipped our first Portuguese port oceanside while watching the swim course setup. From there, we took off on foot to explore.
Citadel of Cascais
The Citadel has a long history in Cascais, dating back to the 16th century. Today, the Citadel of Cascais houses a luxury hotel, palace and art galleries.
The courtyard is free and open to the public. As you wander through, you’ll find several statues, including a staring head and giant binoculars. Making your way through the Citadel, you’ll wander through a park filled with more statuary, roaming chickens and peacocks.
You can also buy a ticket to explore the Royal Palace, wander through the art galleries, or book a night at hotel.
Boca do Inferno
Boca do Inferno (Devil’s Mouth) is a section of the rocky cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, on the southern tip of Cascais. There is a cafe where you can sit and enjoy the view, as well as souvenir stalls to browse through.
The seaside cliffs are made of limestone that withstand the beating of the waves. Be careful though, while the cliff is high above the ocean’s surface, the power of the waves at times is enough to crest the cliff.
Sintra
“Travel can be hard sometimes. But it can also be so rewarding,” Todd kindly and wisely reminded me when our day trip to Sintra started off on a rough foot. Lessons you can learn from our experience:
- Always know the transit schedule because random train stations might be closed at specific days and/or times. Sintra is only a 1-hour train ride from Lisbon, but turned into a 3-hour train, Uber, subway and bus ride due to closures and communication barriers.
- People can be really nice. Just when I was ready to skip the trip to Sintra, we met another wanderer trying to catch a bus to her destination and being denied by the bus driver for unexplained reasons (our same experience). A quick Uber request and invitation to share the ride got us back on track.
Downtown Sintra
Touring the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace requires a bus ride away from downtown Sintra. But there’s a lot to experience in town, too.
- Explore the historic center, filled with museums, shops and cafes
- Take a walk to Quinta da Regaleira to explore the gardens, hidden tunnels and “initiation well”
Before returning to Lisbon, we enjoyed a glass of wine and charcuterie board of Portuguese cheeses, sausage and chutney at Incomum.
Getting around Sintra
Definitely get a hop-on/hop-off bus pass in Sintra! You can even bundle the hop-on/hop-off ticket with entrance to the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace.
The trip from downtown to the castles is a very narrow, steep, twisty-turny adventure that is mildly terrifying on the bus, but would be worse on foot, trying to avoid the buses sharing the same space. In some cases, there is quite literally an inch to spare between the bus and a stone wall!
Moorish Castle
The Moorish Castle in Sintra is a 10th century historic landmark. It’s a bit of a walk through the park on winding, uphill paths, to get from the bus stop to the castle entrance. Along the way we met one of the resident cats and enjoyed the lushness of the park grounds.
At the castle, visitors are invited to explore.
- Climb the turrets for expansive views of Sintra, including one of neighboring Pena Palace
- Walk along the walls surrounding the castle to view the region in all directions
- Take a look into the silos – underground areas used to store food and grains
From the Moorish Castle, take a walk through the park on either the Santa Maria (more stairs) or Villa Sassetti trail to get to Pena Palace.
Pena Palace
In contrast to the rough stonework of the Moorish Castle, the colorful opulence of Pena Palace is almost overwhelming. There is intricate tile work, brightly painted exteriors, carved stone gargoyles, mosaic ceilings, and so much art in every conceivable space, that if you closed your eyes, you could almost imagine being transported back to the dangerous and romantic era of King Ferdinand II.
Portugal has so much more to offer than our four days allowed, but with a little planning and a wandering spirit you can experience pieces of its history, artistry, food and culture.
Obrigado, Lisbon. Until next time…