It’s been a couple of weeks since I landed back home after my trip to Lisbon, but I’m still feeling the holiday blues! I was drawn to Lisbon by how colourful the city is. It’s been all over my Instagram lately, I had to go and visit! I managed to get a cheap deal and off I went!
Day 1:
Whilst in Lisbon, me and my sister visited the major tourist sites as well as ventured into the quirkier sides of the city. On the first day, we arrived at the hotel around mid-day. Getting a taxi to the hotel was easy as we planned ahead by downloading the Bolt app. The app is like Uber and its quick, cheap and easy to use.
Later that day, we decided to explore what was around the hotel. It was then after 15 minutes walking we stumbled across the iconic Lisbon Square as well as other sites such as Pink Street. With that, despite its hilly streets, I’d say the city is easy to get around by foot.
On the evening, we went to the LX Factory. Once an old factory, the LX Factory has been renovated into a strip of restaurants, bars, and independent shops. It’s an amazing place to get lost in, buy some vintage clothes and enjoy some lush food. It also has a roof top bar which looks out onto 25 de Abril Bridge and Lisbon.
Day 2:
On the second day, we decided to explore Lisbon ourselves. We visited the iconic Pink Street on the morning at around 10 as it gets so busy throughout the day. After that, we ventured round Old Town Lisbon and its many side streets.
After hours of walking, we decided to get a Bolt taxi to Belém Tower, a 500-year-old fort which was built to protect Lisbon from past, incoming raids. This cost roughly 4 euros from Lisbon’s centre, and it took you to the outskirts of the city. There’s not much there other than more tourist attractions such as Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a monument that celebrates Portugal’s Age of Discovery.
We then got another Bolt Taxi to Panoramico de Monsanto, an abandoned piece of extraordinary architecture that beholds a panoramic view of Lisbon.
On the evening we ended up at the Time Out Market. Situated in Lisbon’s historic market hall, this market hosts a wide selection of amazing street food from around the world.
Day 3:
On our final day, we went across 25 de Abril Bridge to Cacihas, an old fisherman’s village which looks out onto Lisbon. Whilst we were there, we visited the sea front and the array of street art which covers the old dock walls.
It was here where we went to Ponto Final- a restaurant which is trending on Instagram as the ‘Best Restaurant in Lisbon.’ I had the mackerel with tomato rice, and it was amazing!
We spent most the day here before we headed back to Lisbon for a chilled-out evening. We went for a walk and seen one of the most gorgeous sunsets which looked out onto a residential area – a gorgeous way to end the holiday.
Tourist Tips…
Wanting A 360 View Of Lisbon? Then Panoramico De Monsanto Is The Place!
Designed by Francisco Keil do Amaral back in 1969, his intentions were to build a lavish restaurant in the hills. At first the restaurant was a great success, gaining its nick-name ‘Pearl of the City’ until it was closed due to financial troubles. Since then, the building has been a nightclub and even a bingo hall until it was closed in 2001. For over 20 years, the building has been left to decay, resulting in its walls to be covered in an array of street art. It’s now open to the public for them to come and enjoy the spectacular view it has to offer.
*Note that there is no public transport to the actual location but it’s about a 10 minute drive which was roughly 4 euros on Bolt.
Visit The LX Factory
If you like quirky, urban places then this one’s for you. Once a factory, the LX factory has been renovated into a strip of restaurants, bars and independent shops which fills the street as well as around 5 stories of the old factory. When visiting, go into its bookstore. It’s 2 stories high and it’s honestly something else. I am personally not a book worm, but it impressed me!
Go Across The Ponte 25 De Abril Bridge To Almada
The city of Almada is about a 10 minute car journey from Lisbon. Here you can visit the iconic Santuario Nacional de Cristo Rei (Sanctuary of Christ the King) or if you want some beach time, you can visit Queen’s Beach which is a 30 minute drive from Lisbon.
Blue Is Better Than Pink!
I feel like when people book to visit Lisbon, on nearly everyone’s list is to visit the Pink Street. This iconic street beholds some of Lisbon’s quality bars and restaurants. However, it’s not all as pink as it seems. The street has been worn down and needs a new coating of its lush pink. But not to fear, work is currently underway down the street and it’s still open to the public.
With that said, Blue Street holds the same characteristic charm as Pink Street, instead it’s blue! It may not be as iconic as Pink but it’s a little quieter. Maybe it’s Blue’s turn to start trending on Instagram!
- When to visit Blue and Pink Streets: Getting there earlier on a morning would guarantee you less tourists. Pink Street in particular holds several bars/night clubs, so it can often get busier on an evening. Pink Street is also partly under reconstruction unlike Blue Street so I would prioritise the Blue over the Pink.
- Side note: In terms of the nightlife, this is something which I did not dive into whilst visiting Lisbon, but I have heard good things about!
Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!
For all the trip was amazing, going in mid-July meant that it was super hot. In fact on our first day, the temperature reached 40 degrees! This meant that some roads were even at risk of wild fires. On that note, I would visit at around springtime when it’s a cooler unless you really like the heat!
Beaches Are Just A Train Ride Away
Lisbon maybe located by the sea, but it’s not strictly a beach city. If you wanted to visit the beach though, there are many beaches which are just a train ride away. These include Praia de Carcavelos and Praia do Tamariz.
Travel Tips…
Download The Bolt App
I strongly recommend downloading the Bolt app for cheap, reliable taxis. It’s like Uber except you can use the app on the Bolt electric scooters which can be found on just about any street in Lisbon.
Wanting To See All The Major Attractions? Get A Lisbona Card!
There is also the Lisbona Card, a travel card made for tourists. On this card, you can not only get unlimited access on public transport but access to 26 monuments. A day card can be ordered in advance and costs around 20 euros. If you are wanting to visit any of the 26 attractions they have to offer, then it’s well worth it. You can also get two or three day passes which are cheaper than buying single day passes. The link for this is here.
Best Trams To Take For Tourist Spots
Trams 28 and 12 will easily get you to many tourist spots. 12 is a little quieter than 28 as 28 is the major tourist tram route.
Food Tips…
When visiting the Time Out Market…
If you are a major foodie then Time Out Market is a must do when visiting Lisbon. Situated in Lisbon’s historic Market Hall, this market hosts a wide selection of amazing street food from around the world.
However, this is a very popular tourist spot, so the market often is very busy. To avoid the busiest times, I recommend visiting here at around 5/6 on an evening. For all that is a reasonable time for eating for us Brits, Portuguese as well as many other European countries find eating at that time strange and would much prefer to eat their dinner later.
The Best Part
For me, I really enjoyed going across the bridge to Cacihas. I found it fascinating venturing round its old streets as well as chatting to the locals!
To Sum Up My City Break…
Lisbon is overall a gorgeous, colourful city with lots to do and see. If I were to visit the city again, I would go at a different time of year around spring/autumn time to escape the extreme heat. I would also visit some of the beaches around Lisbon as I really enjoyed going outside the city and exploring the local culture.
Interested in a trip to lovely Lisbon? View deals here!
Facebook
Twitter
Email 
