TRAVEL: 9 THINGS TO DO IN LISBON


The city of seven hills

After coming home from Lisbon about 2 weeks ago, I fell straight into lots of work at uni and little time to edit the 800 pictures I took during out 4 day trip to the capital of Portugal. I already shared a post about our day in Sintra, but today, I finally have my big Lisbon City Guide for you or rather 9 things to do in Lisbon.
Lisbon has been on my travel bucket list for years and I've been urging to go! I've mentioned in a few travel posts before, that I love exploring cities by foot, getting lost in the streets and just really getting to know the city instead of hopping on the metro all the time. For the most part, we explored Lisbon exactly like that, but due to the steep hills (Lisbon is also known as the city of 7 hills), taking the Tram or Metro at some point can be quite relaxing, but more on that later!
If I could give you one recommendation: pack good shoes! When packing for the trip, I originally wanted to take some espadrilles with me - and I can walk in them really well - but I am really glad I didn't because the cobble stones can be quite slippery and walking up and down the hills, you're starting to really appreciate some shoes with good support.


EXPLORE BAIRRO ALTO AND CHIADO BY FOOT

We started out time in Lisbon with a walk through Bairro Alto and Chiado. The two boroughs of Lisbon are next to each other and therefore can perfectly be visited together. I can't give you any specific recommendations for the Bairro Alto and Chiado, just to admire the beautiful tiled houses, small cobble stone streets and the small shops you can find here. 



ELEVADOR SANTA JUSTA

The Elevador de Santa Justa is a must-see in Lisbon! The elevator connects the two boroughs Baixa and Chiado. In order to use the elevator and go from Baixa to Chiado, you have to pay about 4-5€ - which we didn't do. You can also visit one platform of the elevator for free and the view there is great as well. We actually stumbled upon it more or less by accident! Next to the Convento do Carmo, we saw a sign which read something similar like "Elevador de Santa Justa here". Just follow the sign up the stairs, past the restaurant and you'll find it right in front of you. 


RIDE WITH THE TRAM 28 

Another must-do when in Lisbon: take a ride with the historic Tram 28. The Tram starts at Martim Moniz station. Bare in mind, that there is a super long queue at afirmentioned station (we waited for 30 minutes).You can also enter the Tram at every other stop (it is included in the Metro ticket) which saves a lot of time because the queues aren't as long. On the first day, we jumped on the Tram at Martim Moniz and used it to get to Praca do Comercio, but we did get out of it along the way a couple of times - especially because Castelo Sao Jorge and several miradouros are along the way!


GO TO ONE (OR ALL) OF THE MIRADOUROS 

There are 3 famous miradouros (= viewpoints) in Lisbon and we saw them all. Miradouro Senhora do Monte was my favorite one, as you are able to see the Ponte 25 de Abril, but also the entire city. At Miradouro Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, you also have a great view of the city and there is a café right next to it, so you can also enjoy the view while sipping on some coffee. From the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, you have a great view over the old town of Lisbon. All of the view points are along the way of the Tram 28, so you can easily jump out of the Tram, visit the view point and then ride to the next one.


PRACA DO COMERCIO 

The praca do comercio is one of the three most important squares of the cities and translates to "Square of Trade". The square is located next to the Tejo, so you also have a decent view of the Ponte 25 de Abril and there is a small beach as well. One of the streets leading to the Praca do Comercio is the Rua Augusta, where you can find lots of high street shops like Zara, Stradivarius, H&M home etc.

ALFAMA FOR FADO

One thing especially my parents wanted to experience was the Fado music in the borough of Alfama. The fado music is typical for Portugal (similar like Flamenco is typical for Spain) and Lisbon is considered the center of Fado. In the evening, starting at 9 pm, you can find lots of restaurants offering live fado music. We just walked through Alfama, randomly chose a restaurant, ordered something to drink (we've already eaten at that point) and experienced the music.



BELÉM

The borough of Belém is located in the west of Lisbon. You can get there using the Tram 15. Up until 1885, the town of Belém was independent, but then was integrated into the city of Lisbon. When in Belém, you should defenitely try the famous Pasteis de Belém! You can get the Pasteis De Nata everywhere in Lisbon, but the ones in Belém are supposed to be the best - and I can agree. We sat down in the Café (it seats 400 people, so don't be overwhelmed by the queue in the front who only order take-away) and enjoyed the yummy portuguese pastries, before walking to Jeronimos Monastery, the Torre of Belém and the Padrao dos Descobrimentos (a monument in honor of the portuguese seafarers).



LX FACTORY

On the way back from Belém, we also paid the LX factory a visit - so worth it! The former factory was redesigned as a complex for advertising agencies, bars, restaurants and great concept stores. The bookstore Ler De Vagar is part of the LX factory and the coolest bookstore I've ever seen. Also, you can get the cutest stuff at Wish! However, we had some trouble finding the entrance to the complex because the entrance at Avenida da India is closed, so keep that in mind! 


 PONTE 25 DE ABRIL

We've found a piece of San Francisco in Lisbon! Nope, this is not the Golden Gate Bridge, but the Bridge of the 25th of April in Lisbon. Funny enough, the same construction company as previously used for the Golden Gate Brigde also built the smaller counterpart in Lisbon. You have a great view of the brigde from Belém, but when you plan on paying the LX factory a visit, I recommend you to go the other side of the Avenida da India and enjoy the view!


I hope you found this post helpful. Have you ever been to Lisbon? Do you have some more insider tips for the city?

CONVERSATION

7 comments:

  1. Complete guide to get around in Lisbon. I am glad that you have summarized top Portuguese Restaurants of Lisbon & Fado. I will be visiting Portugal next month with my family. Will surely spare some days to try traditional Portugal cuisines at these restaurants.

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  4. Wonderful post! Your blog about things to do in Lisbon is quite informative. I was planning to apply for a Visa for Portugal so that I can go on a solo trip and explore some of the most popular tourist attractions of Portugal. I needed budget accommodation and it looks like the Lisbon’s hostels fits my budget perfectly. Once I grab my visa, I will get in touch with the hostel authorities and check about availability and tariffs.

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  5. If you are solo traveling in Lisbon, you can try camping at some of the local places. Check out some of the amazing tents for sale over here.

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  7. Certainly, Lisbon offers a treasure trove of experiences! 🇵🇹 From exploring historic neighborhoods to savoring delicious pastries and soaking up stunning views, this city has it all. Don't forget your camera and walking shoes. Get Portugal visa UK

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Thanks a lot for your comments <3
Danke für eure lieben Kommentare

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