Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon. I never thought you would be so beautiful. Every time I’ve been to Lagos I’ve barely even made it outside the famous walls. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve heard someone say after a full season of Lagos “There’s walls around this town?”. Yes, yes, there is. And you’ve not made it outside of them.
I’ve been to Sagres and a few surfing beaches, Cape St.Vincent, Praia da Luz, Salema, Burgau and Budens, but apart from the Algarve I had never made it up to Portugal’s capital of Lisbon. I don’t know what I was expecting, but Lisbon pleasantly surprised me.
I wouldn’t recommend trying to do Lisbon in just one day but I had limited time there and tried to see as much as possible. I stayed in the Lisbon Lounge hostel which, in my earlier review, I told you is the most luxurious hostel I’ve ever stayed in. Public transport in Lisbon is good, with picture postcard trams, buses, sightseeing buses and a metro but I prefer seeing cities by foot as I feel you see and take in far more.
I started out in the Baixa district in Rossio Square, where there is the statue of D. Pedro IV and the National Theatre D.Maria II, and I had a coffee (or galau) in Pastelaria Suica whilst I watched the world go by.
From there I walked down Rua Augusta which is the main shopping street and passed by the impressive Santa Justa lift before heading through the magnificent triumphal arch to the Praca de Comercio.
Afterwards I decided to head to the charming Bairro Alto district, which is a must-see when visiting Lisbon. This old area is quaint and lined with typical cafes, old clothing stores, artisans workshops and bookshops.
At night the Bairro Alto is everyone’s favourite spot to begin the night, it’s a gastronomic trip and full of small trendy bars perfect for hopping one to another. The Pavilhao Chines is a must-visit bar with amazing decoration and valuable collectors’ pieces.
From there I made it back to the other side of Rua Augusta and climbed the cobbled streets of the hill up to Castello St George. I stopped at the Chapito Resto to take a look at the beautiful view from the terrace and have a quick drink. From there I continued up to the castle and paid 7 euros to go and see the beautiful panoramic view of Lisbon from the castle walls. It’s the perfect place to have your picture taken.
Although there’s much much more to do in Lisbon than I’ve listed here, if you’re stuck with a day this is the perfect itinerary to see the highlights of Lisbon.
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