If you’re a travel enthusiast, looking for your next adventure, or need any travel 101 tips–I got you! A few weeks ago, my sisters and I traveled to Lisbon, Portugal and it was one of the best moments of my life!
Why Portugal?
I want to go everywhere and anywhere in this world; however, Portugal was never high on my list. One may say, I “slept on it”, and I do consider it one of the most “slept on” countries in Europe. I fell in love with every aspect of the city– the lifestyle, the marble buildings, the food, the people, and the city. Together, we will explore these ideas.
The Basics
Before we get into it, let’s discuss the basics. I went to Portugal for 6 days, which included travel time. We booked our flight through Air Portugal (the prices are comparable to Spirit Airlines), and our experience was great. From our departure, the flight was a total of 6 hours and 45 minutes to Portugal. The flight back home was longer, 8 hours and 20 minutes. We ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an entertainment system (I watched Me Before You for the first time– I need a Sam Cliffin in my life). We stayed in an Airbnb in Bairro Alto, one of the neighborhoods in Lisbon. If you do not want to stay in an Airbnb, there is a central hostel and multiple hotel options around the city. Many people recommend visiting Portugal between late March and early June before the big tourist season begins. I can attest to a visit in March– the weather ranged from 60-70 degrees and it never felt “crowded” or overpopulated.
This is the Life!
In my previous article, I wrote about the European lifestyle in Portugal–if you want to know more about this concept, I recommend reading it. Everything and everyone moves at a relaxed and slow pace. It was a culture shock to see two adult women casually chatting and sipping on wine on a Monday night, also known as a work night in America. On the first day, I visited an outdoor market. There was a specific booth that caught my eye– full of colorful knick-knacks, unique jewelry pieces, and memorable souvenirs. She was so sweet and helped me look for items to purchase. The woman kept apologizing for speaking broken English; although there was a language barrier between us, we were connected through laughter and human kindness. Before I left, she taught me how to say “thank you” in Portuguese– Obrigada, kind lady at the booth! The population consists of two groups of people: people who live in Portuguese and tourists. Therefore, most people spoke English or at least a basic amount. Our Uber drivers, restaurant servers, and store owners were so amiable and recommended different places to visit in Portugal. The tourists included many study-abroad students. One night, we were hopping around and found a group of study-abroad students. One girl in the group was from Chile and met her other friends in Italy, so together, they traveled to Portugal. We immediately clicked; the girl was so happy to hear I was a Scorpio, like her best friend in Chile. Within a 30-minute encounter, we created a strong connection through laughter and sharing our different experiences abroad. As three young women who traveled to a new country, my sisters and I never felt unsafe. There were always people around whether it was 8 AM or 2 AM.
For the Foodies
I consider myself a self-diagnosed foodie, so trust me. In Portugal, most of the food consisted of seafood or meat. We ate throughout the day at several restaurants so I will list a few of my favorites!
*Visit Mercado da Ribeira (Time Out Market), a food hall market full of the city’s best restaurants!
Brunch
Personally, brunch was by far my favorite meal in Portugal. Every morning, I started my day off with a cold glass of freshly squeezed orange juice; every restaurant had a different and fabulous taste!
- Neighbourhood: cute cafe with good vibes and friendly staff; I recommend the breakfast burrito–it was mouthwatering!There were specific tables that prohibited computers to encourage the guests to enjoy their meal, instead of doing work.
- The Mill: amazing dining experience with a view! We sat in front of a large open window and enjoyed people-watching with a side of cappuccino and avocado toast.
- Dear Breakfast: stumbled upon this restaurant and we are sure glad we stopped by! It was the best orange juice I had so far!
- Seventh Brunch Chiado: all you need to know is they had delicious fluffy strawberry & Nutella pancakes!
Dinner
Tapisco: a spectacular restaurant; the staff was very helpful and attentive. Everyone raved about their Octopus Rice and it did not disappoint–the hype was well deserved!
Bonjardim: stopped by for their famous fried chicken; you will be the happiest person in the world after eating it.
Bairro de Avillez (Páteo): there are four different restaurants in this location; we ate at Páteo and it was incredible! I recommend their Cod and Lobster dish! My sister asked our waiter for the check. He saw that she was still eating her meal, and said, “I will bring you the check once you are finished eating.” He wanted her to take her time and enjoy her food.
Dessert
- Manteigaria: the BEST place for the city’s infamous desert–Pastel de nata!
- Gelataria Portuguesa: quick stop for flavorful gelato!
Bars
At 10 pm, the streets are full of people who are bar hopping and having a good time!
- Vicente by Carnalentejana: a cozy bar with very kind staff; we stumbled upon this bar in the cold, rainy weather and it was a perfect place to get warm and enjoy some delicious drinks.
- Miami Vice, Bairro Alto: our favorite club/bar; good music and youthful bartenders = great time!
“Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”
I recommend just walking around Lisbon, Portugal. We didn’t have an itinerary; instead, we walked for miles, stopped by different places, and stumbled upon multiple hidden gems! Here are some of the tourist attractions we discovered.
- Chiado: one of the main neighborhoods in Lisbon, Portugal; it is home to the Rua Garrett shopping avenue (get ready to spend some money!) and high-end restaurants.
- Bairro Alto: another central neighborhood in Lisbon, Portugal; the cobblestone streets are filled with restaurants, bars/nightlife, and activities. On the first day, we wandered around Bairro Alto for hours; we were infatuated by the centuries-old houses, street art, and marble architecture.
- Cascais Beach: gorgeous weather for a gorgeous beach day! Even if it isn’t the best weather, the blue waters and soft sand is worth the visit. There are many restaurants and corner stores around the beach town.
- Sintra: a must-do tourist attraction in Lisbon, Portugal. Sintra consists of 19th-century Romanticism architecture. With a tour guide and group, we visited the Quinta da Regaleira. There are too many castles to see in one day, so we visited the infamous Palace of Pena using a “tuk-tuk” as our mode of transportation.
- Fado performance: Fado is the folk music of Lisbon’s neighborhoods; there are many inexpensive places to see a beautiful live performance.
- Markets: there are several outdoor markets around town; stop by and check out the unique items they are selling.
- Belém Tower: one of the main attractions in Lisbon. We sat on its steps and watched the coastline waves crash upon the tower.
- Jerónimos Monastery: one of the main attractions in Lisbon, Portugal. We did not go inside the Monastery; instead, we walked around and admired the exterior of the gorgeous site.
OOTD!
Remember to pack light, but efficiently. I packed an outfit for each day, but you will definitely buy clothes throughout the trip!
- Comfortable shoes: trust me, you will be walking a LOT! These cobblestone pathways are not built for sandals or heels.I “survived” with Converse as my shoes. Surviving is an understatement, here’s the storytime! I am walking down a slippery and wet cobblestone stairway. I am surrounded by restaurants and those who are eating on the patio. Many restaurant owners will stand outside, inviting people to dine with them. As I am walking, I look at the restaurant owner who is about to hand me a menu; and all of a sudden, I am looking UP at the restaurant owner. I fell forward and curved into a ball, also known as the armadillo. After a few minutes of refusing to get up, I found the courage to stand up– a couple asked me if I was okay before they began to laugh and another man spit up his beer while laughing! Good times…
- Light jacket: if you are traveling during March, all you need is a light jacket. For example, a denim jacket or bomber jacket is more than enough.
- Outfits: the style in Portugal is summer-chic/cool girl/simple and cute. Bring some denim jorts, head scarves, basic tops, sun dresses, and a linen shirt (works as a cover-up, too).
I hope this article encourages you to save some money to visit Lisbon, Portugal because it was one of the best trips of my life! Today, I saw this quote on my TikTok For You Page, and I want to share it with you: “I always wonder why birds stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth. Then I ask myself the same question,” – anonymous
Release your fears and worries, and allow yourself to fly wherever you long to go! Start saving your money today, request days off from work, and go party in Porty (or wherever your heart desires)!
wherever you long to go! Start saving your money today, request days off from work, and go party in Porty (or wherever your heart desires)!