Oh, Lisbon. Just saying the name brings a smile to my face. The city is bursting with colours, from the vibrant streets to the beautiful tiles, or azulejos as the locals call them. The word 'azulejos' became a running joke for my partner, Kyle, and I during our trip, particularly after our visit to the National Tile Museum. The captivating history behind this unique word, and the ubiquity of these tiles throughout the city, added an extra layer of charm to our Lisbon experience.
Lisbon is a city that truly enchants, with its art, culture, food, and history. This was the first stop in our month-long adventure in January; We were lucky enough to spend a week at each of our destinations: Lisbon, Barcelona, Florence & Crete (Chania & Heraklion). Our schedule usually worked out so we could have a nice sleep, slowly wake up with coffee and a bit of work, then off to eat and explore our way through each city until mid-afternoon. This is when we would get most of our work and meetings done. Thankfully, people eat quite late in Europe, so we could be prepared to head out for dinner after 8pm.
Like I said, Lisbon is as vibrant as it is captivating, and when I think of the city, a colour comes to mind: Yellow. Maybe it's because of the bright yellow trams that went up and down our street every day, or maybe it's because of the azulejos, or maybe it's just the brightness of the memories I have thinking back on it.
But it's not just colours that make Lisbon so special. The people are incredibly friendly, the sites are surprising and the food is fantastic, even for a non-seafood eater like me. I did manage to step outside of my comfort zone and try some buttery razor clams and fresh, flaky white fish, and let me tell you, I went back for more!
But unfortunately, Lisbon had a bit of a rocky start. See, the places we stayed were very important for this trip, since the 3 of us were still working - living that digital nomad life - so we needed a comfortable place to work with reliable wifi. I won't lie - our first Airbnb was a bust. It reeked of smoke and caused the worst headaches. Be warned, there are smokers everywhere! But we managed to secure another AirBnb not far, just around the corner in fact - thank god, because those stones and hills are killer, even without lugging large suitcases!
In our charming new AirBnb (you guessed it, it was very colourful), we awoke to the rumble of the tram without fail around 8am, and went to bed with the sounds of people visiting bars and restaurants in the neighbouring streets. This convenient place to stay was crucial to enjoying the city, and the various neighbourhoods that all have something unique to offer.
A good place to start is the Praça do Comércio, a beautiful square that sits by the water. It's a great place to people-watch and take in the local culture. The square is surrounded by beautiful yellow buildings and from here you can meander through the narrow streets, in any direction, taking in the atmosphere.
We chose to head upwards. While huffing and puffing our way up the hills and through the cozy streets of Alfama - one of Lisbon's oldest neighbourhoods - we couldn't resist stopping for a pastel de nata (or two) at a local bakery. But the real highlight of our climb was when we reached the top and were rewarded with stunning views from the Castle of São Jorge. Because we were here in low season, there was no need to purchase tickets in advance, however, I have heard these lines can get quite long in high season, and in the heat, I wouldn't recommend taking your chances standing in line.
It was a surprisingly peaceful oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of the city below. We wandered the castle grounds, climbing stairs up and down to get 360 views from the castle walls. And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we saw a group of peacocks strutting around, showing off their gorgeous tail feathers! It was the perfect combination of natural beauty and architectural grandeur, and it left us feeling inspired (and hungry).
That evening we had dinner at a local spot: Bonjardim, famous for it's roast chicken and chips (fries). It might seem simple, but boy was this a treat. Nothing fancy, minimal service, but so delicious. You can hear the chatter coming from this restaurant as you approach, filled to the brim with locals. We did have to wait in line for about 10 minutes, but we were warned by another foodie we met in our travels. She recommended this place, and I'm glad we trusted her. I left dreaming about the pineapple drenched in warm red wine. This was right up my alley!
As you might have guessed, our favourite thing to do was wander the charming streets and try all the local delicacies we could. We visited the Mercado da Ribeira or Time Out Market on multiple occasions. Our favourite spot had to be: Marisqueira Azul (be sure to try the razor clams!).
Another must-visit spot is the Belém neighbourhood, where we had one of our most memorable days in Lisbon. We started our morning with breakfast near our Airbnb at Cafe Janis before taking an Uber to the iconic Tower of Belém. It was such a cool and unexpected place to explore! From there, we took a leisurely stroll in the sun along the water to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos memorial. And perhaps we stopped for a port tasting along the way ;)
But let's be real, the main highlight of our Belem adventure was the world-famous pastel de nata. We made our way to Pastéis de Belém, which is said to have the best pastries in the world, and boy, they did not disappoint! We took 6 to-go and Kyle still couldn't help himself. We stopped for a beer at a local restaurant and asked if they had fresh sardines, because when in Portugal, right? After indulging in all the deliciousness that Belem had to offer, we hopped in another Uber and made our way back to the city centre, feeling content and ready to get some work done before dinner.
I have to tell you about our experience at By the Wine - it was a highlight of our entire month-long adventure. We loved it so much that we even bought their branded shirts before we left! (We managed to sneak in to a spot at the bar, so I recommend making reservations here). Don't let the name fool you, it's not just a wine bar - although their wine suggestions are to die for. The best part was the way they served the food, meant to be shared with everyone at the table. In a photo above, you might have spied the octopus ceviche, we couldn't help but try it after seeing it being brought to the couple next to us. There truly wasn't a single dish on the menu that didn't make our mouths water, even if I'd never tried most things (read: seafood dishes) before.
Having eaten so much food, we often went for nighttime strolls. I’ll never forget the time we stumbled upon a hidden square while meandering through the hills of Lisbon on one of these occasions. The warm lamp posts lighting up beautiful buildings, the stunning view of the water, and the feeling of being lost in the winding streets made it an unforgettable experience.
Lisbon truly is a special city. It's a place where you can lose yourself in the beauty of the azulejos, indulge in delicious food, and feel the warmth of the locals. It's a city that will steal your heart and leave you wanting more.
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