As our train pulled into Lisbon over the bridge, there was an air of electric finality. For our summer vacation we had taken it easy in Seville, beaches it up in the Algarve town of Olhão, and now here we were on our final leg of the trip: in Lisbon, Portugal.
For being a small country, Portugal’s capital is only growing in popularity. (I couldn’t navigate a downtown street without seeing at least a trickle of other tourists.) And for good reason–Lisbon’s vibrancy can’t help but to attract visitors. Like in the Alfama neighborhood where walls are bursting with colored murals and tiles, or Bario Alto with its restaurants and bars that keep the streets bustling late into the night. While you can’t go wrong wandering the city, here are a few things you can’t miss.
Getting Around
Lisbon’s extensive subway system makes it easy to get around. Upon arrival, we bought a refillable card for the metro–whose arms reach out conveniently all over the city. A 24-hour card is €6.30, but we just managed with a few one-way trips per day, as we were doing so much walking. We got a basic Via Viagem card (€0.50) and then recharged it for the rest of our stay. Look for the blue pay stations at the metro entrances to grab your tickets! Find out more about Lisbon’s public transport network and pricing here.
Daytrip to Sintra
Just about an hour north of Lisbon, there is a magic fairytale town nestled up in the mountains. it seems as if it should be a secret, but it’s becoming more and more of a tourist hotspot. I suppose the numerous castles, winding old streets, and lush hillsides make this UNESCO world heritage site just too much to resist.
And so, we hopped on a 45 minute train for €5 round trip each and left Lisbon behind for a mountain adventure in “glorious Eden”. As soon as you step off of the train, you’re greeted with a glimpse of the Moorish Castle. It’s just a teaser of all the royal residences to come, as there’s quite a few to choose from! The Sintra National Palace is accessible, right in the city center. The Quinta da Regaleira is a gothic world behind wrought iron gates, and is rumored to be steeped in mystery (complete with gargoyles and secret tunnels)–as it has ties to the Knights Templar. The Moorish Castle asserts is medieval strength through its gray brick walkways and strongholds.
Quinta da Regaleria
We, however, opted for Pena Palace, because well…I’m a sucker for colors. Pena may resemble a treasure chest of jewels, but it also happens to be the highest and furthest palace to get to. If you’re interested in visiting, here are some options to know before you go:
FIRSTLY, you have to get from the town center to the palace gardens. A few options for this are that you can:
- rent a tour bus
- rent a tuk tuk (we were quoted €10 total for the both of us for the 15 minute ride up the hill)
- walk
Maybe we wanted a challenge, or maybe we were just cheap, haha, but we ended up choosing to walk. I don’t regret it! On a beautiful afternoon with no time constraints, why not see the sights? It took us about 40 minutes (of wheezing and pulling ourselves up in the near-vertical parts) to wind up the trail. Parts of the walk resemble a manicured hillside park, and parts resemble a nature walk through the forest. You might even run into a few rock climbers along the way. Once at the top of the park, you’ll have to make a choice: turn left to where the Moorish Castle rises on a mountain crag, or continue right onto Pena Palace.
Just a few more minutes and we emerged into a parking lot next to the Palace gardens entrance (all of the tuktuks and tour buses on the road didn’t escape my notice) and bought our tickets to the palace and park for €14.
Now, here at the Palace gardens, you’re on the last leg! The Palace gardens are beautiful…and extensive. You can wander through and take the 30-ish minute walk through the garden, or buy a bus ticket for €3ish or so to zip you up to the Palace entrance.
I know one might be inclined to say that if you’ve seen one European castle then you’ve seen them all, but…no. If you have the chance, I urge you go see the Pena Palace. It’s quite unlike anything I’ve seen.
In the gardens
So colorful and eccentric, and surprisingly quiet being perched all alone at the top of the mountain. After seeing the interior, you can do the Wall Walk around the edge of the palace. It really is a birds’ eye view. But be careful on a windy day! I thought I was going to get blown off, haha.
Do: Secret Wine Tour + Benfica Soccer Stadium
We enjoyed our Secret Food Tour in Seville so much that we signed up for the Secret Wine Tour in Lisbon.
I always wanted to be a person who could swish wine around and talk about oak barrels and notes of cherry and so on, so it was great to learn more. Our guide, Inez, was wonderful! And she broke down wine to basics for me. Also, Portugal may be small but it has so many diverse regions–I enjoyed sampling five of their wines.
The setup waiting for us at one of the tour stops 
And then, for all of my talk of being a good travel partner and learning how to compromise, this was my ultimate test: C wanted to go on a soccer stadium + museum tour (when buying online the ticket is €15). And so…we ended up at Benfica Stadium. I you know me, you know I am not the kind of person who gets all hot and bothered as two teams strategically move a ball across a field. I looooooved binge-watching Friday Night Lights, (and watching the Seahawks win the Superbowl), but that’s about as far as my sports allegiances get. I was prepared to politely smile my way through the soccer-centric afternoon, but with our enthusiastic guide, I couldn’t help but to catch some of the football fever.
<3 
The memorial for Miklos
It meant a lot to see what the sport means to the country, how it brings people together. And I even learned a few surprising things, like how Benfica’s crest has the same animal and motto of the United States, and the tragic story of Miklós Feher, a Hungarian who played for Benfica but died on the field. And of course, I got to do something that made my travel partner happy, so it was worth it.
The Alfama and Bairro Alto Districts
Remember our wine tour guide, Inez? Well her top recommendation was to get ourselves to the Alfama district and then…to get lost. To start, we went to the popular flea market Feira da Ladra, or Thieves Market, to see if we could dig up any local treasures. The wares range from live/laugh/love-esque jewelry that you could get at any gift shop, to classic magnet/keychain souvenirs, to vintage cameras, to residents hosting their own garage sale. It wasn’t as eclectic as I’d expected, but it was still fun to poke through.
We continued in the Alfama district, rising and falling through its hills. We were on the hunt for some authentic food…but after awhile, the heat and hunger win out, you know? On a street lined with restaurants plastered with TripAdvisor stickers we finally kicked our pride aside and collapsed into the first restaurant we saw: Marcelino Pão & Vinho. And then we inhaled tapas. It was lovely. Although no one could call it a hidden local gem, a gem it still is. With the air breezing in, walls covered with famous faces, and huge plates of artfully prepared tapas set down in front of you, it was a satisfying way to wrap up the afternoon!
Watching Pastel de Natas being made 
The beautiful suckling pig at the restaurant in Bairro Alto
For dinner there seemed only one place to go: the neighborhood of Bario Alto. Everyone had recommended it to us as a place bursting with restaurants and bars just begging for us to become a part of its nightlife. We found Garrafeira Alfaia, which I can’t recommend enough. They have a classy atmosphere and beautiful presentation, but were still casual enough to accommodate two sunburned, windblown, exhausted tourists like ourselves.
Just a few sunsets, and we were done. Heading back to the airport (which is super accessible by metro by the way, just hop on the red line), I was so grateful for this time in Spain and Portugal. Writing this now, I still can’t quite believe it. Thanks for coming along on this Summer Vacation Series!
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