On a recent visit to Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal, with my boyfriend we saw many sights both wondrous and colourful. From the old neighbourhood’s murals to national idols, near to the government buildings along the Tagus riverfront and to the historic cathedral and the Castelo de São Jorge. There is so much to do in this historic city for all tastes, here are our top five.
Bairro Alto
To kick off our trip we headed to Bairro Alto, a neighbourhood that was recommended to us by the locals. And we could see why, there was a buzz in the air and many different cuisines on offer. We first went to Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara which is a terrace with many small bars to get a drink and a little bite to eat whilst you enjoy the view over the city. One of our favourite bars here was La Paparrucha where you can enjoy the sunset on their balcony or a lovely Argentinian style meal inside and still experience the views over the city with the floor to ceiling windows. However the magic of this neighbourhood is the multitude of options for food and drinks everywhere. If you allow yourself to get a bit lost on the cobbled streets you will manage to find somewhere special.
If you fancy a different kind of experience to escape the bustling city we would also recommend one of the many rooftop bars which are an oasis amongst the buildings. Our hotel, Jupiter Lisboa, had an amazing rooftop bar with a pool. We would also recommend Park rooftop, Lost in Lisbon and Naoobai if you want to soak up the sun and relax.
Food tour
As a massive foodie, my favourite part of the trip was the food tour we did around the city, getting to try lots of traditional Portuguese food and learn about the culture and history of Europe’s second oldest city. Our tour guide, Daniella from food tours Lisboa, was amazing and took us to quieter parts of the city that we would have never found by ourselves. We were able to try dishes such as Sao Jorge cheese, cured ham and quince with port, Codfish cakes with tomato rice and green wine, bifana and sangria, samosas and beer, Ginjinha (a traditional cherry liquor) and of course the famous pastel de nata!
If afterwards you fancy some more to eat we recommend the Timeout market along the riverbank as it has many stalls which specialise in many different cuisines and courses as it is designed so you can get one thing from one stall and something else from another.
Sintra and Pena Palace
We took a day trip to visit the town of Sintra, known for its palaces and gardens that look straight out of a fairy tale. We first went to Quinta da Regaleira designed by Luigi Manini and owned by Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. If you’re visiting we recommend heading to the famous initiation wells first to avoid the queues and then take the time to explore the freemasonry symbolism behind the gardens. After lunch in the town, we travelled to Pena palace. The red and yellow castle was originally a monastery but then renovated by King consort Ferdinand II, we decided to buy tickets to enter the palace and see the former home of the Portuguese royal family, the rooms and décor are so interesting and unique it's definitely worth a visit, however, our favourite part of the castle was the chapel with its ornate stained glass windows and the walk around the walls for the most incredible 360 views.
Castelo De São Jorge and Cathedral
Another great area to explore is the areas around the castle and the cathedral as these areas offer some of the best historical stories, archaeological discoveries and views over the whole city. We explored the streets leading to both places on foot, however there were many taxis, Tuk Tuks and the famous yellow trams. The cathedral has a five euro entry fee and for that you can see the old treasury and a balcony with a lovely view over the river Tagus. However, if you are looking for the best views in the whole city I would recommend the castle. The castle had a 15 euro entry but was cheaper for under 25s and over 65s. The views from the castle were incredible, we got great views of the river and the whole city from the terrace and on top of the castle turrets and after all of the walking we went to the café for a break and a lovely cappuccino with the backdrop of the city.
River Tours
On the last evening of our trip we decided to do a small boat river tour at sunset. This was magical and the views were amazing. There are many boat tours along the river Tagus, but we decided to do a boat tour at sunset to really take in the city. We embarked at one of the city's many marinas which was a lovely walk down the river but you could also get one of the electric scooters or bikes. Our tour guide was amazing and showed us parts of the other side of the river such as the Christ the redeemer, yes there’s one here too, and the famous Porto Final restaurant as well as monuments in Belem like the tower and the monument of discoveries. He also gave us some recommendations on places to include in our trip and kept our glasses full with Portuguese green wine. This was the perfect way to end our trip.
Call Panache Cruises on 0161 513 8200if you want to learn more about Lisbon.
