In this Lisbon city Travel Guide, I share all the places I visited, what ate, drank, and everything I did in the beautiful Lisbon, Portugal.
SHOP THE LOOK
This was my first time visiting the capital and largest city of Portugal. I decided to visit Lisbon because a few years ago, I went to Porto, the second city in this country, where I had the most amazing long weekend with a friend. So, this summer, we decided to do the same trip again, but this time to Lisbon.
I hope this guide, based on my personal and wonderful experience, answers all your questions about traveling to Lisbon, and I hope your trip goes as smoothly and fun as mine.
LANGUAGE
I have to say I was surprised to hear many locals speak some English in Lisbon, which is the opposite of Porto, where I had to rely on my Spanish and my friend who speaks the Portuguese language. So, when you are in Lisbon, feel free to start any conversation in English.
ACCOMMODATIONS
We stayed at the Altis Grand Hotel, a beautiful five-star hotel located 1.5 kilometers from the city center, a bit far for walking back to the Hotel.
I recommend staying in a hotel in the city or close to the main points of attraction, as that will make life easier, a good one will be the Altis Avenida Hotel right in the center (downtown) of Lisbon. They also have the Rossio rooftop with fantastic cocktails and great views of the city.
LISBON TRANSPORTATION
Lisbon is not only a great place to visit, but also very affordable and easy to go around the city by walking or with an Elétrico. Taxis are also affordable but always make sure your taxi has green and black colors and must have a meter inside, especially the taxis at the airport.
The tram system in Lisbon is called Electrico and is like a vintage tram. We used the Elétrico 28E for a little tour of the highest parts of the city. With the Electrico 28E, you can see the most significant landmarks over the hills and the beautiful medieval streets of Lisbon.
You can hop on the Eletrico 28E and pay cash or by card and you can pay for a single ride or a 24-hour ticket. You can also ride the Eletrico for free with the Lisboa card.
There is also a hop-on and-off tram specially dedicated to sightseeing, however, we decided not to do that one because we love to walking and it was enough with the Electrico 28E.
Places you can see while riding on the Electrico 28E
Arco da Rua Augusta & Praça do Comércio
WHAT TO PACK FOR LISBON WEATHER
Lisbon is a warm and humid city. Most of the time, we wore light fabrics like linen and long dresses, but still, it was boiling to the point that we could see our dresses getting wet from the sweat for everybody to see.
For shoes, do not take flat sandals with you or at least do not go walking on the streets with them as the entire city is very slippery. I saw a few people falling on the floor just because the sidewalks had small square tiles.
So I recommend taking with you light fabrics like linen and cotton, and for shoes, sneakers, and flat ballerina styles are the best option. Don’t forget to bring your bikini as you can swim at the hotel swimming pool or get to the nearest beach Praia Carcabelos, or Praia Caxias, which is around 15 15-minute ride with the train from Lisbon.
Lots of sun creams are a must-have in Lisbon, as the sun can get very hot while walking on the streets.
RESTAURANTS AND FOOD IN LISBON
If you are looking for the best restaurant with traditional Portuguese food in Lisbon you have to go to Pinoquio, a small restaurant near the city center, not too fancy or expensive but with delicious food! It was always busy because of its excellent food and very friendly people, a nice spot within walking distance from our Hotel.
At the Pinoquio Restaurant the service was so good, and great ambiance. I highly recommend it!
Don’t forget to try local drinks like the Sagres beer and the Vinho Verde a fresh Portuguese white wine. My favorite was Muralhas de Monção, a soft and dry wine perfect with fish and seafood, which was quite affordable.
I mostly eat fish and had great homestyle meals. Local specialties include:
Ameijoas da à Bulhão Pato (Clams)
This is a dish with clams on the shell and a juicy sauce made with white wine, lemon, and coriander.
Caldo Verde (soup)
Is a creamy potato soup with some green cabbage and a few pieces of chorizo it was delicious! So good that we ordered the same dish two times.
Gambas Malaganha
The Gambas Malaganha is a delicious dish with prawns cooked in a sauce with lots of coriander and white wine.
FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT MY FIRST TRIP TO LISBON:
I had a fantastic time during my girls’ trip to Lisbon! It was everything I hoped for. On our girl’s trip, we had good food and drinks, celebrated my birthday, explored the city, and learned more about Portuguese culture.
PRODUCTS I USE AND RECOMMEND FOR A TRIP TO LISBON
You can see outfits I wore in Lisbon HERE!
