Lisbon, Portugal

The first weekender of my four months abroad was Lisbon! I was so excited to go to Lisbon, but (TBH) I will shamefully share that it was closer to the bottom of my list. To my surprise, I loved Lisbon so much and I have recommended it to so many people (who would have guessed?!).

Praça do Comércio

Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo

Lisbon was undeniably unique from anywhere I have seen. Normally, there are streets in Italy or France that everyone posts pictures of because it is so beautiful, however, in Lisbon every corner was so bright and colorful! I would turn my head and see something even more colorful than the next. Also, a lot of the buildings were made of colorful tiles as opposed to painted which made each unique. Also, the city is known for the small yellow trollies that I spotted all around town (and may or may not have been close to being hit by some when jaywalking, oops!)

Avenida da Liberdade

The main boulevard in Lisbon is a lot like Champs Elysees in Paris! I walked up and down this street a lot to get from my hotel to the main parts of the city! Every day there was countless art stands, flowers, and squares full of people.

Pena Palace- Sintra, Portugal

I took a train from Rossio Station to Sintra to visit this beautiful castle! It was so worth it because it was stunning! I was not planning on going at sunset, however, it was the best mistake I ever made. 

Church Santa Maria de Belém

Belém Tower

Belém is a small town right next to Lisbon! It has a bunch of hidden gems including the best pastries ever (below)! It is also a nice place to walk around and get different views of Portugal.

Madame Petisca

Whenever I go somewhere new I always look for rooftop restaurants/bars to go to (LOVE a good view)! There is something about seeing a city from above that makes it so much more beautiful. Also, I will eat and drink regardless so might as well do so with a great view ;)! To get to Madame Petisca you enter a little doorway and get right on the elevator! I ate popcorn chicken as an appetizer for dinner, which was delicious. If you go here you MUST get the red sangria (I am still craving it)!

O Martinho da Arcada

I knew from the time I boarded my flight that I would be trying traditional Portuguese egg tart, but it is safe to say I ended up "trying" over six in three days (no shame). This cafe is located in the Praça do Comércio and seemed to be a tourist trap at first, however, the waiter was so kind and taught us about the importance of putting a dash of cinnamon on your tart (see photo)! Also, the coffee here was the best I had in Lisbon!

Time Out Market

 I had one dinner at Time Out Market. It is basically a food court with a lot of diverse cuisines! I would recommend checking it while in Lisbon. It's great for a group because everyone can get what they want!

Fábrica

My last morning I had plans to go to an insta-worthy brunch place, but when I arrived and it was packed with tourists looking to do the same thing I decided to venture around the corner to a total local spot! I highly recommend the latte here!

Pastéis de Belém

Hands down the BEST pastries in Lisbon! This is in the area called Belém, which is a ten-minute uber drive from the main part of Lisbon. I ended up going to Belém two days in a row because I could not leave Lisbon without having more! Everything we ordered was amazing!

H10 Duque de Loule

My stay in Lisbon would not be as complete without this hotel! It encompassed Lisbon's culture with tiles throughout the room and was so bright. The staff was incredibly nice & even welcomed us with champagne. It was about a twenty-minute walk from most places that I went, however, I loved it because I ate a lot and I got to cover more ground and see more of Lisbon!