Oh beautiful Lisbon, I miss your cobbled streets, tiled buildings and trams!
It was a citybreak that had been high on my list for quite a while, so when my friend Sarah suggested we go, along with her friend Kirsty, I said yes straight away. I hadn't left the country since my big trip to Canada almost THREE YEARS AGO (what!) so I was super excited.
We jumped in an uber as soon as we landed (they're pretty cheap over there!) and headed to our apartment. We freshened up a little, ate our first pastel de nata from the place around the corner (which also did amazing coffee and loads of beautiful fresh fruit, as well as the owners being super friendly) on Largo das Olarias - I can't find the name of the place but it's tiny and has two seats out the front!
Then off we went for a wander - down to the waterfront, where we stopped for a drink, and then in search of tacos, under the impression that the recommended spot wasn't far away. After quite a hike we found Coyo Taco, and it was so worth the wait!
The food was AMAZING, and not just because we'd barely eaten all day. Highly recommend the esquite corn and all the tacos, and of course the margaritas! Definitely head there for some brilliant Mexican flavours.
There's a beautiful view point just down the road too!
We headed back to the apartment to drink a beer or two and chill out for the evening, as we were all pretty tired from travelling. If you're curious, we stayed in this Airbnb apartment, which was a really good location! You can get 10% off your first booking if you use my link to sign up (that's up to £300 off!) and you also get £9 towards an "experience" which you can book through the website - like tours etc.
It was big and clean, had everything we needed, and even had a pool! So nice to have a bit of outside space to chill out in.
Bikini from ELBhandmade.
A slow morning the next day, as none of us felt very well after eating some fried chicken late at night.. but we hopped on a train by the middle of the day and headed out towards the beaches. There are quite a few to choose from, so just do a little research to find one which suits you. The train goes along the coast and it only took about 30mins to the beach we went to.
We treated ourselves to the comfy sunbeds, had a few dips in the sea, read books and napped in the sun. There was a lady going along the beach selling these donut things too, so we got one each! It was the perfect chilled out day.
Amuse Society bikini
Asos t-shirt
Vintage skirt & belt
We popped home to get changed before heading out to LX Factory. The tuk tuks caught our eye, and after a bit of haggling we took a very bumpy ride over in this Simpsons one!
I instantly loved LX Factory, but there were so many places to choose from, it was hard to know what to eat! After a little wander, we decided on hot dogs, which were great (but not photogenic) and a hot chocolate from Landeau Chocolate, as well as deciding we'd be back the next day..
Here we were back again - and it was so different in the day, as the narrow streets were lined with market stalls! It was busy and bustling, with so many things to look at.
Therapist had caught our eye the night before, so we had brunch there, and it was really delicious. The portions weren't huge, which was actually great because it meant we could try out another pastel de nata not long after..
We spent ages wandering around inside and out, buying a few bits and bobs (I got a flowy pink jumpsuit and some earrings) and just enjoying the general atmosphere. It was probably my favourite place that we visited on the trip, and one that I would say is a must do!
After a cocktail we decided to head back to the apartment for a bit before dinner.
Something I really loved about Lisbon is how pretty it is. I'm sure you have all heard about the tiled buildings, but there was so much more to see! I loved all the old signage and the colours. Make sure you keep your eyes wide open when you're walking around!
After a rest we headed for Time Out Market. It was a little overwhelming! An absolutely massive building, crammed full of incredible food. The best thing to do is find somewhere to sit first (it's all communal seating, so be prepared to wait and to share!) choose your meal from the establishments around the edge and a drink from the bar in the middle.
It took us ages to choose what we wanted, as there was just so much. The food was really great, but it is very busy and very touristy.
The next day we were up and out for brunch again, this time to a place not far from where we were staying. Manjerica does lovely healthy brunches and is really cute! We would recommend the eggs with mushrooms, and the pancakes with nutella and peanut butter!
With full bellies, we headed to the train station. We hopped on a train to Sintra, and then a bus up the steep steep hills to Pena Palace. You can book online to save time, but we didn't and the queue didn't take too long in the end.
It's an incredibly beautiful and amazingly colourful building, which means it is also a big tourist attraction. We just paid to go around the outside, and that was enough for us really! I would also recommend taking your own food & drinks, as the amenities there aren't great.
Being up that high, literally in the clouds, was amazing! I really loved the contrast of the red and yellow against the white sky, as well as all the amazing plants.
We grabbed some food from Mad Pizza on the way home and had a pizza party on our balcony. They were pretty good! They market themselves as healthy pizza, and although the bases weren't chewy and doughy like I like 'em, the combinations of toppings were really delicious!
Somehow it was now our final morning, and we had saved the best 'til last. Cafe Janis had come up time and time again when we asked for recommendations, and just one look at their Instagram had us sold.
Places like this can sometimes be style over substance, but that is not the case for Janis. Not only are the interiors absolutely gorgeous, but the food is too.
Despite it being pretty busy when we turned up, we didn't have to wait long for a table, and by about 12 it was almost empty, so I would recommend heading there at noon if you don't want to wait at all! The coffee was delicious, the freshly squeezed orange juice very moreish, and after a little wait for food, I had the best shakshuka of my life.
Sarah was even kind enough to save me a little slice of her earl grey and chocolate waffles, which was the perfect sweet ending to the perfect brunch.
We sat around on the grass for an hour or so before heading to the airport, and back home to our own beds!
An absolutely wonderful city break, a real treat and a whole load of fun.
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Very interesting article and photo. I recommend.
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Love this guide and your photos are beautiful. I'm going back to Lisbon next month and it looks like the food options are amazing these days!
ReplyDeleteLisbon looks like an amazing city! I'll definitely add it to the travel list!
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I was in Lisbon this year, just for one day. Beautiful city, but no so portugees like some other cities. Even my friend Portugeese say exackly the same thinkg: Lison is more international. However, it was worth to see it!!!!
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