Lisbon, One of my all time favorite European cities! I’ve been there twice now, and I’ve fallen more and more in love each time. I’d say its often overshadowed by the more popular European destinations like Paris, Rome, and all those other beautiful cities, but let me tell you, Lisbon should not be overlooked! I recommend spending at least 2-3 days there to get the full Lisbon experience. Here are some of my top recommendations.

What to Do

Wander the Streets of Alfalma

Alfama is one of the older districts of Lisbon, and it almost feels as if you’re being transported back to a time long forgotten. The streets are narrow and cobbled, and there are cute cafes and shops on every corner. I loved wandering around and just getting lost, exploring the many different alleyways and local artisan shops. There are TONS of hills, which can be tough, but often lead to some incredible views. Like this!

These streets are seriously magical. Love all the street art, clothes hanging to dry, and decorative tiles.

Tired of walking? Cobblestone killing your feet? Take one of the many cable cars that snake through the neighborhoods. And if those are too crowded, flag down a tuk tuk! Not only are they super fun, cheap, but they’re also the fastest way to get around the narrow streets of the city. Here’s a shot of us inside a tuk tuk :)

Holding on for our dear lives.

Visit Castelo de S. Jorge

A castle that sits on a hill that overlooks the entire city (as seen in the photo above)…so duh, yes you definitely have to check this out. Stunning views, and you can explore the castle walls and guard towers which is really neat. One of the best viewpoints of the city, and a great spot to have some wine while watching the sunset with a cutie like Harper.

Some Other Great Viewpoints/Sunset Spots

Lisbon is a hilly city, like I said, but the upside is that there are so many great spots to take in the sights. And they pretty much all have little vendors selling wine and beer. What more could you want?

Here were a couple of my favorites:

Miradouro da Graca

Miradouro de Santa Luzia

Truly some great photo ops. All your tile and red rooftops dreams.

Wander around Praca do Comercio

This area is filled with tons of shops, cafes, live music, and just a lot going on w/ tons of people. It can be a bit touristy, but I recommend going down to the waterfront, where there’s is a giant arch and a large public square. It’s nice to get out of the narrow streets, plus it is VERY beautiful.

Take a ride on the Santa Justa Lift

This is a beautiful lift built in 1902 in a Neo Gothic style. It essentially takes you up to a higher neighborhood in the city, due to the crazy hills. They just don’t build them now like they used to ;)

Park Eduardo VII

This is a giant park on a hilltop, with you guessed it, a great view of the city! So many stunning views. Loved the design of hedges that go all the way down to the bottom.

Belem Tower

Belem Tower is a beautiful old fortified tower from the Medieval days. Looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. You can even go up to the top and pretend you’re Rapunzel waiting for your prince ;) I recommend going in the early morning though, if you want to avoid the tourist crowds.

Padrao dos Descobrimentos

While at Belem Tower, I’d wander along the water a bit to also see this giant monument to Henry the Navigator (not to be confused with Dora the Explorer). Pretty stunning, plus it’s also a great spot to view Lisbon’s version of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Elevador da Bica

This is the iconic cable car you often see in a postcards of Lisbon. Gotta go for the gram of course ;) Its basically a narrow street on a VERY steep incline, w/ an adorable cable car. Plus at the top there are views of the ocean. I had to ask a few locals where I could find it, and eventually someone pointed me in the right direction.

Honestly I just wandered around a lot in AWE.

All the colors, the tile-work on the buildings, the cobblestone streets, the cable cars…Just a few more shots, because it’s so beautiful.

Oceanario de Lisboa

This place was amazing. Probably my favorite aquarium experience ever. Sharks and turtles and jelly fish, and PENGUINS! We spent a good half day exploring, and still felt like we didn’t see everything. There is also a fun telacabine outside that will take you high above the water, for yes, another amazing view of the city!

Where and What to Eat

First of all, get ready to eat lots and lots of Pasteis de Nata’s. Lisbon is famous for these delicious custard tarts. They are everywhere. You MUST try at least one when you visit.

A couple eating spots that stood out during our visit

Time Out Market

This is basically a giant food hall with tons and tons of great food/drink options from local chefs. It’s a fun environment, and we honestly came back here multiple nights because there were so many different dishes we wanted to try. Definitely worth a visit

BAIRRO DO AVILLEZ

Had an amazing meal here. If you’re looking for traditional Portuguese, then this is your spot. I recommend getting one of their charcuterie’s to share at the table.

D’Bacalhau

Famous for their cod dishes, which is another Portuguese specialty. So soooo good. The chef even came out to our table for a special cooking demonstration. Made for a really memorable dining experience.

Fauna & Flora

Cute spot for brunch, pastries and coffee in a hip neighborhood.

Where We Stayed

Lisbon Heritage Hotel

Loved staying here. Central to everywhere we wanted to be, and our room was truly massive. Check out these vaulted ceilings. Would stay there again 10/10 :)

All in all, we truly loved exploring Lisbon, and I highly recommend it to you all. If you need some more convincing, then check out this fun video we filmed with Tap Air Portugal for their Stopover Program. They had a film crew follow us around for a day, which was goofy, but also a really fun experience. But seriously, Lisbon is a beautiful city with a rich culture and history. Definitely add it to your list once it is safe to travel again :)