Lisbon has quickly become one of my favorite European cities next to Barcelona, I definitely have a thing for coastal cities! I didn’t stay here very long but truly enjoyed every moment exploring this beautiful place. Check here for your visa requirements.
Flights
TAP Portugal has many flights leaving from Miami and offers many deals throughout the year. The flight is about 8 hours long from Miami and can cost you less than $600 round trip. TAP isn’t the most comfortable airline with strict bag rules but you can’t go wrong with this deal!
Accommodation
As most of you know, I am a loyal SPG member (I hope you’ve signed up for that SPG Amex by now!) but do sometimes try to stay in small boutique hotels as they tend to give the best value for money in many destinations and are located in small neighborhoods. In Lisbon I stayed at Hotel White, an affordable hotel with breakfast included. The hotel is also close to all subway lines making it easy to get around the city and from the airport for less than €10 each. Taxis and even Uber from the airport is almost three times the price. The area also has many restaurants, cafes, shopping and located near the Hop on Hop Off bus line.
Where to eat
Portas Do Sol is a cute sandwich shop to visit for lunch with stunning views of Lisbon roof tops. There are also many other places in the area to eat and drink cheap wine, another great thing about Lisbon! Bica do Sapato is a fine dining restaurant on the water, with amazing food and impeccable service, recommended for a romantic dinner!
Things to do in Lisbon
We only had 48 hours in Lisbon to visit all these amazing locations so we opted to hire a private driver for the day to take us around. However, you can get to all these locations using Uber or the train. If you are interested in a local guide you can find a few on With Locals.
Ride the cable cars
Enjoy breathtaking views of the Lisbon coastline by riding the cable cars! There are two places to catch the cable cars, North & South station. We boarded at the South station located within Nations Park and stopped for a quick ice cream afterwards! The ride itself is only about 20 minutes long but really shows you a wonderful coastal view of the city.
Visit Belem
The Belem district is located along the coastline and hosts many iconic landmarks along with historical sites. The perfect place for photos! Take some time to walk along the Tagus River, visit Belem Tower and the Tropical Botanical Garden. You can also opt for a bike tour which will take you around to all these locations and provide a guide.
Cristo Rei
The Sanctuary of Christ the King is a Catholic monument overlooking the city of Lisbon situated across the Tagus River in the city of Almada. The statue is similar to the famous statue Cristo Rei in Brazil and allows you to take an elevator plus a few steps up to the top.
Take some time to enjoy the stunning Lisbon views from the top or just relax on the grass and enjoy the ambiance of the place. Here’s where you’ll get a chance to view the iconic Abril bridge modeled after the famous San Francisco bridge in California.
Ride the Elevador
Taking the Elevador (Tram) in Lisbon is another popular thing to do in the city and and easy way to travel from downtown to uptown. Take the Elevador Santa Justa, the only vertical tram in the city for the most authentic experience. At the top of the tower you can explore the observation deck with a beautiful view of the city and river.
Viewpoint of Santa Catarina
Looking for a place with amazing sunset views, cheap wine & local music? This is it! These stunning views will remind you of the San Fransisco bay and are not to be missed. You can take a Tuk Tuk here for just a few Euros, another fun experience riding through the city!
Pink street
Pink street is a rugged part of town with numerous bars and small clubs where young people go on the weekends. A bit grungy for my liking, but take a walk and see what it’s like! You can go here for a late night drink or snack to mix with locals and get a feel for the nightlife in the city.
Sintra, a must do in Portugal!
About a 30-45 min drive outside of Lisbon, we took an Uber to Sintra which cost about €23 euros each way. Uber drivers are very nice and friendly in Lisbon, but some do not speak much English. You will have to leave Lisbon early (we left at 7:30am) to get there just before they open at 9am. Getting here early will give you a chance to beat the crowd, Sintra can get full with large buses full of tourist quick! Entrance to the palace is €12 for adults, tickets can be purchased in advance online (5% discount offered) or at the park, all major credit cards are accepted. Once inside, you can either walk up to the palace (30 min walk) or purchase a bus ticket for €3. We took the bus as the walk was pretty long and a steep uphill climb.
We were only able to visit Pena palace as our time was limited but there are other castles to visit in the area, Quinta da Regaleira, Castle of the Moors and many more. All these tickets are available for purchase online.
After Pena palace we rode a Tuk Tuk down to the town of Sintra, quite the experience! Don’t leave Sintra without visiting Casa Piriquita bakery to savor the famous custard pies, super yummy and amazing! Take some time to walk around the town a bit, enjoy some shopping the the quirky colorful streets.
Things I missed
Try to make it to Porto if you can, you’ll have the opportunity to visit wineries and soak in all the beauty Lisbon has to offer!
Video Blog
Take a visual journey into our trip! Checkout this Vlog produced by Roger B Stillz.
