Lisbon, Portugal: Itinerary & Tips

Overview

Who// me, my mom, & my grandparents

What// a three-day stretch of our twelve-day vacation 

Where// lisbon, portugal

When// december 15-18, 2017

Why// when i studied abroad, lisbon was one of my friends' favorite destinations in all of europe, but i never made it there! we made it a priority on our spain/portugal trip. 

How// we took a 3-hour train from porto to lisbon 

My favorite photo I took in Lisbon. Captures the colors, history, and water. 

Details

Where to stay:

• Neighborhood// Bairro Alto 
• Airbnb// our Lisbon Airbnb was our favorite on the trip! Check it out here. 
• Hostel// Poet's Hostel, recommended by a friend

The view out my bedroom window in our Airbnb was insane.

What to eat:

• Breakfast// make your own eggs, fruit, fresh squeezed OJ
• Lunch// Paco Real 
• Lunch// Restaurante Cantinho da Rosa
• Lunch// LX Factory
• Lunch or Dinner// Time Out Market
• Dinner// ByTheWine
• Dinner// Bairro do Avillez

Incredible salted caramel dessert at Bairro do Avillez. A must. 

Really cool ambiance at ByTheWine.

Our spread at Bairro do Avillez! Served family style. 

What to do: 

• Sandeman's free walking tour
• Bike to Belem 
• Explore the LX Factory
• Take a tuk tuk tour 
• "Cooking Lisbon" cooking class
• Drinks at PARK bar
• Day trip to Sintra
• Go out on The Pink Street
• Couple more ideas courtesy of Refinery 29 here

A church in Lisbon's historic Alfama district, which we toured on our tuk tuk ride. 

The perfect three-day itinerary: 

Day 1: Walking Tour & Belem

• Make or grab a quick breakfast
•  Start with a free walking tour
  • We did Sandeman's New Europe, starting at 11 am 
  • ~15-30 euros suggested donation 
• Grab lunch at Paco Real 
  • Our tour guide took us here, just a few minute walk from Praco do Comercio
  • Order the house cod! Cod is a specialty in Lisbon 
  • ~10 euros 
• Bike to Belem 
  • Rent bikes at Lisbon Bike Rental (near Time Out Market) for nine hours 
  • Follow the bike path along the Tagas River to Belem
  • Check out the monuments, tower, and monastery in Belem
  • Take your time, grab coffee or a glass of wine at one of the waterfront cafes, maybe read a book in the park once you get to Belem
  • 15 euros 
• On the way back, stop at the LX Factory
  • About halfway between Belem and Lisbon 
  • Warehouses renovated into shops, boutiques, and an open air market
  • Tip: Allow at least an hour or two here, come hungry, and bring cash! 
  • Note: From the bike path, you have to cross a foot bridge over the train tracks to get to LX. There are bike rails on most of these bridges. Make sure to cross back over the bridge when you leave LX, as the paths get really narrow and are completely cobblestoned on the street side. Not enjoyable.
• Have dinner at Time Out Market
  • There are so many options here, but I had two delicious meals below: 
    • Henrique Sa Pessoa: Green pea soup with jamon & herb croutons, mushrooms stuffed with chorizo, topped with jamon & quail egg, and red wine

      • Gourmet delicious, healthy, filling...zero complaints

      • 15 euros

    • O Prego Da Peixaria: Wagyu beef with bacon, cheddar, & basil mayo, sauteed veggies

      • SO GOOD, but one of the only things in Europe that made my tummy hurt after

      • 11 euros

• Stop by Ginjinha Bar to try the establishment's namesake, ginjinha, which is a sour cherry liquor unique to Lisbon 

Chafariz do Carmo, an 18th-century fountain in the middle of a little town square. 

One of the monuments on the way to Belem.

Stop by the new MAAT museum, also on the way to Belem! 

Lisbon's fake castle peeking through an ancient alleyway. 

Little treats at the LX Factory.

And amazing ceramics like I've never seen before. 

Your walking tour ends at Praca do Comercio, right on the water. During Christmas, there's a big tree in the center!

Lunch at Paco Real of house cod, veggies, salad & white wine. 

Dinner at Henrique Sa Pessoa of soup, mushrooms, & red wine. 

Day 2: Tuk Tuk Tour & Cooking Class

• Make or grab a quick breakfast
• Explore and shop 
  • Likely, you'll have passed a ton of cute stores and shops at this point in your explorations. Make sure to give yourself some time in Lisbon to take full advantage of the fashion and hand made goods! 
• Get lunch at Restaurante Cantinho da Rosa
  • Recommended by our tour guide as a local, yummy, and affordable spot in Bairro Alto
• Grab a tuk tuk in any of the popular tourist areas
  • They're available down by the waterfront in Praca do Comercio or near the Armazéns do Chiado shopping mall 
  • Go for a tour that explores the Alfama and more historic Lisbon. Ask your driver to take you to the highest point in the city at sunset, and down the Avenida da Liberdade if it's during Christmas-time. Trust me on this one. 
  • If you're lucky like us, you'll have a driver that doubles as a tour guide. He even dropped us off at our cooking class at the end of our ride :')
  • 40 euros total 
• For dinner, take a cooking class at “Cooking Lisbon” 
  • We were the only people in our class (winter in Europe smh), but still a good idea to sign up beforehand
  • For our meal, we made yummy duck/chicken croquettes, potato cabbage soup, cod fish casserole, & a light, fluffy cake. We drank lots of wine, too!
• Finish your night with a city-view drink at PARK Bar
  • On the top/sixth floor of an active parking structure
  • Very young & hip, but I also saw backpackers & families come through, so I think everyone is welcome
  • Includes a glassed-in bar, plastic encased area, and outdoor rooftop view
  • Tip: Need to take the dingy metal elevator to the fifth floor and walk the rest of the way up to the sixth floor

Awesome Portuguese shop called Feeting Room. 

Street view of downtown Lisbon. We finally found the blue sky here! 

A tram transports people up the steep hills of Lisbon. The graffitti is a staple of the country. 

Incredible view from the highest point in the city. Our tuk tuk driver took us here to watch the sunset. 

Cooking Lisbon course #1: cabbage soup with duck croquettes.

Cooking Lisbon course #2: codfish with potatoes. 

Cooking Lisbon course #3: light & fluffy Portuguese cake. 

The view from PARK Bar's rooftop. Not a great photo, but you can still feel the cool vibes of this place! 

Day 3: Day Trip to Sintra

• Make/grab a quick breakfast
• Meet your tour group at the prescribed location 
  • We didnt actually have time to do Sintra (le sigh), and I'm sad about that
  • I know you can book this through Sandeman's New Europe, who we did our walking tour with
• Spend the day exploring Sintra
  • I have the below synopsis from a friend: 
  • There’s bunch of different castles and old forts etc. Through my tour group we only saw two, which apparently are the only two that are really worth seeing:
    • Sintra Pena Castle: Beautiful, old, colorful castle with great views. 20 minute hike to the best ones, so wear comfy shoes.
    • Quinta a Regaleira: Historic estate with a romantic palace and chapel. You can walk through their amazing gardens with grottos/caves built in. Very cool. 
• Get dinner at Bairro do Avillez
  • Recommended by the Airbnb host
  • Huge space, including a restaurant, bar, patio, etc.
  • Somewhat touristy/upscale Portuguese, but fun and delicious

Never stop getting fresh squeezed OJ! These machines are everywhere, including grocery stores & the airport!

Action shot of Mom & I from our walking tour. I need to get better at posing for photos. Until then, it will be selfies. 

World's cutest grandparents, taken at dinner at Bairro do Avillez.

Why you'll love it:

• Shopping. It's just excellent here. Make sure you leave room in your bag. 
• Veggies. It's not always easy to work these in while traveling, but I didn't have trouble at all in Lisbon!
• Climate. This was the farthest south and closest to the water we got on our trip, meaning it was the most temperate. This mattered very much to us after spending three frigid days in Madrid and two rainy ones in Porto.
• History. Their colorful streets are full of history. Even though most of the city was leveled in an earthquake in 1755, Portugal remained neutral during WWII, meaning much of their recent history remains intact. 
• Reminiscent. If you've spent any time in San Francisco, Lisbon is kind of a trip. They're so similar! The red bridge, the marina built on nothing, the earthquake that leveled the city, all the hills and trams, the temperate climate and colorful homes...it's kind of crazy the commonalities between the two. I had fun comparing and contrasting. 

If you're thinking about traveling to Portugal, check out my post on everything Porto here! For more travel guides as they come, sign up for monthly email updates.

Spain & Portugal in the Winter: Packing List

Details

Destinations: Barcelona // Madrid // Porto // Lisbon // Frankfurt

Season: Winter, December 

Weather: Consistently sunny & cold. High of 60 degrees, low of 25. Some rain/snow.

Length: Two Weeks (14 days)

A slightly less bundled look in Porto.

Realizing I look like a huge nerd here, I got this coat to stay warm and get in on the pink/shag trend I was seeing in Europe.

Packing List

Note that I fit all of the below into a carry on-sized suitcase and Northface backpack, but totally forgot to leave room for shopping! Spain & Portugal have amazing clothes at super low prices. I got so much stuff it almost didn't fit in my bag home. 

Also note that if you're using Airbnb, you'll likely have access to a washing machine. This might allow you to bring fewer undergarments, etc. All our Airbnb's had a washing machine, but no dryer. 

Biking in Lisbon! Definitely didnt need this heavy or long of a jacket.

Clothing

• Underwear x 14
• Socks x 14
• Regular bra
• Bralettes 
• Black jeans
• Dark blue jeans
• Light blue jeans
• Army green leggings
• Long grey overcoat
• Heavier waterproof jacket
• Long cardigan
• One active outfit (sports bra, leggings, top)
• One travel outfit (leggings, crewneck, long cardi, socks)
• White sneakers
• Black high tops
• Thigh high boots (only if comfy!)
• Tops x 7
  • Turtleneck x 2
  • T-shirt 
  • Tank top
  • Sweater x 2
  • Denim shirt
  • Going out top 
• Blanket scarf
• Beanie 
• Thin gloves
• Pajamas
• Fold-top crossbody bag
• Optional (if you will be going out at all):
  • Leather jacket
  • Black leather skirt
  • Black tights
  • Close toed booties

Electronics

• Adapter plug - I FORGOT THIS ! 
• Phone (& charger)
• Portable charger
• Headphones
• Laptop (& charger)
• Fitbit

Toiletries

• Toothbrush & paste
• Floss
• Hairbrush
• Hair ties & pins
• Face wash & lotion
• Razor (head detached and stowed separately)
• Probiotics
• Tums
• Prescriptions 
  • Sleeping pills (for the long flight)
  • BC
  • Antibiotics (it's really common to get UTIs on a plane, so doctors can proactively prescribe you antibiotics in case this happens. Better safe than sorry!)

Important/Misc.

• Passport 
• ID
• Credit/debit cards
• Travel journal (you can do this on your laptop if you don't have room!)
• Books/Kindle 
• First aid kit
• Travel umbrella 
• Eye mask
• Ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones
• Neck pillow
• Reusable water bottle 

Prep

• Call credit & debit card banks to let them know you'll be traveling
• Call telecom provider to let them know you'll be traveling.
  • Ask about "Travel Pass" if you have Verizon! $10/day unlimited talk and text. 
• Create a centralized basic itinerary on Google Docs & download to your phone.
  • Print out a copy to keep on hand in case you lose your phone.
  • Include all confirmation numbers and contact information for each flight, accommodation, and reservation.

Beanie, blanket scarf, leather, jeans & converse worked in Porto, except for when it rained :) 

If this kind of packing list is helpful to you, check out my other lists here & subscribe to my monthly newsletter below! 

Why You Need to Go to Porto & What to Do

The view below from the famous Luis I Bridge. I love the contrast of this photo. Cant enough of the street art here. 

Porto was our favorite city on our Spain/Portugal trip. Even though it rained the full two days we were there and our Airbnb host was 30 minutes late to let us in to the apartment, we were infatuated with the little city’s charm and history. Everyone in the family is already plotting their trip back. 

Obsessed with the colors of this city. Also shot on our raining walking tour. 

The Duoro river, viewed from the Porto side of the Ponte Luis I. 

Overview

Who// me, my mom, & my grandparents

What// a two-day stretch of our twelve-day vacation (not long enough!)

Where// porto, portugal

When// winter; december 13-15, 2017

Why// i've recently started hearing about porto as a must-visit destination in portugal, so thought we'd check it out 

How// we took a one-hour flight from madrid to get to porto (~50 euros/person)

Mom, Grandma, & I on top of the famous bridge. Everyone thinks it was designed by Gustav Eiffel, but it's his student who deserves the credit.

Details

Where to stay:

• Airbnb// We loved our place in Porto! Check it out here.
  • Only complaint was that it was a little outside the hustle & bustle. Next time, we mind consider staying closer to the waterfront, where most of the action is. 
  • Also, due to this being an old building, the circuits would blow if we had too many heaters plugged in. We made do, but just something to keep in mind! 
  • ~30 euros/night/person

Another beautiful, spacious, and cheap Airbnb in Porto. 

Where to eat:

• Breakfast// make your own eggs, jamon, coffee, pastries
• Lunch// O Caravela
• Lunch// Cafe Santiago
• Dinner// Braganca
• Dinner// Sai Cao Restaurante

Cheap and delicious typical Portuguese lunch at Caravela. 

Traditional Portuguese sandwich called Francesinha. Described by our tour guide as a "croque monsieur on steroids."

Incredible 7-euro meal at Sai Cao Restaurante in Porto! Yes, that's garlic butter. Yes, the wine is included, and it comes in a caraffe. 

What to do:

• Porto Walkers Free Walking Tour
• Ramos Pinto Port Wine Cellar Tour & Tasting 
• Teleferico Ride over Gaia
• Walk the Gaia/Porto riverfront
• Vist Lello Livraria
• Shop on Santa Catarina

The walking tour starts inside the Porto train station with an explanation of the beautiful tiles that Portugal is known for. 

Tons of abandoned and boarded up buildings in the Porto city center. You find out why & how the city is combatting this on the walking tour. 

Ponte Dom Luis I over the Duoro river. This was an architectural feat at it's time of construction & remains an icon of Porto. 

The perfect two-day itinerary:

Day 1

• Make or grab a quick breakfast 
• Start your day with the free walking tour, end on the riverfront 
  • 10-20 euros suggested donation 
• Grab lunch at Caravela, just up the street 
  • I got the soup of the day, chicken with rice, potatoes & salad, tea, and water and it was unbelievably good. I also had leftovers. Ambiance is typical Portuguese pub/cafe.
  • < 10 euros per person
• Walk the Porto riverfront, across the famous bridge, & along the Gaia riverfront
• Stop into the Ramos Pinto port wine cellar for a tour & tasting
  • Make sure to arrive before 4:30 pm, which is their last tour time 
  • Get the port tasting flight & have fun filling out the tasting cards (color, aroma, taste), as I believe it enhances the tasting experience :)
  • 15 euors
• Go across the street to the Teleferico for a ride over the city
  • 6 euros
• Possibly hit a few other port cellars, as they're all located along the Gaia waterfront 
• Walk or Uber over to Sai Cao Restaurante for dinner 
  • Another insanely delicious Portuguese meal of steak, fries, rice, salad, and wine. More leftovers. 
  • 7 euros
• Grab a bottle of Portuguese wine & finish your night relaxing at home 
  • We loved JP Azeitao Red, which is a three-grape blend out of Portugal. 
  • 3 euros

Port wine tasting at Ramos Pinto is a must. 

Inside Ramos Pinto Port Wine Cellar; not many people in the winter! 

Walk across the street from the port cellars to find the Teleferico.

Ladies of the family participating in the port wine tasting. Grandma eventually asked me to stop smizing for family photos. 

Day 2

• Make or grab a quick breakfast
• Spend the morning shopping on Santa Catarina 
  • I found my new pink shag jacket at Pull & Bear, a Spanish retailer out of the Zara conglomerate. I also got a cute army green pinafor there :) 
• Stop by the Majestic Cafe 
  • This is the oldest cafe in Porto and very ornate inside. Extremely overpriced for lower quality, so best to just stop in for a look. 
• Lunch at Cafe Santiago 
  • Go for the aforementioned Francesinha or “croque monsieur on steroids,” which is a traditional lunch in Porto.
• Walk to the Lello Livraria & check it out 
  • JK Rowling lived in Porto for some time and was even married to a Portuguese man (also just for some time). Rumor has it that she drew a lot of inspiration for Harry Potter based on this library and the university located next door. 
  • 4 euros for entry, which you can deduct from the purchase of a book 
• Explore the area, possibly hit one of the many museums in Porto 
• Dinner at Braganca 
  • Recommended by our walking tour guide
  • Traditional Portuguese food
  • ~10 euros per person 

Walking into Lello Livraria.

Beautiful, ornate winding staircase in the livraria.

View of Lello from the top floor. I spent a good hour here just picking up books and reading them in the little love seats. 

Why you'll love it: 

• Wifi is posted everywhere in Porto, so no feeling like an annoying tourist (& crap person) having to ask for it all the time. 
• Everyone speaks at least a little English, so it's easy to get by. If you know a little Spanish, it's even easy. 
• Probably the best looking people of our trip were found in Porto. Our Airbnb host was even an actor on a Portuguese TV show! 
• The food here is SO cheap, yummy and just overall great value. 
• The city is so charming with it's colorful houses, beautiful waterfront and tiled everything. It all feels very storybook. 
• Basically, this feels like one of those recently discovered European gems. I think in a few years it will have gone through a lot of renovation to accommodate their rise in tourism. My suggestion would be to go sooner than later, so you can experience some of the authentic Porto. 

Hello it's me I had to buy this fuzzy coat because it was so cold in Europe! 

More street art! Portugal - but especially Porto - is filled with it. A lot of these characters were themes throughout the city. 

Walking under the Ponte Luis, all lit up at night. 

Porto is SUCH a magical and romantic city. I'm not even sad that I went with my grandparents, just sad that my grandpa was sick during our time there, so him and Grandma couldn't walk around holding hands (like they always do). I for one plan to come back for a special anniversary. 

If you're hanging out in Portugal for a little longer, definitely check out my Lisbon Itinerary for the perfect three-day stay. You will not want to miss the European city that reminds me of San Francisco.