During our quick sojourn in Lisbon, we ended up only scratching the surface, but even that is exhausting because the city feels pretty on-the-go. Dinner, like everywhere in the Iberian peninsula starts late and afterwards there is the optional going out to the clubs, etc. for the party animals. There is a lot to see by foot and nothing beats a late night stroll down to see the central mall of stores and restaurants, a good tour starts at the Praça de Dom Pedro IV and terminates in the busy Praça do Comercio with a great nighttime view of the sea.
There are a few reasons you should go to Lisbon in 2017. First, it’s fun and it’s safe, as the locals will tell you. Besides pickpockets, there aren’t too many criminals willing to mess with the city’s bread and butter tourist economy. Secondly, in Western Europe, you will be hard-pressed to find a cheaper destination than Portugal (though Lisbon is naturally one of the more expensive cities there). Third, the people are friendly, albeit a tiny bit fed up with tourists, but “obrigado” goes a long way here.
Recommended walk from the Praça de Dom Pedro IV to the Praça do Comercio.
We stayed right on the Praça de Dom Pedro IV and that was a perfect location, right in the center of everything and close to transit at Rossio Station.
It is apparent that the majority of the people in the city at this time of year are tourists. In 2016, and even more so in 2017, Lisbon was one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. So finding a local is difficult.
Depending on where your style of travel falls between “sightseeing” vs. “like a local” travel, there is always a great deal you will miss if you don’t just settle somewhere. Fortunately, Sophie’s travel style and my own differ just enough to give us a dynamic travel experience. We both like to wander and explore the lifestyle of a place: see a local grocery store, or eat what the locals eat, or wander without a specific destination. Sophie also likes to see attractions and, fortunately for me, usually they are the interesting or mandatory ones. For those that refuse to do anything “touristy”, beware that sometimes you’re missing out if you don’t see that castle or that “really famous thing” because it might just be worth fighting a throng of tourists to see it.
The view from Castelo de São Jorge offers an excellent panorama of Lisbon
Five Things to Do in Lisbon in 2017
1) Walk the Old Town & climb up on the castle (Castelo de São Jorge) for a panorama of Lisbon
Seeing a Moorish castle and the collection of artifacts that tell the often overlooked tale of the all-important influence of the Moors on Iberian culture and language is too good to miss. Even if, like me, you think you’ve seen enough castles already and they pretty much look the same — think again. The Saõ Jorge Castle sitting atop a promontory overlooking the entirety of Lisbon, with a good view of the sea and the surrounds, is worth the hike up the hill. As our verbose Airbnb host remarked to us, “You cannot appreciate the castle without the climb.” He was right.
We were lucky enough to see the castle out our window (from our five story walk-up with its quirky decorations, including a missing wall covered with an artsy curtain). If you’re able, do take the climb up the hill through the old town and through the other neighborhoods along the way (depending on your route). No matter which way you go, you might get a bit lost, but you’ll get great views of the city and you’ll pass all kinds of adorable (and hilariously ugly) buildings and shops along the way, such as several stores dedicated to canned fish. Lisbon seems pretty safe and we only had one bad experience including threats of violence there, and it was in the very touristy plaza of all places.
There is a lot of interesting street art on the way to the Castelo de São Jorge
Two tips before climbing: 1) Don’t wear flip flops, you’ll slide on the stone and burn your feet. 2) Learn more about the Moors before you go up, so you’ll better understand the historical context. Many of the historical sites in Portugal offer no information about the site except tiresome audio guides and poor English translations. I suggest you read up, so you can pedantically impress your group with historical facts of various military campaigns and occupations that shaped Portugal’s history.
A view of one of the many sloping streets in the Barrio Alto neighborhood where traditional Fado music lives
2) Fado
This is another touristy thing, but it is a must see. I was skeptical of the entire thing, being fully aware that now traditional Portuguese Fado music only really exists as a niche industry for tourists. In some ways, this is good, because if Fado was lost to the world, it would be a crime against music, so support it: go and see a Fado show. You should expect to pay as much as you would to see a cheap concert because most of the restaurants will rip you off until they’ve made enough to pay their ample staff and underappreciated musicians. This might mean compulsory drinks and sly bread and olives on the table. Like getting into a taxi anywhere, be sure to establish the price first and make sure there are no hidden charges. Beware the bait-and-switch. Some menus, shown by a friendly maitre’d outside to lure you in, will have different prices when at a table inside.
When you do select a place, you’ll know right away when the performance begins if you chose well. Is it heart-wrenching? Does the singer’s voice translate the sorrow and heartache through a language barrier? At the unremarkable restaurant we found, the food was terrible, but the music was worth it all. The singer’s smoky, mournful voice and her two ancient, but lively accompanying musicians, on guitar and Portuguese guitar (Mandolin-like folk guitar), conveyed incredible tales of woes tinged with a light hopefulness, the haunting sound of which I won’t soon forget.
The walk to the Fado bars, most of which are conveniently located in the Barrio Alto, is also not to be missed. The neighborhood is on an elevated slope and the little restaurants and apartments are crammed together between cobbled streets. The area is full of music and life and is more than worth spending half an hour before Fado just exploring. You’re likely to find a nice little wine bar to have a bit of tapas before your show. We found a great little place near the Barrio Alto when wandering one night, it was called Robertine’s and the proprietor had moved to Lisbon from Denmark, styling the interior of the bar like a ship, in homage to the Portuguese explorers who, like her, had settled in distant places.
If it sounds like too much to enjoy this semi-authentic Portuguese cultural experience, just head down to Praça do Comercio and you’re sure to hear some excellent street music along the way or as you sit on the steps that lead down the inlet.
A local alcohol made from sour cherries and first fermented with the assistance of a monk
3) Eat and drink local
While you can get pasteis de natas in other parts of Portugal, the best are clearly in Lisbon. While the prices may be a bit higher, it will be worth it for the flaky crusts filled with butter-smooth custard. Near the main square, I recommend the Fabrica de Nata. Get a cafe com laite and a few natas and enjoy watching as the odd little custard creations are made by hand.
The Nata Factory near Rossio station has excellent Natas and very good coffee
Later, when you’re feeling more adventurous, you can try Ginjinha, a liquor made from fermented sour cherries. There’s a spot, A Ginjinha, where the locals, and tourists alike go, but it’s easy to miss as it is a literal hole-in-the-wall. Give it a try, you know when in Lisbon…
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4) Beach culture of Estoril
At least half a day should be dedicated to seeing the beach at Estoril. Though many travel books and sites recommend Cascais, the last stop on the metro line to the west of Lisbon, it’s even more mobbed and touristy than Estoril in our opinion. Estoril is the site of a casino, purportedly the inspiration for Fleming’s Casino Royale, but don’t go for the casino unless you actually want to gamble, there’s nothing to see here that you can’t see in Biloxi or in Ladbrokes for that matter. Instead, take a walk down the the beach at Estoril and rent an umbrella. For 15 euros or so, you can relax in front of the clear blue water and the happy splashing of large clans of tourists and locals alike. It’s a beautiful beach, though when we went it was too cold (for us) to swim despite the flaming sand. Apparently some thought we were wimps.
The place may be mobbed with tourists, but it is worth a visit–and photogenic
5) Sintra
If you’ve looked into the day trip to Sintra, you know that going on the weekend is like trying to visit Graceland on Elvis’s birthday. We went on a weekday, and the crowds were close to Disneyland level. While I am conflicted about recommending Sintra as a destination, keep in mind even as I suggest it, this beautiful little city is painfully touristy. Everything is marked up in price and everything has been spit on and stepped on before. Still, the theme-park like hike up the mountain to the castle and the palace are very much worth the trek. On the windy top of the ancient castle, you’ll get a thrill from having your hat blown off and revelling in the views offered from every angle as Portugal spans out before you.
The castle is worth going to Sintra for, just read up on the history first
You’ll also get a thrill trying not to fall to your death because there are no handrails (also an interesting study in American vs. European parenting styles where American parents would never let little Aidan climb on those parapets without guardrails). The price of admission for both attractions will be steep. Personally, I enjoyed the castle, but others might be inclined to see the palace, which also offers incredible views atop the hill. For those who just don’t have the climb in them anymore, stick to taking an over-priced tuk tuk for a white-knuckled ride to the top. Sophie was intrigued by the 1912 mansion by Italian opera set designer too, so there’s really something here for everyone. Just remember to avoid Sintra on or near the weekend!
These are the things we saw and we can definitely recommend, but please comment or let us know if you think we left something out. That way we can check it out on our next visit.
-Brian
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