The Perfect Day in Lisbon
I moved to Portugal by accident.
I first came to Lisbon with the intention of staying for one month. I had heard so many wonderful things about Portugal for years - It’s beautiful, It’s sunny, It’s cheap. After years of listening to friends and family rave about Europe’s San Francisco, I couldn’t help but take it upon myself to explore.
Now that I have completely fallen in love with the city and been residing here for a year and change, I have some great news to share:
It is beautiful
It is sunny
It is cheap (relative to the rest of Europe)
While I will continue to dive into the wonders of Portugal in blog posts to come, I wanted to start off with a guide for what I consider to be my perfect day in Lisbon. It’s my perfect day because it might not be a good fit for a tourist who only has a few days in the city. I also certainly wouldn’t claim it’s a “local’s itinerary”, because that’s just simply not true. This is my perfect day in Lisbon as a slow traveler, one who enjoys leisurely tourism and taking in the beauty of the city.
The day starts with waking up to sunshine (at least it does 300 out of 365 days of the year). From there, I head downtown to enjoy breakfast on my terrace of choice. The beauty of Lisbon is that the downtown area is overflowing with trendy new cafes, and I have yet to find one I dislike. Despite the overwhelming number of delicious spots to choose from, as a creature of habit, I typically pick one of my favorites:
Neighborhood | Highlights: Breakfast Burritos, Banana Bread, Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict
Do Beco | Highlights: Pastries, Shakshuka, Beef Tartare, Pistachio Butter
Heim Cafe | Highlights: Great spot for a healthier breakfast, but beware, on weekends they can have quite a wait time
From there, if I can find the room in my stomach, I mosey on up to Boutique Doce (R. da Lapa 22, 1200-700 Lisboa) for a Pastel de Nata (or 3), which is probably the most local recommendation I have to offer. There are a million suggestions for the “best” or most “authentic” Pastel de Nata out there. The best one that I have found so far is at this tiny little spot. There is barely anywhere to sit and you would walk right past it if you weren’t paying attention, but that’s what’s special about it to me. I typically take a few Pastel de Natas to go, and then I head to the river. Warning: this particular location is quite out of the way and it’s up a giant hill, so if I’m too lazy to climb up the hill, I settle for the Manteigaria Pateis de Nata at the Time Out Market. Once my natas are in hand, I head to the river.
Lisbon sits along Rio Tejo (the Tagus River). I snag a lounge chair at Quiosque Rebeira das Naus. The quiosque is a casual spot where you can bring a book, grab a drink, and soak in the sun. While I could sit there for hours watching the sailboats float by, I find it in myself to venture on to the next activity.
I then head up to Mercado de Campo de Ourique, and pick up some fresh veggies, fruits, and snacks for happy hour. While my selection varies depending on the seasonal offerings, I always found myself picking up nuts from Frutos Secos de Mercado. At this point, their barbeque peanuts have become an addiction. I grab a few light snacks at the market and head to Erva D’Ouro Experiências. This is a small gourmet grocery store that has tastings every Saturday. Whether it’s coffee, honey, wine, or olive oil, they always have impeccable new products to showcase. So far, my favorites are their local mushrooms and a fig and honey jam that I picked up a few weeks ago. Once I have all my snacks together, I take to the park or to my terrace to enjoy a light happy hour with friends. If I had visitors in town, I would enjoy this happy hour on a sunset boat cruise instead. It’s one of the best ways to see the city.
Once the evening rolls around, I find myself heading out again for yet another food adventure. For dinner, I go to Tricky’s. In my opinion, it is hands-down the best restaurant in Lisbon. The atmosphere is casual but their small shareable plates are absolutely out of this world. The staff treats one another like family, and they make you feel right at home. Note: I strongly recommend making a reservation.
If the night continues, I tackle the hills once again and either find myself at Black Sheep, which is a friendly neighborhood wine bar with an excellent selection of low-intervention wines, or I end up at a neighboring bar, Imprensa. This spot is an intimate cocktail & oyster bar that bumps old-school hip-hop music. If I’m feeling ambitious, why not both? Both bars offer an excellent opportunity to connect with new people.
Lisbon is not only full of incredible food and wine, but it’s also full of incredible people. I find myself returning to these spots over and over again because the staff and the patrons are always embracing travelers with a warm welcome. Wherever you choose to go, I encourage you to go with an open mind and embrace the incredible city that is Lisbon, Portugal.
