Everyone talks about the big name European cities: Barcelona, Rome, Paris...yet somehow Lisbon flies under the radar. Not totally under the radar mind you, there are still tourists in the city. It is just that not of a lot of people think of Lisbon, Portgual, as their first travel choice, which is a shame. On second thought maybe it is better this way. I would hate for Lisbon to end up like, Rome, which has more tourist traps than Gatlinburg, TN. It is not that I didn’t love Rome, I just don’t want Lisbon, Portugal cheapened by an overwhelming supply of selfie sticks and tourist menus.
Some places you automatically fall in love with as soon as you step foot off the plane. I felt that way about Santorini, Greece. There are other places that envelope you, until you wake up and feel like you’re home. Or at least what you would like home to be. Lisbon, Portgual was that place for me. Everyday of our trip, I liked the city more than the previous day, the food, the history, the atmosphere, it all just grabbed me, and in a good way (not in a creepy, kinda way..). Lisbon, Portgual has a ton to offer; whether you want to eat, go on one of the many day trips from Lisbon, eat, explore history, eat, go to museums or chow down there is plenty to do for entertainment.
First Impressions of Lisbon, Portugal
Admittedly, I was not impressed when we first drove into Lisbon, Portgual. Looking around, we must have either entered one of the few uglier areas of the city or we were starving, but it didn’t “wow’ me at first. I thought to myself, I have traveled too much, I am too used to foreign places. As we made our way to the top of the castle our hotel was in, I foresaw another problem.
Our first hotel was the Solar do Castelo, inside the castle walls of São Jorge Castle. Which was great in terms of service and beauty, but we walk a lot, and I knew the hilly area would wear at us more than a bit. After a very skillful cab driver navigated through the narrow streets and crowds we pulled onto the hotel grounds. The hotel itself was beautiful and on the interesting side with peacocks roaming the grounds. This was one of those things that was fun at first but got old quickly at night when they would squawk loud enough to wake you..
Dropping off our bags we made a B-line to Ramiro’s, the best seafood restaurant I have ever experienced. It is one of those spots that people dub a tourist trap, given it was featured on Somebody Feed Phil and No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. I am here to vouch for the spot, this is no tourist trap, and only was the beginning our eating adventure. This meal was the spark the trip needed, walking through the city it only got more beautiful (well, except for an ill- advised attempted walk to the Aquarium.)
The Great About Lisbon, Portugal: The Food (The Seafood)
Yes, there is plenty to eat outside of seafood, but why would you? Not eating seafood in Lisbon would be like going to a winery for beer. The seafood in Lisbon, Portgual is the star. Who knew it was possible to gain 16LBS on shellfish and octopus, but I did it. Of course, I am sure the bread, chocolate cake, barrels of wine/Port, and 100 or so pastels I ate helped nudge the scale up a notch. I loved the food in both Greece and Spain, I will say the Portuguese cuisine beat them both. I didn’t realize there were so many types of shrimp until I made it to Portugal. Some of these were so big they should have had a saddle. Within minutes I was a pro shrimp eater, with no qualms about sucking all the juice from the heads.
Speaking of eating sea creature’s heads, the octopus had their heads attached most of the time and they were delicious. The deliciousness kept going with clams, mussels, squid, and of course the national dish: cod. I really enjoy seafood, and I could use some now, but after ten days of it, I was looking for something to mix it up..
Luckily, I discovered the Bifano, a cheap pork sandwich that when paired with a beer makes a perfect breakfast. Look for the big pot of pork stirring in the window, throw two Euros down and enjoy your heart disease. (Add a little mustard or some Piri Piri sauce to complete the package, you’re welcome..)
Alcohol
After eating the sandwich and drinking the beer, a nice glass of Ginja helped loosen up my hunger for my next meal. These little shops are located throughout the city, for about 1 Euro you get a shot of cherry liquor, which you sip on (this isn’t a frat house). Get two or three, eat the cherry inside and you may be wondering why you’re dancing on a table. At night, if you aren’t drinking some their amazing wine, hit up the Port (fortified wine). Our first hotel was nice enough to continuously supply us with a carafe of Port every day. So as not to offend them, I did my best to finish it ..daily.
Pastel
I think I must, by Portuguese law, mention these desserts. These little crisp, egg-filled wonders are all over the city. Some were better than others, but they were all good. I found when eating them hot is better and cinnamon and sugar are a must.
There were too many great restaurants and dishes to mention in one section…I will end with this, if you still use the word foodie to describe yourself (it isn’t 2012 anymore), the city of Lisbon needs to be experienced.
The Great About Lisbon, Portugal: The History
The city is both older and newer then most in Europe. Older in the sense of pure age (it is the second oldest capital), but younger because in “recent history” a earthquake/fire/tidal wave destroyed most of the city. Of course, “recent” to Lisbon is still older than the United States, the earthquake hit in 1755. Even with this earthquake there are large parts of the city that are still extremely ancient. It wouldn’t be a city in Europe without wandering upon an old Roman Theater being dug up. This has happened so much I am starting to think these Roman ruins are plants that are put there to fool tourists.
The historical pieces might not be as well-known as others in Europe, but they are still spectacular. The Carmo Convent Ruins was my favorite find, the architecture was gothic and wrought with mystery as hidden in every corner was an interesting piece history, sarcophagus, frescos and mummified remains..Whether it is the Jerónimos Monastery, the Belem Tower, São Jorge Castle or just walking the streets of Alfama the city has history engulfed throughout the region. There are also numerous churches, because by European law there needs to be a beautiful church on every corner.
Second Impression
I really enjoyed Lisbon, Portgual on the first half of our trip. We took a break from giant shrimp and popped into Marrakesh, Morocco for two days. (If you want to, make it one of the more ambitious day trips from Lisbon, but that is pushing it..). Morocco was explained in my post in the link above, so I won’t go into detail here. I will just say we returned to Lisbon, Portgual with a whole new appreciation.
To Read TripAdvisor Reviews and Get Prices for the Villa Baixa Apartments Click Here!
I think the second half of the trip was what made us really fall in love with the city. Staying at the Villa Baixa Apartments helped, because the hotel was not only beautiful, it was convenient. It is also on flat ground. The Baixa neighborhood might be a bit more touristy than some of the other areas, but it is much easier to walk in than in Alfama. We were able to explore other neighborhoods like Barro Alto, as well as easily catching a cab to Belem.
The Great About Lisbon, Portugal: It is Beautiful
Not to get all soft on you, but this place is extremely easy on the eyes. Most places we walked had my head spinning. Yes, there was an ill-advised attempted stroll to the aquarium, that took us through some questionable neighborhoods. Take that out, and really this is the most beautiful city I have visited. First, you have the tiles on the sidewalks. I don’t even want to know how much this cost the Portuguese tax payer, but it makes my arms hurt. Looking up at the buildings themselves, they are covered in decorative tiles. It was as if you are walking through a museum.
Many of the streets empty into one of the numerous squares or parks with giant statues encompassing the area. Then you also have narrow roads of Alfama, trollies, waterfronts, cobble stone paths and random orange trees.
Add to that the views, Lisbon, Portugal is hilly, but on the plus side you never know when you will run into a beautiful overlook where you can see half the city. Let us not forget the most beautiful thing in the city…the seafood on your plate. I feel like I mentioned that last part already…
Day Trips from Lisbon, Portugal
We didn’t take any day trips from Lisbon, of course we did fly into another continent for two days so that counts for something. There are two trips that people kept bringing up when we were looking into days trips from Lisbon. First, Fatima, a very important religious site for Catholics, about 1 hour and 20 minutes away. This was the trip we wanted to take, but we couldn’t pull ourselves away from Lisbon again…
Sintra is the other day trip frequently mentioned, it is a resort town about an hour away from the city. There are villas, palaces, a castle, the whole place looks amazing. There are plenty of things to do in Lisbon, Portugal. If you are looking to get away, and not to Africa, these are two great options.
One Downside to Lisbon, Portgual: The Hills
By nature, I am walker when travelling. I like to take in as much of the city as possible on foot, because you never know what you will find. Some areas have ridiculously steep hills. Lisbon is still walk-able, but you will have calves that can crack open coconuts by the time you’re done. Add to the fact that Alfama is like finding yourself in Maze Runner having you walk in the wrong direction. Your shins, feet and anything else below the belt will need a few days to adjust to the stress. This is my only complaint, and it is really more of an observation.
Final Thoughts on Lisbon, Portgual
I am not going to lie to you, I was borderline depressed leaving Lisbon. Yes, maybe I was slightly excited about the prospect of seeing my feet again, since the food in Charlotte is so terrible. There is so much to miss about the Portugal. We left like we came in…on a rabid eating quest. First, we hit Ramiro one last time, pounding shrimp, clams and these little things in seashells. I was still full from the Michelin Star restaurant Alma from the night before, but I suffered through it!
We took the Santa Justa Lift, an underwhelming tourist experience, but it had to be done. Then we proceeded to make our only bad food choice of the trip. Looking for the famous Piri Piri Chicken, we turned to TripAdvisor. This brought us to a tourist trap, that had somehow found the oldest shrimp in the ocean along with a basic chicken dish.
Not wanting to end on a bad note we said we decided to go all in, ordering a fantastic giant seafood tray from a small restaurant near the convent, Mar ao Carmo. This would make Moby Dick sick of seafood, it was wonderfully gluttonous. Walking around the city, taking in the smells of bakeries, and the last sunset over the city, I knew I would be missing Lisbon with a visceral homesick nostalgia.. If you are looking for a city in Europe that gives you great food and culture, but with less of the touristy-feel, put Lisbon, Portugal on your list…but don’t let too many people know, lets keep it between friends..
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