I decided to go to Portugal at the last minute: I bought plane tickets and 20 days later I was leaving for Lisbon. I tend to always research cool things to do in countries I've never visited, but I had to improvise this time (with a little help from my brother and sister-in-law to give me the best tips!). And after spending 15 days there, I bring you the golden tips (and the "it's a trap!" too).
HOW TO GET THERE
If you are in Brazil, the airlines that have a direct flight are TAP, Azul and LATAM. But you can get to Portugal by connecting throughout Europe, and who knows, maybe take advantage of that and extend your stay in another country.
I took a direct flight from São Paulo to Lisbon via TAP, and despite being a little cramped (hello hello, economy class!), the food was quite acceptable. You can order a special meal - like the vegetarian one in my case - through the reservation number on the airline's website. It is worth remembering that if you are buying the ticket alone through the website, pay attention to the options, since the cheapest ones never have checked baggage.
WHERE TO STAY
I like to say that the best place to stay is where your budget allows it, and that being said, four cool neighborhoods to stay:
- Bairro Alto: for those who enjoy the nightlife, cool bars, clubs and restaurants.
- Chiado: for lovers of art and bohemia. Here you are in the ideal place to see museums, galleries, theater, as well as churches and monuments.
- Príncipe Real: the perfect place for calm and rest, surrounded by parks and with easy access to tourist attractions.
- Santa Maria de Belém: where I stayed, a little further from the center, but with transportation everywhere. It's a quiet neighborhood, great for families.
GETTING AROUND
Walking is always the best option. But to get around short distances, an Uber will do the trick. Now if you plan to take a lot of subways, buses and trains, I have two suggestions:
The Viva Viagem card is rechargeable, costs 50 euro cents and you can use it for up to one year. But beware that there are two types: one just for transport from the South and the other for the rest. Oh, and if you use Zapping to recharge, the ticket price is cheaper.
The Lisboa Card is a card that you buy and use for a specific period (24 hours, for example), and with it you can use all kinds of transportation (including trains to Sintra and Setúbal), as well as tickets to 39 museums/monuments/points of interest. It's always good to do the math to make sure it's worth it for you!
Tuktuks are also available, but negotiate very well before getting on them. Nobody wants to have a discussion about prices when they arrive at their final destination.
WHAT TO DO
Lisbon is for all tastes. And to make your visit easier, I've separated the itinerary by region, so you can make the most of your day, so choose comfortable shoes and get ready to walk.
Belém
Start the tour at Torre de Belém (you can enter the tower paying 6 euros, and tickets are sold there or through this website), and head through Jardim da Torre de Belém to Avenida Brasília, where you will walk for about 10 minutes to the Farol de Belém. It takes another 5 minutes to walk along the shore to reach Padrão do Descobrimento, the monument in honor of the navigator Henrique, and the Rose of the Winds etched on the floor. Now, just cross Praça do Descobrimento and you're already at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, which is beautiful monastery - and you have to pay to enter (tickets are available at the box office or on the website). Tip: on the side of the monastery there is the Church of Santa Maria de Belém, which is free, and there you'll find the tombs of Camões and Vasco da Gama. After all this walking, nothing better than stopping by Pastéis de Belém to taste the famous Portuguese sweet, which always comes out warm from the oven, also take the opportunity to order an Amarguinha to go with it, a delicious and cold almond liqueur. End the day at LxFactory, a place full of restaurants, shops and a beautiful bookstore called Ler Devagar.
Avenida Liberdade / Cidade Baixa / Cais do Sodré
You can do all of this route starting at El Corte Inglés, a department store that has a rooftop full of restaurants and a great supermarket below, or the other way around - and end there, having a drink on the rooftop. It's your choice! Go to Parque Eduardo VII and then to Praça Marquês do Pombal. From there, go down Avenida Liberdade, filled with trees, surrounded by designer stores, restaurants and cafes to stop and rest (and if you want a break from all the wanderings, there is Praça da Alegria, hidden from the avenue and super nice to sit for a while). The end of the avenue leads to Praça dos Restauradores with its monument, and in this square is the Elevador da Glória (a picturesque cable car that goes up a steep hill) and the Palácio Foz. If you go down Rua 1º de Novembro, you arrive at Praça Dom Pedro IV, which is surrounded by beautiful and cool things: the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, the fountain, the Mundo Fantástico da Sardinha Portuguesa (a nice present to take home, if you like fish), several restaurants and shops, and of course, Ginjinha. The famous Portuguese drink is sold in a little door that goes unnoticed, but is worth the pause for tasting. If you go down Rua Áurea, you will find the Elevador de Santa Justa (friendly tip: the queue is huge, the price is high and not really worth it, and if you want to see the upper part of the neighborhood, go up to the H&M store) and Convento do Carmo, a very interesting archaeological site. Turn left on Rua de São Nicolau until you reach Rua Augusta, where you will find Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau, where you can try the salty cod cake. If you continue on this street, you will come across the Rua Augusta Arch (which you can go up paying 3 euros) besides Praça do Comércio, Terreiro do Paço and Cais das Colunas. Walking along the river, towards Ponte 25 de Abril, you are in the Cais do Sodré area, so look for Pink Street (with its restaurants, bars, pink floor and hanging umbrellas) and then go to Mercado da Ribeira Time Out (with its 26 restaurants, 8 bars, more than a dozen commercial spaces and a concert hall). You can also try the pastel de nata at Manteigaria, another traditional place, to see which place in Lisbon has your favorite sweet.
Príncipe Real / Bairro Alto / Chiado
The Príncipe Real neighborhood used to be residential, but now there are bars, shops and restaurants nearby. You can start the tour of this region at the Botanical Garden, and head to the Príncipe Real Garden. Go to the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, to see the city from above, and continue on to Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara and to Largo Trindade Coelho, where the Church of São Roque is located. Here you are already in the Chiado neighborhood, with cool places and always full! I suggest a visit to Livraria Bertrand (the oldest in the world still in operation, open since 1732), and to the café A Brasileira in Chiado, which has a statue of the poet Fernando Pessoa. From there, just walk to Praça Luís de Camões. The tip to end the day is the bar Bica Sour (Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo, 31), with its excellent drinks, a pleasant atmosphere and tasty food.
Graça / Alfama / Castelo
Around here get ready to see many Miradouros (viewpoints), places that look like postcards and feel like you're back in the past. Warning to the unwary: there are many slopes and smooth sidewalks, so wear comfortable shoes. Start the day at the garden of Cerca da Graça and the Miradouro da Graça. Go down to the Castelo de São Jorge (tickets are available on the website or at the time, but you will find some queues), and walk through the ruins, the archaeological site, the exhibition and the viewpoint (be careful with the stone stairs that often don't have a handrail). You won't regret this tour if you like history! If you're still excited to see more viewpoints, head to the Miradouro do Reconhecimento and the Miradouro de Santa Luzia. Then visit the Sé de Lisboa, the church of Santo Antônio de Lisboa and the wall of flowers next to the church. Oh, and it is in this region that the Fado Museum and typical restaurants are located.
FINAL TIPS
Lisbon seems small, but it has many things to do, for all tastes. Plan ahead so you don't get lost like I did at the beginning!
Always wear comfortable shoes and clothes, the sidewalks are slippery, sometimes there is a cold wind at the end of the day and the city is full of hills.
If you want to buy an internet chip, there is a Vodafone store at the airport. There's usually a long queue, okay?
Enjoy the trip, the food, the view and the experience!
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