24-hours in a city may not seem like a lot of time and, don’t get me wrong, it’s not. But if you have a game plan for what you want to see and do, you can definitely make the most of it!
A friend and I were in Lisbon, Portugal for under 24-hours. We took a train from Lagos in the morning of June 1st and on June 2nd we were flying back home to New York.
On the train we mapped out our day, trying our best to connect to Wi-Fi, frivolously googling what there was to do and trying to arrange the time we had in the best way possible. In the end, we got a good dose of culture and saw some Lisbon hot spots that I’ve always wanted to share.
STAY:
Our train arrived in arrived in Lisbon around noon and we jumped right into a cab to check into our hotel. We were staying at the Sheraton Lisboa which was absolutely stunning and in such a great location!
The staff was so friendly and, bonus, none of them gave me a hard time when I rolled in still wearing sand coated overalls from the beach that morning. While Lindsay checked-in, I wandered my denim overall wearing self over to a table in the lobby where I grabbed a glass champagne and a delicate truffle–OK, 4 delicate truffles. Chances of me looking homeless = 100%.
After we checked in, we headed up to our room, popped some champagne, “oohed and ahhed” at the view from our window and then headed on out to enjoy the day.
LUNCH:
Our first stop was Mercado da Ribeira (also known as Time Out Market) for a late lunch. If you’re a foodie, then you should check this place out. With rows of food stalls featuring local cuisine from starters and entrees to dessert and coffee, the mercado had something for everyone. Stop by Monte Mar for their prawns, indulge in a unique cocktail from Cinco e Meio and top off your meal with a slice of decadent cake from Nós é mais Bolos.
THE SITES:
After lunch, we tried to catch some of the sites before the sunset and found that the best way to see this city was by Tram. These bright yellow Trams were built in the 1930’s and, while many may argue that they belong in a museum, they are still an integral part of the public transportation system!
Tram 28 extends from Martim Moniz to Campo Ourique (two popular neighborhoods in Lisbon) and rolls through some beautiful smaller neighborhoods and tourists attractions as well. You can hop off at Jardim da Estrela (a popular park), Sao Bento (home to the Parliament building), Praça Luís de Camões (a plaza with funky bars and hangouts) or Portas do Sol (a scenic plaza in Alfama with a beautiful city overlook).
You can buy a one way pass on the Tram for $2 Euro (about $4 dollars) or you can purchase a 24-hour public transport pass and your tram ride would be included. For a 24-hour city stop, the latter would be perfect for a do-it-yourself hop on-hop off tour.
THE SUNSET:
After perusing the streets, we decided to check off a bucket list item and headed to Miradouro de Senhora do Monte to catch the sunset. I am a sunset fanatic and I make it my mission to find the best viewing spot in every city that I visit. I had read that this was the place to go in Lisbon, but also that it was a little bit of a trek to get there. The higher the spot, the better the view though, right? In the end it required a 15 minute cab ride up some pretty steep hills and 5 or so minutes of walking (not too shabby).
The view from Miradouro de Senhora do Monte was so worth it, you could see the entire city slowly change colors and drift into night time. We spent about 30 minutes up there watching the sun go down, took some fun photos and then headed back down. Time was of the essence!
DINNER:
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and a hub for authentic Portuguese cuisine. We wanted to dress up and get a little fancy since this was the last night of our trip, so we decided to try Lisboa a Noite.
Lisboa a Noite was a cozy spot in the heart of the city. The building once served as the stables of the Palacio dos Condes and still houses original pombaline arches and charm that cannot be beat. Located near the famous Bairro Alto, the restaurant offers contemporary cuisine with authentic portuguese flavors.
They do change out their menu, but if you’re lucky enough to catch the Duck Risotto, it’s a must! Some other great options are the Goat’s Cheese Puff Pastry for a starter (seriously life changing) and then the Grouper, Monkfish and Prawn curry, the Lobster Risotto or the Portuguese-style Tenderloin Steak for an entree.
NIGHTCAP:
If you’re up for a little post dinner fun, you’re in the right city. Lisbon has some great spots for after dinner drinks and you can easily spend hours popping in and out of the local bars.
We weren’t able to visit too many spots because of our time crunch, but we did ask some locals and our hotel for recommendations. Some of the best spots that are known for their ambiance and drink selection are BA Wine Bar de Bairro Alto, Hot Clube Portugal (a well known jazz club that opened up back in 1948), The Old Pharmacy Wine Inn, and countless rooftop bars like Park and Sky Bar.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Lisbon is a beautiful, magical and vibrant city and one that you should explore if you have the opportunity. Being the second oldest capital (after Athens), the culture is awe inspiring and the historic sites are absolutely stunning. Mix that together with the charismatic and kind people and eminent social scene and you have an instant recipe for an amazing trip.
