Photo by RK.
Photo by RK.

LISBON

Stay:

  • LX Boutique Hotel. 4* boutique hotel close to Bairro Alto and Chiado districts. You can book it here.
  • Casas de São Bento. Charming accommodation with clean nicely decorated rooms and apartments, located close to Bairro Alto. You can book it here.
  • Residencial Alegria. Cosy 2* hotel close to Bairro Alto and Rosso districts. You can book it here.

Eat:

  • Zapata. Busy Portuguese restaurant serving beer and down to earth food – fresh fish included.
  • Il Matriciano. Excellent Italian restaurant in Bairro Alto. Their spaghetti bolognese comes with mini meatballs.
  • Baguettes & Cornets. Cute little French bakery selling crusty bread, sweet pastry and ice-cream!
  • Royale Café. Nice for a brunch on the little terrace.
  • A Gruta de Camoes, Rua Misericórdia 55. You can taste some bacalhao, simply with lemon, herbs and a lot of oil.
  • Café Buenos Aires. Argentinean steakhouse with colorful interior.
  • Sacramento. Restaurant in the Chiado district with bar, designed in vibrant red and pink colors.
  • Mercado da Ribeira. Timeout took over this market hall and transformed it into a trendy and busy food court. 
  • Livraria. Cute bookstore with bar inside and chairs outside.
  • Park. Rooftop bar on top of a car parking with lots of evening sun.
  • Belem. Visit this area by train and get a famous Pastel de Nata (Portuguese egg and pudding tart) at Pasteis de Belem.

Do & See:

  • Visit Miradouros, the various vantage points of the city.
  • Alfama. Oldest district of Lisbon with facades covered in azulejos (Portuguese tiles). Do wear shoes with a little grip as the sometimes steep stone flooring can be slippery. Tram No. 28. makes a good tour through the area.
  • Take a stroll in the park Jardim da Estrela.
  • Go underground and experience the various Metro stations. Chiado station will stun you with a cascade of escalators.
  • MAAT. The museum for art, architecture and technology is located at the Belem station and where the river Tejo meets the sea. It got a photogenic extension by British architect Amanda Levete.
  • Museu do design e da moda. Design and fashion museum, free entry.
  • Elevador de Santa Justa, an impressive elevator right in the middlle of the streets!
  • Oceanario de Lisboa. See some funny fish in the oceanarium.
  • Gare do Oriente, station designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava
  • Take a guided walking tour with Lisbon Walker. You get discount with an Aerobus ticket. 
  • Teresa Alecrim. Shopping for beautiful towels, napkins and tissues.
  • Vinyl Experience. Next to all kinds of music styles you can also find recent Portuguese productions and get some tips on concerts.
  • Embaixada. Concept store inside a breathtaking old building. It is located in front of the park Jardim Principe Real, where a biological market takes place every Saturday. There are a lot of nice stores in this area. 
  • Want to learn something new? How about a guitar class on the Portuguese instrument with Ricardo Mata? Or a tile painting / pottery class with Ana at Casa do Azulejo?