Lisbon is a beautiful, busy city with a lovely, individual vibe.
According to CNN, Lisbon is even the "coolest" city in Europe.
The nightlife scene, the fascinating alleyways and the historic districts are making the city to a unique European jewel.
The variety of beaches and the outstanding gastronomy are only two out of the many reasons to visit Lisbon.
I will share with you some of my best travel tips and insider tips for Lisbon.
When travelling to Lisbon, think about staying with Airbnb.
I totally can recommend the apartment I stayed at, which is perfectly located in Alfama, the oldest district in Lisbon with a beautiful view of the sea.
Get my personal Airbnb Wishlist here or take a look at the lovely apartment here.
The average cost of food is really cheap.
You get your espresso and a delicious pasteis de nata for 1€ and all the bakeries and shops on the streets have small and cheap take away foods.
If you want to have lunch or dinner with a glass of portuguese wine, you will have to pay between 15 and 20€.
Always try to avoid the crowed restaurants at the sightseeing points – even if the view is quite nice. It’s always a typical tourist rip off.
I can totally recommend the following restaurants, which are one of the best in
Lisbon:
One of the most delicious and authentic portuguese food restaurants.
The minimalistic design and the lovely sea view, are making the restaurant to one of the best!
Experience the vibrant lisbon vibe with a lovely sea view and delicious pizzas !
Lisboa
One of the most beautiful places with a view in Lisbon. Enjoy a cocktail and watch the sunset.
Ponte 25 de Abril
Lisboa
R. de Santa Cruz do Castelo
1100-129
Lisboa
R. São Tomé 84A
1100-563
Lisboa
Calçada da Graça
1100-265
Lisboa
Those delicious tarts are everywhere to find in Portugal. The pastry is filled with a vanilla like cream and when it’s really good, it’s booth crispy and creamy at the same time. It’s not too sweet and perfect to eat with an espresso. Here you get the three best places to eat them, while in Lisboa:
The traditional bakery opened 1837and is located in Belém, a beautiful part of Lisboa. They are the most famous place to eat the pasteis, so you should expect really long queues and hundreds of people. That’s why they produce over 20 thousands of pasteis every day.
This beautiful and traditional cafe is a lovely place for a great breakfast. Their pasteis de natas are totally delicious and the ambient is really nice.
The little Manteigaria offers really delicious pasteis, which are totally crispy, crunchy with just the perfect and cream filling.
Perfectly situated in the heart of the city, the jardin botanico is a beautiful public garden.
Open from 9am until 6pm (winter) or until 8pm (summer) you can enjoy a picnic or take a stroll along the big palms and beautiful flowers.
Lisbon’s impressive monumental square is situated directly on the riverfront and with its mosaic design it’s one of the most photogenic places.
The place is perfect for eating a gelato or having a delicious drink with a view.
Full of narrow, winding streets Alfama is a beautiful, historic area of Lisbon. Take a walk through the streets, explore all the tiny quarters and beautiful houses.
At night, there are a lot of lovely fado places and traditional restaurants. You can take a ride with the tram, up to the Castle of St. George. It’s one of the most frequented places, so it’s better to go there really early or watch the sunset with a glass of port wine.
There’s an entrance fee of 8.50€ EUR for the castle. It opens at 9am and closes at 6pm in the winter and 9pm in summer.
Lisbon has a large number of beaches that allow you to enjoy miles of dunes or a surfing trip.
You can reach some of the best beaches by cheap public transportation. We enjoyed some time at the Estoril-Cascais Coastline.
From the lovey beaches of Estoril it is only a short walk along the coastline to the picturesque fishing town of Cascais. If you want to know more about Lisbon beaches, just take a look at the guide here.