Lisbon is such a beautiful city, I happened to be there a few days with rain and sunshine and you can easily find things to do there regardless of the weather, here are a few examples:
1 – Take a Free Walking Tour
If you are staying in a hostel, I know that they partner with some structures that are offering free walking tours of Lisbon. In my case, I was staying at Lisbon Lounge Hostel and they were suggesting Wild Walkers Tours, I didn’t think twice about it and met the guide and other travelers at 10am. They have tours of different areas of Lisbon, I’m sure they’re all very interesting, I went to the Alfama one and learnt a lot about the city’s history! I’d suggest doing the tour early during your stay in order to get some useful local tips.
2 – Try a Pastel de Nata !
This is an absolute must-do when you’re in Lisbon, you have to try Pastéis de Nata. Pasté-what ? They are a famous Portuguese tart made with extra crisp puff pastry, holding rich and smooth custard cream. The best places where I’ve tried Pastéis de Nata are Manteigaria (very cinnamony and a few shops in Lisbon) and Pastéis de Belém (they give you extra bags of cinnamon if you wanna add it). Pastéis de Belém is the place where the pastry was created. Either or, you will not be disappointed!
3 – Just Walk Around
Honestly one of the best things about Lisbon is that you can walk around and be amazed by every corner. Almost all buildings are covered with colorful tiles, called azulejos, which makes wandering the city very magical. Added to that, the famous tram circulating in the tiny streets makes you feel like you’re in a movie. I found myself walking around the Alfama and Bairro Alto and found some pretty stunning views over the city…
4 – Ride the Tram 28 to Jardim da Estrela
If you need some peace and quiet, you can make your way to Jardim Da Estrela, you can even take Tram 28!
5 – Visit the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea – Museu do Chiado
I did this on a very rainy day, I went to the National Museum of Contemporary Art and it is really worth visiting, full of treasures from very talented artists!
6 – Treat yourself at Taberna Albricoque
Okay I have tried a few restaurants in Lisbon, and Taberna Albricoque is by very very far my favorite.
They have a small menu, that changes regularly (a new item was added during the week I was there!), which means fresh, seasonal and quality ingredients, the staff is very nice (the menu is in Portuguese and they easily translate if you need it), the price is more than fair and the food is simply delicious. I wish I could go there every day. Also, they make their own desserts which are as tasty as the rest! If you go there, please let me know what you’ve had and how you’ve found it!
7 – Murals of LX Factory
LX Factory used to be a huge fabric making place, but has been transformed into an artsy space. I didn’t really enjoy the place, it felt very touristy and expensive, however, there is a few majestic murals in there worth checking out!
8 – Belém
In Belém you can visit the Torre de Belém and see the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (monument of the discoveries). It feels a bit wild to me, to have a monument celebrating the “Age of Discovery”, when it was in fact the Age of Colonization and Slavery… Food for thought.
The view on the Ponte 25 de Abril and the Cristo Rei with the boats sailing on the Tagus River is very enjoyable. Make sure to have a Pastéis de Belém while enjoying the view!
9 – Santa Justa Lift (without paying!)
I found this out while walking around and trying to get lost: you can get almost to the top of Santa Justa Lift without paying, you just have to walk a little. Just follow your map to the Museu Arqueológico do Carmo, once you’re facing the entrance, take the road to the right of the museum, you’ll find some stairs, which you can climb and get to an excellent viewpoint, all this for free!
10 – Keep getting lost
You wouldn’t imagine how many pictures of doors, windows, walls I have from Lisbon… All taken while I was walking and exploring the city. I really recommend doing this, most likely you will find an incredible view point, with some musicians playing Bossa Nova while the sun is setting (okay, well, it depends the time of day I guess…).
Let me know in the comments what you’ve been up to in Lisbon and if you’ve been to any of these places, I’d be happy to have your feedback!