A few nights in Lisbon had a lot to live up to after our stay in Porto which was really perfect in every way. We stayed in the bohemian upmarket Chiado neighbourhood which is very central and quite popular. It has lots of restaurants, cafes, theatres, museums and shops. One night on our way home we came across a Fado singer performing on the balcony to a huge crowd of mostly local people. Also there was some great young street musical performers on our street at night.
We went one night to a Fado performance at a local restaurant. Fado singing is a unique local folk singing style which is very popular. The restaurant and performance was quite nice but we felt it was quite overpriced. But it’s something you have to do when visiting Lisbon, I think. Our favourite meal was the first meal we had on the evening we arrived. John ordered Octopus and got a whole octopus beautifully arranged on his plate which he loved. Unfortunately, we didn’t think to get a photo of it till he was half way through it.
We had some bad luck with the buses. One was an hour late and then we gave up on another one later in the day and just walked. So that was a bit annoying cos we only had one full day in Lisbon and the waiting for buses stole some of that time. It meant we missed out on getting into one of the attractions – just a few minutes too late. But apart from that everything went well.
Sao Jorge Castle
The Sao Jorge Castle is a must see and a major landmark of the city. Lots of different areas to wander through with some beautiful peacocks in some parts. As it is situated on the highest point of Lisbon, it provides some stunning views of the city and the river, with picturesque red roofs everywhere. I would allow a half day to visit the castle, its towers and grounds. There is somewhere to eat and drink there too. After visiting the Castle just down the road is Lisbon Cathedral. Not one of Europe’s greater Cathedrals but definitely worth a look. We actually passed it only because we gave up waiting for the bus and decided to walk back to our side of Lisbon.
Belem
After a late lunch and some wandering around the central riverfront square, Praca do Comercio, we headed to Belem and with more waiting for buses we just missed out on getting into Belem Tower which was a shame but the alternative worked out really well.
We took a few photos of the outside of the Belem Tower (which is quite outstanding) and then found there was a little pop up wine van just outside the tower and a great singer street performer right there! So we got our wine, sat on some seats with feet up on the low stone wall, listened to the singer and enjoyed the sunshine and the views. It was pretty great actually!
Afterwards we had a leisurely wander down the waterfront passing some very nice looking restaurants and sat at a little pop up bar serving mojitos and did some people watching including watching those people on the seated segways. A little bit of a walk further down is the magnificent Monument to the Discoveries – an outstanding monument overlooking the water. Then off we went home. I really loved this Belem area of Lisbon and if we ever visit again I would like to stay in this neighbourhood.
Another reason this is a great area is that it’s the location of the 16th century Jeronimo’s Monastery. Had I known how huge and magnificent it was I would have made this attraction a higher priority. So we missed out this time but it will be first on the list next time. Even just driving past it, the outside of this huge structure is jaw-dropping. So learn from my mistake and make sure you get there if visiting Lisbon.
Sintra
Our second full day was a day trip to Sintra which was just wonderful. I would love to come back to this town and spend a few days here. Apart from the nice little town itself and the major amazing tourist attraction of Pena Palace, there is also Quinta da Regaleira gothic mansion with also has the much photographed Initiation Wells, the Moorish Castle, the National Palace and the humble Franciscan monastery, Convent dos Capuchos, the Palacio de Monserrate and more! A day is definitely not enough.
So we did enjoy our time exploring the Pena Palace, inside and outside, and the beautiful surrounding gardens. Pena Palace is one of the major attractions in the whole of Portugal. The palace is mix of many colours and architectural styles. The inside is also quite spectacular.
It does get very busy, so try and get the train there quite early. You then will need to catch a bus up to the palace. Allow at least 3 hours there and you may get time to visit the Moorish Castle nearby. We didn’t as we didn’t get there quite early enough and spent quite a lot of time in the gardens too. A day is just not long enough. So I would highly recommend staying in Sintra for a least two nights. It would be a full two days!
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