My summer trip was all set. I was going to meet up with friends in Spain. Spain was gonna be the main destination. But I figured, why not leave a few days earlier than I had originally planned and visit Portugal as well. It’s adjacent to Spain, it would be easy to cross the border anytime. it’s gonna be fun, and I’m gonna learn a lot about world history too. Truth is, i didn’t know what to expect. Spain was kinda familiar. I knew very little about Portugal, and that was part of the appeal. This trip was starting to feel like another adventure.
Cheap flights land in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Generally I hate huge cities. And often I am not fond of capital cities. They are mostly crowded, noisy, and in spite of these, they are inexplicably touristy. Lisbon though, was a nice surprise. There’s so much variety between the different districts that you won’t easily grow tired of it. Honestly, a week may not even be enough to fully experience what the city has to offer.
I stayed at the Alfama District, which was a great decision. It is the oldest district in Lisbon, so staying here means you’d be within walking distance from all the historic attractions. Every corner and every street is arguably an attraction in itself. There are lots of uphill walks though, so be prepared. From here, you can easily walk to St. George’s Castle, Lisbon’s most recognizable attraction and definitely a must visit. It costs 8.50 Euros to get in, but that’s money well spent. Inside the complex you’ll find a museum and an archeological site. It’s a great place to relax and spend the whole afternoon. The place also offers an exceptional view of the city and the River Targus, which is absolutely breath taking during the sunset. No wonder this is Lisbon’s top attraction.
If you’re on a tight budget, walking around Lisbon would suffice. There are enough beautiful sights in the city to keep you busy. The atmosphere in the old town makes one feel like he or she is in a different era. Those old school cable cars definitely add to the experience. Lisbon has many churches, and each one is an attraction on its own. Praça do Comércio is another place you should visit. It’s also an ideal place for people watching.
The other famous attractions are clustered in the Belem district, which is quite far from Alfama so walking may not be feasible especially during the summer. A tram usually takes around 20 minutes, but when i was there, there were lots of road work going on so it took me close to an hour. Lots of attractions here have historical significance, so a visit to Lisbon would not be complete without passing through here. The most notable attraction is the Belem Tower. You have to pay to get in, but you can just as easily admire it from the outside.
Nearby is the Monument to the Discoveries. Such a shame that it was being restored when I was there. Ugh, i hate it when that happens. Reminds me of my trip to Italy last year when a lot of attractions were undergoing restoration.
Also nearby is the Jeronimo’s Monastery. It’s also a paid attraction, but really worth every cent if you can appreciate the architecture. It’s a bit pricey for 10 Euros, but if you also plan to go inside the Belem Tower, you can save money by purchasing a combined ticket for 12 Euros. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with immense historical significance. It was built to honor Vasco de Gama’s voyage to India, and it’s considered a symbol of the wealth of the Age of Discovery. Vasco de Gama‘s tomb can also be found here.
A must try in this district is the Pastel de Nata, basically a Portuguese egg tart. To me it tastes the same as egg tarts elsewhere, but supposedly the ones bought at the Belem District are extra special. But what do I know, I’m no egg tart connoisseur. Heh.
Day trips can also be done from Lisbon, the most popular of which is the day trip to Sintra. it’s really easy to get there, no need to join a tour group. You just take a train from the Rossio Station and you’ll be there in about an hour. It’s fairly cheap too. Return tickets just cost a little more than 4 Euros.I did a day trip, but I’d recommend spending at least a day here. Sintra is a quaint, beautiful town, and you won’t regret spending more time here. If you’re in a rush and you just want to see all the attractions, a day trip would suffice. But if you want to enter each attraction (you need to pay to enter each one so be prepared to spend a lot of money too), get ready for really long lines. For this reason I only got to enter two. maybe if I went earlier I could have gone inside three. Four wouldn’t really be realistic for a day trip. it took me about 2 hours just to get tickets for one palace, and roamed around each complex for a little more than an hour to get my money’s worth. The best one for me was the Quinta de Regalaria. I had no idea why this wasn’t included in the main route (i.e. popular route) of the hop on hop off bus. The whole place looked surreal, it’s as if you’ve suddenly been transported into a fairytale world.
About those hop on hop off buses in Sintra— if you just want to see the attractions from the outside and you do not intend to get off the bus, then by all means purchase a ticket for 18 euros. If you intend to get off at a certain place however, be prepared to wait for a long time before you get to hop on another bus. Take note of this if you’re in a rush. Better to just walk or spend money on taxis. There just aren’t enough of those buses around. I eventually got pissed and just walked from one attraction to the next. i couldn’t believe i just wasted 18 Euros.
I just spent four days in Lisbon.. well technically just 3 since I did a day trip to Sintra on my third day. Although i got to see all the places I wanted to visit, 4 days really isn’t enough. Lisbon isn’t one of those capital cities where there isn’t much to see.As I’ve said earlier, one week probably wouldn’t even be enough to fully experience this wonderful city.
no roads to follow 