Oh beautiful Lisbon, I miss your cobbled streets, tiled buildings and trams.

It was a city break that had been high on my wanderlust list for quite a while, so when my friend Sarah suggested we go, I said yes straight away. I hadn’t left the country since my big trip to Canada almost 3 years ago (what!) so I was super excited.

 

Where to stay in Lisbon

We jumped in an Uber as soon as we landed (they were pretty cheap over there at the time of travel in 2019) and headed to our apartment. We freshened up a little, ate our first pastel de nata from the place around the corner on Largo das Olarias, which also did amazing coffee and loads of beautiful fresh fruit, as well as the owners being super friendly – I can’t find the name of the place but it’s tiny and has two seats out the front.

If you’re curious, we stayed in this Airbnb apartment, which was in a really good location. It was big and clean, had everything we needed, and even had a pool. It was so nice to have a bit of outside space to chill out in, while also being in the middle of the city.

 

 

Amazing places to eat in Lisbon

Breakfast at Manjerica

A recommended brunch spot not far from where we were staying in Lisbon was Manjerica – they make lovely healthy brunches and has really cute interiors. We would recommend the eggs with mushrooms, and the pancakes with Nutella and peanut butter.

 

Cafe Janis for the best brunch in Lisbon

Cafe Janis had come up time and time again when we asked for food recommendations in Lisbon, and just one look at their Instagram grid had us sold.

Places like this can sometimes be style over substance, but that is not the case for Janis. Not only are the interiors absolutely gorgeous, but the food is too.

Despite it being pretty busy when we turned up, we didn’t have to wait long for a table, and by about 12 it was almost empty, so I would recommend heading there at noon if you don’t want to wait at all. The coffee was delicious, the freshly squeezed orange juice very moreish, and after a little wait for food, I had the best shakshuka of my life.

Sarah was even kind enough to save me a little slice of her earl grey and chocolate waffles, which was the perfect sweet ending to the perfect brunch.

 

Coyo Taco for Mexican

We fancied sampling the best Mexican food in Lisbon, so we headed to Coyo Taco. The food was amazing, and not just because we’d barely eaten all day. I highly recommend the esquite corn and all the tacos, and of course, the margaritas.

There’s a beautiful view point just down the road too.

 

Healthy pies at Mad Pizza

We grabbed some food from Mad Pizza on the way home one evening, and had a pizza party on our balcony. They market themselves as healthy pizza, and although the bases weren’t chewy and doughy like I like ’em, the combinations of toppings were really delicious.

 

Food at LX Factory

We visited LX Factory more than once, as there are lots of places to eat, drink and shop.

I instantly loved it there, but having so many places to choose from made it hard to know what to eat. After a little wander, we decided on hot dogs, which were great (but not photogenic) and a hot chocolate from Landeau Chocolate, as well as deciding we’d be back the next day.

Therapist had caught our eye the night before, so we had brunch there, and it was really delicious. The portions weren’t huge, which was actually great because it meant we could try out another pastel de nata not long after.

 

Street food at Time Out Market

One evening, we headed for Time Out Market – it was a little overwhelming!

The market is within an absolutely massive building, crammed full of incredible food. The best thing to do is find somewhere to sit first, as it’s all communal seating, so be prepared to wait and to share. Next, choose your meal from the establishments around the edge, and a drink from the bar in the middle.

It took us ages to choose what we wanted, as there were just so many options. The food was really great, but it is very busy and very touristy.

 

 

Things to do in Lisbon and nearby

Travel along the coast by train to a beach

We hopped on a train by the middle of the day and headed out towards the beaches. There are quite a few to choose from, so just do a little research to find one which suits you. The train goes along the coast and it only took about 30mins to the beach we went to.

We treated ourselves to the comfy sunbeds, had a few dips in the sea, read books and napped in the sun. There was a lady going along the beach selling these donut things too, so we got one each. It was the perfect chilled out day.

 

Wander the beautiful old streets of Lisbon

Something I really loved about Lisbon is how pretty it is. I’m sure you have all heard about the tiled buildings, but there was so much more to see – I loved all the old signage and the colours. Make sure you keep your eyes wide open when you’re walking around.

 

Shopping at LX Factory

During the day, the narrow streets of LX Factory are lined with market stalls. It was busy and bustling, with so many things to look at. We spent ages wandering around inside and out, buying a few bits and bobs – I got a flowy pink jumpsuit and some earrings. We really enjoyed the general atmosphere. It was probably my favourite place that we visited on the trip, and one that I would say is a must do.

 

A day trip to Pena Palace, Sintra

We hopped on a train from Lisbon to Sintra, and then a bus up the steep steep hills to Pena Palace. You can book online to save time – we didn’t, but the queue didn’t take too long in the end.

It’s an incredibly beautiful and amazingly colourful building, which means it is also a big tourist attraction. We just paid to go around the outside, and that was enough for us really. I would also recommend taking your own food and drinks, as the amenities there aren’t great.

Being up that high – literally in the clouds – was amazing! I really loved the contrast of the red and yellow against the white sky, as well as all the amazing plants. A truly beautiful place to visit, and well worth the day trip from Lisbon.