They also have these small shops all over the city, locals call them China Shops and you can literally find ANYTHING you need there. We walked in the first night looking for a wine opener and went back the second day to get umbrellas {got a pair for 14 euros!}. Whatever you may need in your adventures, just ask for the closest China Shop and you’ll find it.
Wine Tasting in Setubal and Sesimbra
This was the number one activity on my list. We HAD to go wine tasting no matter what. On the 3rd day of our visit we had our driver pick us up early in the morning and we headed down the coast to Sesimbra and Setubal. Since traffic was not heavy we had some time to explore so we drove by the water all the way to Cabo Espichel where we were able to enjoy unbelievable views of the ocean as well as walk the grounds of an old church built in the 1700’s. We booked our tour through Viator and had the most wonderful experience. I highly recommend their services.
Castle of Saint George // Castelo de São Jorge
Make sure to visit this place early in the morning. You cannot buy tickets in advance and after 11:00 AM the line wraps around the block. That being said, the place is very interesting and beautiful. Wonderful views and peacocks running around freely, it almost feels like you’re in a movie set. They have a small coffee shop inside, perfect spot to grab some pastries and people watch.
EAT
 |
| Traditional Pastel de Nata. A sweet Lisbon tradition. Make sure to have at least one. |
My favorite section to write of course, we ate a lot in many different places but here are the highlights:
Lunch at Cantinho do Avillez
It’s a small contemporary restaurant hidden on a side street in the Baixa-Chiado area. Very unassuming building but amazingly good food. Favorite dish was the grilled octopus, but the scallops were just as good. Don't pass on the break at the beginning of your meal, it's delicious!
Dinner at RIB - Beef & Wine Lisboa
Carlos spotted this restaurant while we walked around the city; he told me the day after we needed to go back for dinner. It is a more upscale restaurant but luckily the staff was super nice about out touristy outfits. We did not have a reservation but since we arrived early they accommodated us immediately. The food was beyond amazing, one of the best meals I had while in Portugal.
Lunch at MadPizza
This place caught our attention after we noticed the adorable window open to the square; they were selling coffee and hot chocolate to people walking by. We decided to go in for lunch and order a caprese salad to share along with two personal pizzas. It was delicious! I also had the Apple Crumble dessert and it was the perfect consistency. The cutest little spot to visit if you need some carbs to keep you going.
Brunch at O’Corvo
After extensive research I picked this spot for Sunday brunch. Mostly because they offered scrambled eggs for breakfast, sometimes simple things like that are so hard to find in Europe. The cozy restaurant is located up in a small neighborhood, surrounded by colorful buildings. We decided on the Brunch Package for two for about 30 euro. It is not cheap by Lisbon standards but it was a lot of food: eggs, pancakes, croissants, cheeses, cold cuts, mimosas, coffee, water, juice and fresh fruit. Worth the visit for the buttery croissants alone!
Lunch at Snack-Bar Alfama
We stumbled upon this place on our first day in Lisbon. It was starting to rain hard and we did not have umbrellas so we decided to go in for a cup of coffee. Upon sitting down we started to notice the wonderful smells of cooked garlic and lemon so we decided to order food instead. We shared a fresh salad and also had garlic shrimp and galao {Portuguese latte}. Every single thing we order was delicious and our tab was less than 30 euros.
WEAR
Lisbon has a very bohemian relaxed feel to it, so you can leave the blazers and heels at home. First thing to do before packing is checking the weather.
I realized it would be mostly gray and rainy with one day of sun {the day we arrived} so I packed one white linen dress and sandals and the rest was mostly pants and sneakers. Some of the items I suggest you pack are:
-Sneakers
-Light jacket {denim is fine}
-Summer scarf
-Sunglasses {even if it's cloudy is very bright}
-Backpack purse {see my suggestions
here}
-Umbrella
-Extra socks
-Light sweater
Hope you enjoyed my Portugal highlights. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
xx, N.
