Lisbon, Portugal Travel Diary

Our final leg of our European adventure throughout Spain and Portugal was to … 2 days in Lisbon, Portugal! I met up with my best friend Shivani in Lisbon after my solo leg in Porto, Portugal (here) and week in Spain by way of Madrid (here) and Barcelona (here). Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and is a popular travel destination within Portugal. Lisbon is close to the Atlantic Ocean and offer several lovely waterfront opportunities for its visitors to enjoy amongst its vibrant and fun colorful buildings and tiles. Being a preppy and pink grand millennial, I, indeed, fit right in whilst in Lisbon!

For more travel abroad inspiration, check out my exploring 50 Countries Expedition page.

Lisbon, Portugal Travel Diary

Getting There (From Europe & the United States):

There are a variety of different ways to get to Lisbon, depending on where you’re coming from. Our 2 days in Lisbon, Portugal started with me coming from Porto, Portugal and leaving Europe to go back to the United States via my home base in Washington, DC. Whilst, there’s several options to get to/from Lisbon depending on where you’re going to/coming from.

From Europe: Getting to the capital city of Portugal is best reached by plane if coming from another European country. Portugal and even between Spain and Portugal do not have a reliable unified train line. That all being said, Portugal is best reached by plane, if you’re coming from another European country. If coming from another city within Portugal, I would suggest either taking the train or plane. I opted to fly via Tap Air Portugal – Portugal’s *very own* airlines from Porto to Lisbon, as Portugal’s train line doesn’t have many options for checked bags on their trains (it’s usually carry-on only) and the price was about the same as the train to fly.

From the United States: Lisbon was my last city on my Spain and Portugal European adventure. Back to Washington, DC, I ended up lucking out with a direct flight on my airline of choice: United Airlines. Upon landing, I learned that Washington, DC-Lisbon is a daily offered flight on United Airlines. In addition to United Airlines, TAP Air Portugal which I flew within Portugal offers several direct flights and Transatlantic options, depending on where you’re coming from.

Tip on Taxi vs Uber: Upon arrival into Lisbon, avoid taking taxis at ALL costs. There will be taxis within a taxi pickup line outside of each airport and train station. However, unlike Spain which is the exact opposite, taxis are much more expensive in Portugal than Ubers. Each of my Ubers were under $20 with tip each way, including to/from the airport.

Where To Stay:

We called the Editory Riverside Hotel our home for 2 days in Lisbon, Portugal. And, I will say that the Editory Riverside Hotel is probably my favorite hotel that I’ve EVER stayed at! Located within one of Lisbon’s iconic train stations, the Editory Riverside Hotel was renovated from previously train station offices into hotel rooms and includes the original tile work alongside its hallways and in each of the rooms. The hotel also overlooks the waterfront and we could see cargo ships each day, which was pretty neat. Each day that we were around for lunch and happy hour, I would enjoy a lovely lunch and cocktail at their onsite Impulso Restaurante (more on that below!) and was truly blown away. At the same time, the people who work at the Editory Riverside Hotel are lovely and extremely kind and hospitable – something that I learned throughout my time in Portugal is how wonderful the people are! Truly, you will feel right at home at the Editory Riverside Hotel (whether it’s for 2 days in Lisbon, Portugal or more!).

What To Do:

Get lost in the colorful streets – Lisbon is known for its magnificent colorful streets! One of my favorite things to do, as previously mentioned in pretty much all of my European city guides, is to simply explore and get lost in the city streets. And, Lisbon has no shortage of beautiful streets to explore!

Take a day trip to Sintra & Cascais – One of the things that we were highly eyeing doing while in Lisbon is living out our royalty dreams at Peña Palace in nearby Sintra. We ended up going on a group bus tour to Sintra as well as the gorgeous coastal town of Cascais and made some friends while at it. On our day trip, we got to see Peña Palace and tour its interior alongside seeing the stunning Portuguese beaches. Stay tuned for a travel diary alongside more about our lovely tour operator on our day to Sintra and Cascais soon!

Catch a streetcar going by – One of the things that Lisbon is known for is their beautiful streetcars! While wandering the city’s magical streets, be sure to catch a streetcar (or two!) going by!!

Tour the Lisbon Cathedral – Built in 1147, Lisbon Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Lisbon. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral that is open to visitors to come and tour. Please note that tickets must be purchased either onsite or online via GetYourGuide.

Do some retail therapy at Women’s Secret & CHIcoracao– Lisbon has several opportunities for those looking to do some retail therapy to do just that! We happened to make some purchases at a few different unique to Portugal shops. Women’s Secret is a Spanish and Portuguese lingerie, loungewear, and pajama shop known for its fun printed clothing items that my preppy and grand millennial self LOVED. CHIcoracao is a unique to Lisbon shop selling high quality Portuguese woolen goods handmade on a loom. Everything from scarves to blankets are sold at CHIcoracao and is something unique to get while in Lisbon.

Admire tile work at the magnificent National Azulejo Museum – On our *very* last day in Lisbon, Shivani and I checked out the National Azulejo Museum. The National Azulejo Museum showcases some of the many magnificent Portuguese tile work from centuries prior to today. Truly, the tiles that we saw were incredible and totally Instagram-worthy and fun to admire, too! Tickets can be reserved onsite or via GetYourGuide.

Where To Eat:

Personally, some of the best restaurants I’ve ever eaten at and experiences at them were in Lisbon. Before I get into where to eat in Lisbon, I am going to mention that Shivani and I had THE BEST TIME at the restaurants that we dined at during our first day in Lisbon SOOOO much so that we ended up dining at them multiple times! That all being said, the quality of the food and restaurants in Lisbon are superb and there are several delicious dining options to choose from. At the same time though, there are incredible restaurants that you’ll want to dine at multiple times and I highly recommend giving yourself the wiggle room to do so while in Lisbon!

Bica dos Cavalos – Our absolute favorite restaurant where we dined both Monday and Wednesday evenings, Bica dos Cavalos is a newer-to-Lisbon restaurant with a variety of delicious Portuguese eats to choose from. We enjoyed some lovely wine more specifically the “Catarina” white wine aka my name Katie in Portuguese alongside some delicious dessert and seafood/vegetarian dishes. At Bica dos Cavalos alongside the amazingly delicious eats offered, the people ranging from their owner, waiters, and chefs are truly some of the most hospitable, kind, and welcoming people I have ever met. If you are in Lisbon, I highly recommend you immediately make a reservation at Bica dos Cavalos!

Impulso Restaurante – The delicious onsite restaurant at our hotel, Impulso Restaurante is open not only to hotel guests but to the general public. I had the BEST seafood rice at the Impulso Restaurante both Monday and Wednesday for lunch and enjoyed taking part in the restaurant’s hosted happy hour on both of those days, too, with an Aperol Spritz in-hand!

Azul e Branco Restaurant – I stumbled upon Azul e Branco Restaurant as I was looking for a nice early afternoon pick-me-up. I ended up ordering an Aperol spritz alongside some oysters and was truly AMAZED at how yummy these oysters were. The location of Azul e Branco within a town square in Lisbon makes it to also be a fun place to people watch!

Wrap-Up:

Not only is Lisbon such a beautiful city and place to be, especially weather-wise in late February, but the people made our experience in Lisbon such a memorable one, too. There is so much to enjoy, eat, and take in within Lisbon and I am so lucky that I’ve been able to experience this incredible city. 48 hours in Lisbon, Portugal truly isn’t enough time!! Til next time, Lisbon!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Porto, Portugal Travel Guide

Annddddd after a week in Spain via Madrid and Barcelona, I headed for 2 days in Porto, Portugal while my best friend Shivani went elsewhere. It was a LOVELY time getting to explore a brand new-to-me city in a brand new-to-me country solo before our final stretch of our European adventure in Lisbon, Portugal. I was drawn to Porto due to its appealing historic charm, beautiful tile work, and Port wine. Nevertheless, Porto totally blew me away and I cannot wait to come back to this coastal Portuguese city!

For more travel abroad inspiration, check out my exploring 50 Countries Expedition page.

Porto, Portugal Travel Guide

About Porto:

Located alongside the Douro River in northwestern Portugal, Porto is a coastal city notorious for producing Port wine and its iconic Six Bridges. It is the second largest city in Portugal (after Lisbon) and has a vast industrial industry in addition to producing Port wine. Porto also has gorgeous cobblestone streets with a beautiful a lively historic district and several tile-lined walls and ancient churches. Personally, I found Porto to be an extremely walkable city filled with lively and colorful buildings as well as distinct architecture that I had never seen before! Porto has also been known to be an extremely romantic city with its charming streets and unique cafes and restaurants, as well as stunning riverside views and … PORT WINE!

One of the biggest things that I’ll mention about Porto and Portugal as a whole is HOW CHEAP it is to travel there! From Ubers with tips being under $20 USD to/from the airport to most meals being under $30 USD with drinks and tip, you can truly have a lovely time in Portugal without breaking the bank.

Getting There (From Spain):

I ended up traveling from Barcelona, Spain (see my adventures there here!) to Porto, Portugal. Coming from Spain to Portugal, it is much easier to travel via plane than train, as direct international train rides are pretty limited on the Iberian Peninsula and bus rides are pretty long. Being fully transparent, I experienced a pretty stressful time at the Barcelona Airport flying to Porto, Portugal. I ended up flying RyanAir, as it was the cheapest option and will likely choose not to fly RyanAir again moving forward if given the choice. Here are my tips for navigating RyanAir and European airports if you do fly within Europe:

  • Most airports won’t post your gate upon entering Security until about 30-45 minutes before boarding the plane. That being said, make use of your time at the terminal if you do arrive at the airport and make it through security early. Perhaps, grab a snack or a drink or *even* do a little bit of Duty-Free shopping as most European airports have plenty of Duty-Free shopping opportunities!
  • Some budget airlines won’t allow you to check your bag if you arrive too early to the airport. Airlines (such as RyanAir) will make you wait until a certain time before your plane departs to have you even get in line to check your bags. This happened to me and it was very frustrating at first, but it is something that the airlines across the Atlantic do in terms of crowd control.
  • RyanAir and potentially other budget airlines will have you stand in line to board your plane. The boarding process is rather than organized in into boarding groups, but is based on priority boarding versus general boarding. People upon immediately arriving at the gate will wait in line to get the first dibs on boarding.

Overall, I found the RyanAir flying experience to be an extremely stressful one for me. I learned while in Barcelona from other fellow Europeans that this airline gets a bad reputation and I honestly see why. However, I am aware that sometimes flying budget airlines such as RyanAir may be someone’s only option in terms of travel and should not deter you or anyone else from traveling. Instead, I’d rather empower you and others with the tips to best navigate flying a budget airlines such as RyanAir if you do so.

Where To Stay:

I stayed at the beautiful Vincci Porto alongside the iconic Douro River. Overlooking my hotel room, I had a beautiful view of the colorful Porto skyline! Within the mini fridge, there was a mini bottle of Port Wine – which Porto is *very* well-known for at an additional cost that I enjoyed throughout my stay. And, immediately upon exiting the doors of Vincci Porto, I was greeted not only by the beautiful Douro River but also one of the city’s well-known Six Bridges. I ended up ordering room service one night while at Vincci Porto and it definitely impressed me alongside their delicious breakfast, which you can opt to include within your reservation upon reserving or during your stay. Although this hotel is not within the heart of Porto’s city center and is about a scenic 15-20 minute walk, its riverside location and overall luxury definitely adds to its appeal! Overall, I was pretty impressed with the quality and overall value of Vincci Porto. I would definitely stay at Vincci Porto next time I visit Porto, as I loved the additional opportunities to get lost in the city’s magical streets!

What To Do:

Port Wine tasting + tour at Calem – Calem is one of Porto’s many Port wine wineries! I learned ALL about Port wine also known as port – a Portuguese fortified wine which is produced in Northern Portugal’s Douro Valley region – while on a guided tour of Calem. Throughout my guided tour, my group’s wonderful guide transported us to the world of developing Port wine, from the temperature-controlled rooms full of barrels producing it, to learning about port food pairings, and the heritage of what Portugal proudly calls a “spiritual drink.” At the end of the guided tour, a complimentary Port wine flight and tasting was included and such a lovely time to end the tour! Book your guided tour at Calem or one of Porto’s many other wineries producing Port wine via GetYourGuide.

Wander alongside the Douro River and walk across the Six Bridges – One of the best ways to savor your time in Porto is to simply enjoy the several waterfront views alongside the city’s notable Six Bridges. Visitors can also walk across several of the Six Bridges, too, via pedestrian walkways (I recommend following the people and crowds, though, for safety purposes whenever you do!). Whether it be sunrise, sunset, or midday, you will easily never get over the riverside beauty and charm that Porto has to offer!

Port Wine tasting at Ramos Pinto – Ramos Pinto is one of the Douro Valley’s oldest and well-known wine producers. After walking across one of Porto’s notable Six Bridges, I found myself strolling into Ramos Pinto for a nice glass of Port wine within its tasting room. Ramos Pinto also offers tastings, too!

Get lost in the streets – One of my absolute FAVORITE things to do when I travel as previously mentioned in both my Madrid and Barcelona posts (here and here), especially when in a brand new-to-me city is to simply get lost in the streets. Luckily for you, Porto is home to some of the most brightest and colorful buildings, some of which consist of unique tile work on its magnificent structures. Portugal is known for its gorgeous tiles and Porto has no shortage of them!

Take a Six Bridges Douro River Cruise – An excellent way to learn more about wonderful Porto is to see the city on the river via a Six Bridges River Cruise. I opted to do a Sunday afternoon river cruise lasting approximately an hour, which was a great way to see the city in Portugal’s semi-chilly late February weather. Personally, I could not stop snapping photos on my camera and getting to know Porto from the river! Book your Six Bridges Douro River Cruise via GetYourGuide.

Where To Eat:

UVA By Calem – Offering a friendly atmosphere and quality hospitality while overlooking Porto, UVA By Calem focuses on curating delicious Portuguese eats with incredible wine pairings to top it all off!

Miradouro Ignez – A hilltop terrace bar overlooking the city as well as the Douro River. Coincidentally, I happened to stumble upon this lovely spot upon getting lost in the stunning Porto streets near my hotel. And, Miradouro Ignez was a TOTAL surprise and dream come true of a spot to be, as I happened to show up during sunset. Indeed, a right place at the right time moment!!

Restaurante Provas – A riverside restaurant overlooking Porto, Restaurante Provas had some of the BEST seafood dishes that I’ve ever had! Truly, I was blown away by the high-quality Portuguese cuisine that is offered.

Tasquinha do Be – Offering Portuguese cuisine with gluten-free and other dietary-friendly options, Tasquinha do Be has extremely friendly staff that make you feel right at home alongside their menu full of authentic eats and beverages.

Wrap-Up:

With its magical lust from vast tile work to colorful architecture and the river and port, Porto is seriously such a lovely gem of a place. Not only does Porto make for an incredible romantic destination to add to your European getaway, but it is also just as perfect of a destination to add to your solo European getaway, too. Through it all, I am SO glad that I visited Porto and I hope this post has shown you the love I have for this amazingly vibrant city, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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