Lisbon - Weekend Guide
I've just returned from the most incredible weekend in Lisbon.
Well I'm saying weekend but it was just a little bit shorter than a weekend. We arrived late Friday night and left Sunday afternoon but we definitely made the most of the time we had.
Here's what I got up to and before I get into it, this was a weekend of food and not sight seeing but I'll list all the sights below that I'll definitely be returning to see on my next trip!
Breakfast/Brunch: Heim Cafe
On Saturday morning we woke up very hungry and headed straight to breakfast at Heim Cafe. This was on my list before we even landed in Portugal so I knew we were in for a treat when we got here.
Try to get here early as they don't take reservations and it gets busy very quickly!
The food was incredible especially the french toast with berries and the brunch option of scrambled eggs, bacon (I added extra, of course), avocado and salad.
The interior is so fab, it reminded me of the cafes in Australia.
Other Cafes/Restaurants recommendations:
- Cafe Jani
- Fauna & Flora
- Nicolau
Pastries - Pastel de Nata
You can't go to Portugal without trying their famous Pastel de Nata. I'm a big pastry addict so I was very eager to see what the hype was about and after trying one I totally get it.
Such a nice treat with a coffee, we had ours sitting by the sea looking out at the town. You'll find bakeries and cafes on every corner that sell these.
Bakeries/cafe recommendations for pastries:
- Pastéis de Belém
- Time out Market
- Pastelaria Aloma
The one place you have to eat in: Time Out Market
One of the main places that was recommended to me was Time Out Market and omg I totally understand why.
There's something for everyone at Time Out, burgers, steak, seafood , tapas, cocktails and so much more!
We sat outside in the sun, trying one of the seafood restaurants called Marisqueira Azul and it was definitely one of the highlights of the weekend.
Where to go in Lisbon:
I had a very long list of places to see but instead of sticking to an agenda we decided to get lost in Lisbon. I know I love to plan trips but when you're in such a beautiful city like Lisbon, one of the best ways to see it is by exploring.
The architecture is absolutely stunning and very 'instagrammable'. So the best thing to do is wander around the steep, narrow streets and take it all in.
Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo
One place we ended up finding along the way was the old tram lines on rua da bica de duarte belo. It's the steepest hill I've ever seen and such a great spot for pictures beside the broken down old trams - also a lot safer than taking pics with moving trams!
At the end of this street you'll find cute little bars which we ended stoped in for a drink or two..
Other things to do and see in Lisbon:
- Bairo Alto: Buzzy areas with lots of bars and restaurants
- Day trip to Sintra: this is at the top of our list for when we return, it's meant to be beautiful! You can go to the beach here and visit the stunning Pena Palace.
- Visit the Tower of Belem
- Wander down to the sea for a stroll
- LX Factory: if you want to see some art
The one rooftop you have to go to: Park Restaurant and Bar
Such a great spot for a few drinks or a night out. We got an Uber here and our driver literally dropped us at a car park with this sign outside telling us to take the elevator to the 6th floor.
It's basically a rooftop in a carpark, really cool and very trendy!
The music was good and the views from the top are incredible. Unfortunately we missed sunset but we'll make sure we catch it next time we visit.
Transport: We used Uber a lot which was so cheap. You can also download an app and use the scooters that they have dotted around the city, it looked so fun - definitely something we'll do next time.
This is the first time I've gone on a city break for just 2 days and I'm annoyed at myself that I haven't done it before. It's so doable going away for a short amount of time especially when you get up early and do a little bit of planning ahead.
I hope you enjoyed this post and as always, feel free to write to me if you've any questions!
Besos,
Zoe Elizabeth
