Kimmie

Lisbon had been on our list for a while, and after spending a long weekend there, we completely understood why so many people fall in love with the city. From pastel-colored streets and iconic yellow trams to endless hills and cozy cafés, Lisbon turned out to be the perfect mix of relaxed city vibes, good food, and spontaneous adventures.

We stayed at Nova Alegria, which was a pleasant accommodation overall. The room was quite small, but since we spent most of our time exploring the city, this was not a major issue. The only downside was that we had expected to book a room with a private bathroom, but in the end we had to share the bathroom with other guests. This made the stay slightly less comfortable, as there was always the chance of running into other people unexpectedly. The lounge and kitchen were shared as well. On the positive side, the location was excellent and very convenient for exploring the area. In addition, the price was fair, which made it a good option for a short stay.

Wandering though Alfama

After a slow start to the morning, we headed towards the charming neighborhood of Alfama. On the way, we passed a small local market and stumbled upon an authentic Portuguese café. For just €7.95, we ordered a croissant, a ham-and-cheese sandwich, a pastel de nata (delicious!), fresh orange juice, and water. The owner even rushed out to buy extra oranges so we could still have fresh juice!

Fueled by pastries and caffeine, we continued wandering through the city until we reached Miradouro da Graça. We stepped inside the nearby church for a quiet moment before continuing our walk through Lisbon’s maze of narrow streets.

One thing became clear very quickly: Lisbon is such a cheerful city. Everywhere we looked there were colorful buildings, beautiful tiled facades, and charming little boutiques. The historic trams rolling through the streets made the whole city feel cinematic.

At around noon, we walked past a cute spot and joked that it was “a bit early for cocktails.” A few seconds later, we found ourselves ordering cocktails anyway, alongside a slice of pizza. That pretty much summed up the relaxed Lisbon energy.

The rest of the day was mostly spent doing what Lisbon is best for: walking. And more walking.

Back at our accommodation, we opened a bottle of wine and shared some brie before heading to Praça das Flores for tacos and drinks. Later that evening, by complete coincidence, we discovered that friends were also in Lisbon. One message turned into a spontaneous night out that eventually ended on the famous Pink Street in a slightly questionable bar — but somehow that only made the evening more fun.

Castles, rain showers, and endless hills

The next morning started a little slower after the late night before. We grabbed some incredibly good tacos and planned to visit a museum about Lisbon’s history. Only when we arrived did we realize the museum was spread across six different locations throughout the city. Instead, we decided to continue uphill towards the castle.

The castle itself was beautiful to visit, although not quite as impressive as expected. The real stars of the visit were the peacocks wandering around the grounds, loudly screaming one after another like they were competing for attention.

After the windy castle visit, we found a cozy lunch spot and unsuccessfully attempted to learn a new game neither of us fully understood. The weather had turned rainy, so we bought another umbrella after accidentally forgetting the ones we had purchased the day before — not our brightest moment.

Despite the rain, we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through shops, exploring new streets, and slowly realizing that Lisbon is actually quite compact. By day three, we were already recognizing streets and neighborhoods we had passed before. It was surprising to learn that Lisbon is roughly similar in size to The Hague (city in The Netherlands) in terms of square kilometers.

That evening, we returned once again to Praça das Flores, which quickly became one of our favorite places in the city. The square was filled with people having drinks outside, creating such a warm and lively atmosphere. We ended the day with more tacos and an early night.

One last night in Lisbon

Our final day started with checking out and walking to a bakery for fresh croissants. We took them to a small square overlooking the city, where live music was playing while the sun slowly warmed the streets. By then, our legs were definitely feeling all the hills Lisbon is famous for.

Later, we took an Uber — surprisingly cheap in Lisbon — to Belém to meet up with friends again. After eating one final pastel de nata (with an espresso and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top), we visited LX Factory, an old industrial area transformed into a creative hotspot filled with trendy shops and cafés. Although we didn’t completely understand the hype, it was still fun to explore, and we managed to bring home a traditional Portuguese tile as a souvenir.

Before heading to the airport, we squeezed in one last lunch stop that unfortunately turned out to be the worst meal of the trip. Even extreme hunger couldn’t save it. Thankfully, airport food came to the rescue a few hours later.

To top things off, our flight was delayed by an hour, turning the journey home into a very short night. Luckily, we had an empty seat next to us on the plane and somehow managed to bring both umbrellas home.

Despite the tiredness, we left Lisbon feeling genuinely sad to go home. The city surprised us in the best way possible: colorful, lively, compact, and full of atmosphere. A place perfect for getting lost on foot, eating pastel de nata between sightseeing stops, and saying “yes” to spontaneous cocktails at noon.