Here’s How I Spent 4 Nights In Lisbon

A while back, I kicked off a monthslong, solo trip to Europe with a quick visit to Lisbon. My good friend, Pat, was wrapping up a Portuguese cycling excursion with his family on the same day I was starting my journey abroad. For this reason alone, I made Lisbon my very first stop. Keep reading to see how I spent my time exploring The City of Seven Hills.

NIGHT 1 – Arrive In Lisbon

LAND IN PORTUGAL: I took the red-eye from LAX to Ireland to store a suitcase at the airport. Unfortunately, my flight from Dublin was delayed so instead of arriving in Lisbon at 11:25pm – I landed well after midnight. I wanted to call an Uber, but the rideshare zone of the airport seemed to be closed so I found a taxi that accepted credit card and enjoyed the quiet, 10-minute drive to my hotel.
GET SOME REST: I arrived at the ibis Lisboa Centro Saldanha sometime around 1:15am, quickly checked in, headed upstairs to my room, and was in bed by 2:00am. The hotel itself was very clean and incredibly comfortable. The staff was kind, and the location was ideal since I was away from the hustle & bustle of downtown yet still a few blocks away from a metro station. The convenience of cafes, bakeries, small grocery stores, restaurants, and a bank made it that much nicer!

You can read more about my hotel experience by clicking here!

DAY 1 / NIGHT 2 – Explore Cascais

After an incredibly long travel day, I thoroughly enjoyed sleeping in and taking my time getting ready for my first full day in Europe.

A VISIT TO THE ATM: I left the hotel around 12:15pm and walked down the street to Millennium BCP, an established Portuguese bank, to withdraw some cash. It’s typically cheaper getting euros from an actual bank in Europe than back at home in the States so that was my first order of business for the day since it’s wise to always have a bit of local currency when traveling abroad.
BREAKFAST AT PADARIA DO BAIRRO: There was a lovely café right next door to the bank, so I strolled in and enjoyed a ham & cheese croissant plus a cup of coffee.
ASK ME LISBOA: After breakfast, I stopped at the hotel to gather a few things for the day ahead and then made my way south towards the heart of Lisbon. I had a lovely, mostly downhill, 30-minute walk to Praça dos Restauradores – the closest town square with an Ask Me Lisboa office. It was at this office that I was able to pick up my physical Lisboa Card that I had purchased online a week before flying to Europe. This handy card is great for tourists who are looking to visit a variety of museums and utilize public transportation during their stay in Lisbon. If used wisely, the card pays for itself and can definitely save you both time and money.

Click here to learn more about the Lisboa Card.

TRAIN TO CASCAIS: With my Lisboa Card in hand, I caught the metro around the corner in Praça Rossio and took the subway to the Cais do Sodré train station. It took less than an hour to get from the heart of Lisbon to the shores of Cascais. I made friends with two, young art students during this trip which made the ride go that much faster. And just in case you were curious – the train car itself looks more like an above-ground metro than a traditional, high-speed locomotive.
WALK TO PESTANA CIDADELA: After exiting the train station, I casually made my way to the Arts District to find the hotel where my friend, Pat, was staying. We met in the lobby, caught up for a bit, and were soon joined by his brother and sister-in-law. After some more hellos, we were officially on our way to explore this popular beach town.
LIVRARIA DÉJÀ LU: Our first stop was a quick visit to a darling bookstore just across the courtyard from Pestana Cidadela. Mostly everything was in Portuguese, so I did not make a purchase, but it was a lovely shop, nonetheless.
HAPPY HOUR AT HIFEN: After a brief stroll around town, we decided to have an afternoon snack. It was nice to escape the heat for a bit, catch up on life, nibble on some appetizers, and enjoy a few glasses of Portuguese rosé.
BEERS AT THE CRAFTY CELLAR: After a bit more walking, we stumbled upon a tiny little brewery and of course, felt obliged to enjoy a few ice-cold brews at their outdoor counter.
PRAIA DA DUQUESA: Upon finishing our beers, we walked a few minutes to this stunning beach and dipped our toes into the Atlantic Ocean while admiring the views.
SHOPPING AROUND TOWN: I told my friends that I needed a simple, logo-free hat for the duration of my summer adventure in Europe – so we were on a mission to find one while perusing the local shops of Cascais. After a few misses, we finally found a woven, cream-colored bucket hat that both fit my small head and easily folded into my purse. We bargained a bit and snagged the hat for less than 15 euros. And although this hat wasn’t my particular style, it definitely came in handy during a subsequent heatwave in both Italy and France.

SUNSET AT BOCO DO INFERNO: With shopping behind us, we headed in the direction of our dinner reservation. Prior to eating, we climbed down into the “mouth of hell” to admire this popular chasm that pushes up against a rocky, seaside cliff. The natural landscape was made that much more beautiful by the bright, orange sun dipping beneath the horizon.
DINNER AT MAR DO INFERNO: After a fun afternoon, we treated ourselves to a meal of local seafood and wine. The menu included head on garlic prawns, whole grilled fish, seasoned rice, and a few glasses of vinho verde. We capped off our delicious feast at Mar do Inferno with an absolutely divine, vodka-infused, lemon sorbetto!
DRINKS AT NASSAU CASCAIS: After dinner, we walked back into town along the Marina de Cascais and ended up at this outdoor bar where I enjoyed some more local wine.
NIGHTCAP AT PESTANA CIDADELA: After two rounds at Nassau, we headed back to the hotel where we had one last Super Bock (the local beer) to wrap up the evening.
UBER BACK TO LISBON: I definitely didn’t intend on staying in Cascais past midnight, but when you’re surrounded by great company, time sure does fly by. My friends had to leave Lisbon early that same morning, so we bid farewell, and I caught a 30-minute ride back to the Portuguese capital.
NIGHTY NIGHT: Safely back at my hotel in Lisbon, I jumped into bed around 1:30am.

DAY 2 / NIGHT 3 – Explore Historic Lisbon

After a long night in Cascais, I decided to sleep in yet again before getting ready for another day of exploration.

PRAÇA DO COMÉRICO: After a quick breakfast at Padaria do Bairro, I took the metro to Baixa-Chiado and walked 5-minutes towards one of Lisbon’s main squares. While in this giant praça – I was able to view Arco da Rua Augusto, a statue of King José I, a temporary art installation, and sprawling views of the Tagus River.

LISBOA STORY CENTER: Located on the east side of the Praça do Comérico, I would describe this facility as more of a visitor’s center than a museum. It has a small exhibit that tells the history of Lisbon, a large gift shop, and a help desk where you can gather a swath of tourist information. I was in and out of the Story Center in thirty minutes before heading across the street towards a bus stop outside of the Ferry Building.
NATIONAL TILE MUSEUM: After a quick bus ride to the Xabregas neighborhood, I found my way into this beautiful museum. It was on the top of my list of places to visit in Lisbon so I was thoroughly excited upon arriving. Before exploring the various exhibits, I enjoyed a pastel de nata in the beautiful café. After my tasty snack, I headed upstairs and was soon admiring the stunning, hand painted tiles located throughout the building.

MERCADO DA BAIXA: After my visit to the museum, I caught the bus back to the Ferry Terminal and walked a few blocks to this popular open-air market located within Praça da Figueira. I happily perused the various stalls and eventually bought some dried fruit and cashews. A man was playing the accordion for the visiting crowd so I purchased a glass of port sangria and enjoyed the music at a communal picnic table in the center of the market.
SANTA JUSTA LIFT: My original plan was to ride up this popular elevator, but once there – I was more than happy to just admire the neo-Gothic architecture of this iron giant.

METRO BACK TO SALDANHA: After spending a few minutes at the Santa Justa Lift, I took in the hustle & bustle of historic Lisbon while wandering over to Praça Rossio to catch the metro.
RELAX FOR A BIT: I was back at my hotel by 7:15pm. I took some time to sort out my itinerary for the next day, while of course, resting my feet. Ninety minutes later, I headed across the street for a meal.
DINNER AT ZAAFRAN: I spotted this Indian restaurant while walking to the bank the morning prior. India and Portugal have a deep history, and I was excited to enjoy some Indian food at least once during my trip to Lisbon, especially since both my maternal grandmother & mother are Indian-born women of Portuguese decent. The staff at Zaafran welcomed me with open arms before seating me at a lovely table in the center of the large dining room. I quickly learned that their menu also had elements of Mozambican cuisine which was a welcomed surprise. I enjoyed a samosa with various chutneys followed by a superb, coconut shrimp curry. I paired my delicious meal with a glass of Portuguese, red wine followed by a Cobra – a popular Indian lager. My server, a native of Brazil, was incredibly friendly and made my experience that much more wonderful.

To learn more about the food I ate in Portugal – click here!

OFF TO SLEEP: After my wonderful dinner, I walked a few steps up the road and back across the street to my hotel. With a busy day ahead, I made sure that I was in bed by midnight.

DAY 3 / NIGHT 4 – Explore Belém & Alfama

I woke up early and was out the door of my hotel before 8:30am.

TRAIN TO BELÉM: After a quick metro ride to the Cais do Sodré station, I boarded the 9:00am train to Belém and arrived at this popular district in no time at all.
BREAKFAST AT PASTÉIS DE BELÉM: My first order of business was to have breakfast at this famous bakery. I ordered two Portuguese egg tarts and a cup of coffee which I happily enjoyed in the gorgeous, sun-drenched back room.
JERÓNIMOS MONASTERY: After breakfast, I walked one block towards Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and quickly got into the long line. One hour later, I was inside this stunning sixteenth century monastery where the details of the cloisters were just as beautiful as the outside of the building.

NAVY MUSEUM: After exploring the monastery, I made my way to the Museu de Marinha slightly before noon. I loved everything about my visit since I thoroughly enjoy looking at boats and learning about maritime history.
LUNCH AT CAFETARIA DO MUSEU DE MARINHA: After ninety minutes of exploration, I found myself in the beautiful gift shop & adjacent cafeteria of the Navy Museum around 1:15pm. I happily enjoyed a salt cod fritter, a few glasses of cold water, and a comfortable seat at a nice table before continuing on my way.

BIG RACCOON: Next up, was a stop at a popular piece of street art by Bordalo II. Seeing this nocturnal cutie in person was definitely a highlight of my day.
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART: After leaving the big raccoon, I continued walking towards the Museu de Arte Contemporânea located within the Cultural Center of Belém. While there, I viewed a Warhol exhibit and a plethora of other pieces by esteemed, modern artists.

A BEER AT CAFÉ DO FORTE: Torre de Belém was next on my agenda. Unfortunately, the line to enter was quite long when I arrived at 3:30pm so I decided to enjoy a cold beer and rest my feet at a nearby restaurant.
TOWER OF BELÉM: By 4:15pm – the line had completely dissipated, and I was inside this beautiful, 16-century fortress in no time at all. I enjoyed exploring the tower’s various rooms and the stunning views of the Tagus River from the fort’s various platforms, windows, and turrets.
MONUMENT OF THE DISCOVERIES: A short walk and an hour later, I was admiring the intricate, limestone statues that adorn the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. Standing at 180-feet tall, this spectacular monument was the perfect way to end my long day in Belém.
TRAIN BACK TO LISBON: I caught the train around 6:00pm and was standing in the middle of Praça da Figueira in less than 20 minutes.

You can read all about my day in Belém by clicking here!

AN UPHILL WALK: From Praça da Figueira, I pulled out my phone and used Google Maps to find my way to the hilltop neighborhood of Alfama. Twenty minutes and a good, leg work out later – I had made it to my destination.
EXPLORE ALFAMA: The breathtaking views of Lisbon and the Tagus River below, immediately caught my attention, and I instantly understood why Alfama was a hotspot amongst both tourists and locals alike. After catching a glimpse of the famous, yellow, Tram 28 and snapping a few more photos of the picturesque vistas before me – I decided to find a place to eat.
DINNER AT O PREGO: I spotted this casual steak & tapas restaurant at the corner of a sloping street and quickly snagged a seat on the cute patio. In no time at all, I was enjoying an ice cold, Super Bock, a delicious steak sandwich, and great conversation with two, midwestern sisters sitting across from me. Overall, my last meal in Lisbon was a wonderful way to cap off my short trip to Portugal.
METRO BACK TO SALDANHA: After a pleasant walk downhill, I caught the metro at the nearest station in Martim Moniz. A quick ride later, I was safely back in my neighborhood right before dusk at 8:55pm. I enjoyed the short stroll back to my hotel and the twilight of late-spring in Portugal.
SLEEPY TIME: Once back in my room – I checked into my flight, packed majority of items while watching some cooking shows on tv, and finally hopped into bed.

DAY 4 – Bid dê Adeus to Portugal

After a great night’s sleep, I woke up around 9:00am and started to get ready for my departure.

CHECK OUT: I was all packed and out of my hotel at 10:30am.
METRO TO THE AIRPORT: One of the reasons I chose to stay at the ibis Lisboa Centro Saldanha was because of its proximity to Lisbon’s main airport. After checking out, I walked up the road to the Saldanha Metro Station and took the subway for 20 minutes (exactly 10 stops) to the where the line ends at Humberto Delgado Airport.
FLY TO ITALY: At 12:20pm, I waved farewell to Lisbon and as my plane took off for Milan.

Although quick, my 4-night stay in Lisbon was quite memorable and a trip I will never forget. I look forward to returning one day so I can visit all of the sights that I did not have time to see, but more importantly – indulge in plenty more of the local food & wine!

Until then…

Safe Travels!