LISBON TRAVEL BLOG

Creo que los viajes que más he disfrutado han sido aquellos donde las expectativas no eran tan elevadas y por lo tanto no tuve oportunidad de decepcionarme y esto me pasó con Lisboa. No me malinterpreten, la típica ruta Europea que incluye destinos como Roma o París me encantaron, pero por supuesto que las guías de viajes venden ideas que distan de muchas maneras con la realidad y donde no se mencionan las hordas de turistas impacientes y las botellas de agua a 3 euros./ Sometimes I don’t have the chance to disappoint myself by keeping my expectations low and that’s why I fell utterly in love with Lisbon. Don’t get me wrong, the typical European route that includes destinations such as Rome or Paris are amazing, but of course travel guides sell ideas that are far from reality in many ways and they never mention the hordes of impatient tourists and the overpriced bottles of water.

🌈 LISBON: SUNSHINE CAPITAL 🌈

 

Para ser honesto no había oído mucho de Lisboa antes de mudarme a Europa (y tal vez esto ayudó a mi enamoramiento con esta ciudad), pero poco a poco los rumores sobre las maravillas de la capital de Portugal comenzaron a llegar a mis oídos. Calles adoquinadas y estrechas, fachadas de colores pastel y cajas con pastéis de nata que hacen de Lisboa una de esas postales de viaje que se te quedan en la memoria./ To be honest I hadn’t heard much of Lisbon before moving to Europe (and maybe this helped me to develop a crush on this city), but little by little the rumors about the wonders of the Portuguese capital began to catch my attention. Narrow cobbled streets, pastel-colored facades and boxes of pastéis de nata are capable to make Lisbon one of those travel postcards that remain in your memory for days.

4 días y tan solo una maleta de mano fueron suficientes para escapar a Lisboa, a la que muchos conocen como la ciudad de las siete colinas… Y sí, una selección de calzado cómodo es más que recomendable para no desfallecer a mitad de la calle./ 4 days and just a suitcase were enough to plan a escapade to Lisbon, which many knows as the city of the seven hills… And yes, a selection of comfy shoes is more than advisable to not faint in the middle of the street.

➰ WHERE TO STAY ➰

Nosotros nos hospedamos en el barrio de ALFAMA, conocido por ser el corazón de la ciudad y pieza clave en la historia de Lisboa. Si bien las trampas turísticas abundan en esta zona, su localización hace que sea fácil moverse a otros puntos de interés de Lisboa y sus calles estrechas con fachadas en colores pastel hacen que merezca la pena la estadía./ We booked a place in Alfama neighborhood, known for being the heart of the city and a key piece in the history of Lisbon. While tourist traps abound in this area, its location makes it easy to move to other interesting points in Lisbon and the narrow streets with pastel facades make it worth the stay.

📸 MUST SEE 📸

BELÉM
Lejos del centro de Lisboa, pero con un puñado de joyas imprescindibles enmarcadas por el mar como el Monasterio de los Jerónimos, la Torre de Belém y el Puente 25 de Abril (no, no es una copia del Golden Gate de San Francisco, pero fue construido por la misma compañía). No olvides hacer una parada en Pastéis de Belém, la fábrica de pasteles de nata que ahora son mi nuevo postre preferido./ Far from the center of Lisbon, but with a handful of essential gems framed by the sea like the Monastery of Jerónimos, Belém Tower and 25 de Abril Bridge (no, it is not a copy of the Golden Gate of San Francisco, but it was built by the same company). Don’t forget to make a stop in Pastéis de Belém, these pastries are now my favorite dessert.

CHIADO
La zona más bohemia y romántica de Lisboa. Sus portales en color rosa y azul menta son hogar de cafés, tiendas vintage, teatros y librería. Aquí también podrás encontrar los restos del Convento Do Carmo./ The most bohemian and romantic area of Lisbon. Its portals in pink and mint blue are home to cafes, vintage shops, theaters and bookstores. Here you can also find the remains of Convento Do Carmo.

BAIRRO ALTO
Es la zona más alternativa de Lisboa y precisamente colinda con Chiado. Espíritu festivo, graffitis y los mejores miradores si te gusta mirar las ciudad desde las alturas./ The hippest neighborhood of Lisbon and very close to Chiado. Enjoy the festive spirit, the graffitis and the best viewpoint if you like to admire cities from above.

🐟 EAT + DRINK 🐟

RIO CUORA
Lo mejor de Lisboa es que es posible comer bien sin dejarse vacíos los bolsillos a diferencia de otras capitales europeas. En este pequeño restaurante familiar hay platos típicos portugueses como el bacalao o el arroz con pulpo. TIP: Sólo consume las tapas y bocadillos previos que ponen en la mesa si estás dispuesto a pagarlos./ The best thing about Lisbon is that it is possible to have good meals without breaking your bank account compared to other European cities. Make sure to try this small family restaurant, there are many typical Portuguese dishes such as cod or rice with octopus. TIP: Only consume the previous tapas and snacks they put on the table if you’re willing to pay for them.

📍 R. Augusto Rosa 30

A GINJINHA
Un bar apretado y pequeñito en la zona de Chiado que sirve el licor Ginja hecho a base de cerezas y aguardiente. Según la leyenda, era la cura milagrosa para todo tipo de enfermedades. ¡Salud!/ A tiny bar in Chiado area that serves Ginja liqueur made with cherries and alcohol (aguardente). According to legend, it was the miraculous cure for all kind of diseases. Cheers!

📍 Largo São Domingos 8

GELADOS SANTINI + PASTÉIS DE BELÉM

Para mi no hay viaje sin momento dulce y siempre me aseguro de dejar un hueco en el estómago para el postre sin importar las circunstancias. De todo lo probado estas dos fueron mis opciones favoritas./ There is no trip without a sweet moment and I always make sure to leave an empty space in my stomach for dessert no matter the circumstances. Make sure to try these options.

📍 R. do Carmo 9 + Rua de Belém nº 84-92

NICOLAU LISBOA

Menú de brunch y muy buen café en un local donde querrás probar toda la carta./ Brunch menu and very good coffee in a place where the whole menu looks appetizing.

📍 17, R. São Nicolau

📝 DESIGN + SHOPPING 📝 

LX FACTORY
Un espacio creativo construido en los restos de un área industrial por jóvenes artistas como escape a la crisis económica que afecta a Portugal desde hace algunos años . Cafeterías, restaurantes, espacios de coworking, tiendas, librerías, etc… ¡Para perderse por horas! TIP: Obligatorio visitar la Librería Ler Devagar y fotografiar los graffitis./ A creative space built on the remains of an industrial area by young artists as an escape from the economic crisis that has been affecting Portugal for some years. Cafes, restaurants, coworking spaces, shops, bookstores, etc… You could get lost for hours! TIP: Make sure to visit Ler Devargar bookstore.

 📍 R. Rodrigues de Faria 103

VILLAGE UNDERGROUND
Otra comunidad creativa que alberga un espacio de coworking, construido a partir de contenedores y buses debajo del puente 25 de Abril./ Another creative community that houses a coworking space, built from containers and buses under the 25 de Abril bridge.

📍 R. 1º de Maio 103

ALFAMA FLEA MARKET
Muy cerca de donde nos hospedamos encontramos el mercadillo de pulgas de Alfama (también conocido como Feira da Ladra y el más antiguo de Lisboa), ideal si eres un amante de las antigüedades y los objetos retro inesperados. Disponible los martes y sábados para perderte durante horas./ Very close to our Airbnb we found the Alfama flea market (also known as Feira da Ladra and the oldest flea market in Lisbon city), ideal if you are a lover of antiques and unexpected retro objects. If you’re in Lisbon on a Tuesday or Saturday make sure to go.

📍 Campo de Santa Clara

LOJA DAS CONSERVAS
Soy de los que prefiere gastarse el dinero en comida (no me juzguen) y este local tiene el souvenir perfecto de Lisboa que no terminará arrumbado en el cajón de los recuerdos. Hay todo tipo de conservas de pez y los diseños de las latas son dignos de fotografía./ I am one of those who prefer to spend money on food (don’t judge me) and this place has the perfect Lisbon souvenir that will not end up in a drawer. There are all kinds of canned fish and the designs of the cans are photo-worthy.

📍 Rua do Arsenal 130

 

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  • Como siempre, qué hermosas fotos e ilustraciones Pablo (pero no espero nada menos de ti)! En serio, no he leído a mucha gente que hable sobre Lisboa, pero tenía la ciudad en mi listo de cosas por hacer antes de morir durante mucho tiempo. Siempre me había perdido las oportunidades de ir allí, todavía quiero ir allí algún día! Voy a marcar este post porque sé que tienes muy buen gusto en todo, así que ocnfío en tu juicio 😛

    Besos!

    • Muchísimas gracias Stacey ❤️, me halaga que te gusten siendo que tus fotos son de tanta calidad y tan inspiradoras 🙂

      Definitivamente es una parada obligatoria si vuelves a Europa 🙂

  • Obrigada for this lovely travel post Pablo! Your photography is amazing and you editing skills are wow, hence your collages are phenomenal. A real visual feast! Lisbon is not the most talked about city, which is a shame because I’m sure it has a lot to offer. As you said, cities like Paris or Rome are always praised, but no travel guide mentioned the endless sea or tourists, the heat, the crowds, the traffic, the overpriced water bottles and the ‘questionable’ food offered. I haven’t actually been to Paris, and naturally I’d like to, but I’d much rather visit Lisbon because I don’t like places that are that crowded. I loved Rome, but when we visited it was packed with tourists (it always is), someone actually pushed me in Vatican museums and I twisted my ankle. I guess I was lucky that people didn’t run me down. My husband and his friends experienced food poisoning in Rome. I was with them when they had lunch, but fortunately I didn’t order anything because I wasn’t hungry. There are a lot of restaurants that offer food that isn’t of best quality or is more adapted to ‘northern western’ tourists. Personally, I prefer authentic food so when someone serves me a westernized version of an Italian dish, I’m not impressed. Still, I loved visiting Rome. It truly is an eternal city. It is worth the trouble and risking being run down by the sea of people. But less known destination deserve attention too! Anyway, great to know that the food in Lisbon was great! I love that there are small family restaurants where you can try authentic meals. That’s amazing! You visited some stunning locations in Lisbon, thank you for sharing them. I do like your outfits btw! I can see why you have fallen in love with this city, it does have so much to offer. Your comment about eatable souvenirs made me laugh. I adore fish, so I think I would go for canned fish as well. Sometimes the best souvenir is the one you can eat:) You can always take a picture and print it out to remember it later on.:)

    • THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOVELY COMMENT, IVANA! ❤️

      I really enjoyed my trips to Paris or Rome and these are mandatory places to visit if you’re planning the typical Euro trip, but there are many many things in the list to explore that sometimes is okay to go out of the mainstream and start exploring other cities that are also worth visiting in Europe or anywhere also in the world. So sorry you had a bad experience in Rome, I remember I went there in the summer and I almost faint due to the heat, but despite that I had a good experience 🙂

      And me too! One of the best ways to explore a place and its culture is to go and consume local! I like to explore the main city attractions (we must and I don’t care if I’m a tourist) but I always like to go out of the map and explore other places and eat like the locals as much as I can 😀

      Best!

  • Oh yes to this guide! Feels like Lisbon is up and coming and before it becomes an overhyped city full of tourists I’d love to visit it haha. The architecture looks lovely and I love all your tips too. Your travel blogs are always so well produced with the collages and the helpful texts. Thank you Pablo, hope you’re having a lovely week! Xx

    http://www.thefashionfolks.com

  • I never visited Lisbon.
    But I already visited Portugal twice.
    I loved this country. It’s my favorite country in Europe.
    I keep the adresses in my head for the day I’ll visit Lisbon.
    I really hope to come back in Portugal soon. I especially want to visit the south of it.
    Your photos are amazing and like always, I love your designs.
    xx,
    Margot
    https://troughthepasturesofthesky.com/

    • Hey Margot,

      Now I have more reasons to go back to Portugal, I really need to explore other regions of the country and especially Porto, have you been there?

      Let me know if you visit Lisbon soon! 😀

  • Aaah te adoro ¡Gracias! Sabes lo que esperaba este post, a mi amiga y a mi nos viene de perlas para tomar nota. Ya te contaré cuando vaya, tiene varias cosas en común con Oporto. Sobre todo el comer bien jajaja y por poxo. Un abrazo querido

    http://caritrini.blogspot.com.es

  • We visited Lisbon with a group of friends last year and absolutely loved it. It is such an amazing city and reading this makes me want to go back and try all the different places that I have missed. Still dreaming about pastéis de nata! Have a great weekend ahead!

  • A very usful and super interesting post, dear!
    I went just one time in Lisbon but it was a very quick visit since I was travelling the Portugal with my family and I’ve always wanted to visit well this city!
    definitely I gonna keep in mind all your tips, since I love too to have a taste of the authentic culture of the places i visit! 😀
    XO
    S
    https://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.it/

  • Hey Fungi!

    This travel guide was so much fun to read and experiment as if I’m there as well. I promise I will follow it word by word if I get the chance to visit Lisbon in the future (hopefully soon). I love the pink wall and cobbled tiny streets that you can walk from one place to another. Here that would be difficult, always in the car as everything is long distance apart. But, hey at least as you know “everything is bigger”!!!

    Enjoy your weekend and talk to you real soon! Bye!

    http://www.fashionradi.com

    • Yes, I would say it is one of the biggest differences when you compare Europe with America. At least here you can just survive with metro and with your feet (not in every city of course), while in America you need a car for almost everything

  • OBRIGADA a voçe! Pedazo de post, me apunto cada una de tus recomendaciones… y sigo juntando ganas (y dinero, sobre todo eso… snif) para pegarme unas buenas vacaciones en esa cuidad soñada!
    Un abrazo gran Pablo, y gracias por estos post tan únicos!
    Paz

  • Lisbon is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, it’s beauty can only be match by cities like Prague, Paris or Rome.
    There’s something about Lisbon that you can find in any other city, maybe it’s the light. maybe it’s the tiles, maybe it’s the cobblestones or just the amazing friendly people. Lisbon is such a picturesque city.

  • ¿Te puedes creer que tengo Portugal relativamente cerca y jamás he ido? ¡Es para darme hasta en el carnet de identidad!

    La verdad es que me muero de ganas de visitarla toda ella, pero sobre todo Lisboa y Oporto. ¡Me muero de envidia cuando veo posts o fotos en Instagram!

    Me alegro que te haya gustado, a mí me parece una ciudad maravillosa. Sus calles son súper bonitas y siempre parece que están llenas de vida. Además hay taaaanto, tanto que visitar. ¡Espero ir muy pronto! Me apunto tus recomendaciones 🙂

    Un besito Pablo,
    Melania | mimalditadulzura.com

    • Jajajaja, tienes que ir a este maravilloso país aprovechando que lo tenemos tan cerca.

      Yo me muero por visitar Oporto, a ver si tengo la oportunidad dentro de poco.

      Gracias por pasarte por aquí :3

  • Hey Fungi!!

    What a wonderful Lisbon guide!
    I haven’t been there, but I bought souvenirs at the Loja das Conservas in macau two years ago!!
    The shop was the most lovely in macau.
    You visit the main store, I’m so jealously!!

    By the way, LX factory sounds very interesting,
    so I would love to visit there someday.

    Thank you for telling us fantastic informations, Fungi <3

    akiko

  • I have to Google pastéis de nata and PASTÉIS DE BELÉM while reading this! hahaha it looks delicious
    I want one haha I remember trying a Spanish custard-like dessert from a Spanish-inspired hotel here in our city but I forgot its name. It was delicious maybe they tasted the same. You’d be a great tourist guide Pablo. I love these travel blogs of yours’. Makes me feel like I’ve traveled in Europe too haha You know, when I was a kid, I thought Spain and Portugal are the same and that Spanish and Portuguese people are similar too. hahahaha lol I also prefer spending my money on food so when I travel, I make sure to visit a nice restaurant from where I was traveling. They say the best way to get to know a place is by trying the foods done in that place, so I do that. How photogenic are their canned fish hahaha I laugh trying to picture our sardines. The most popular sardines brand here in the Philippines that all Filipinos know is called Señorita Sardines. hahahahaha I wonder what you’ll think if you visit Philippines. hahaha maybe you’d never come back. lol One thing’s for sure, people would be staring at you. Some Filipinos love to stare at foreigners for a veeeeerrry long time. Not that there aren’t many tourists in our country, there are actually a lot.

  • I am honestly so in love with your blog! I always love the way you style out your posts, and your images on this make me feel the same – you have a definite talent with editing and designing images.

    I’ve always wanted to go to Lisbon but I’ve never had the chance. However, at the end of this month I will be moving to Spain for a while, so would find it a lot easier to find myself in Portugal. If I do end up going, I will definitely bear this post in mind!

    Have a great weekend!
    Amy; Wandering Everywhere

    • Amy, thank you so much! This kind of comments are the best motivation to keep up with the hard work! ❤️

      You really need to put Portugal in your travel priorities, you won’t regret it!

      Best from Spain!

  • Portugal está en mi lista de luagres que quiero ir un día. Este año conocí un chico de Portugal pero se mudo Arizona a los 15 años porque sus papás querían regresar a los Estados Unidos y me conto historias espectaculares de Portugal. Tengo que ir a esa parte del charco.

  • I’ve always wanted to visit Lisbon! Loving all the photos and the way you made collages out of them. Also, Lisbon looks so rich in culture and architecture. I’m in love. x

    -Leta | The Nerdy Me