June 2026
Portugal’s capital and most populous city, it is located on a coast near the Atlantic and has a deep history of exploration.
General Tips / Notes
- Probably the single worst airport I’ve ever been to, it’s shocking how bad it is considering how important it is geographically. Be prepared to wait at every step of the way both inbound and outbound (aka don’t make plans for shortly after you land and get to the airport at least 3 hours early if not 4 and this is coming from someone who gets to the airport 30 minutes before boarding in the US)
- This is a city built on hills, be prepared for some steep uphill climbs as you casually trek from place to place
- Uber and Bolt are the ride sharing apps, relatively inexpensive when compared to the US
- Public transit is pretty decent too to get around the city quickly
- Take some pastéis de nata for your plane ride out, they travel well
- Try the famous Portuguese liquor of Ginjinha which is sour cherries infused in aguardente with cinnamon and sugar, usually in a chocolate cup. Kind of reminded me of cough syrup but it’s fun
- Some good shopping includes:
- Ementa, a streetwear store with an abundance of styles and choices, met the founders at their street stand in Principe Real and they were awesome, there are multiple locations in Lisbon
- Vintage clothing stores like Malala, MDA Style (not yet on Google Maps but right next to Dolce & Beans ice cream shop), etc.
- Many high quality soap / lotion stores like Benamore
Food
Taberna da Ruas Floras
- My favorite place I ate at in Lisbon
- Seafood-centric, classic Portuguese tapas
- Scallops & coconut shrimp are must orders
- Cash only
Cervejaria Ramiro
- Iconic spot, Bourdain-approved, a purist would love it
- Great seafood but also famous for their “dessert” which is a steak sandwich
Sea Me Peixaria Moderna
- Japanese / portuguese fusion
- Striped Shrimp (in Garlic Sauce) was one of my favorite shrimp dishes I’ve ever had, Roasted Sardine Nigiri is a fun staple
Seagull Method Cafe
- Great brunch spot
- Lisbon has a bunch of these types of places that have blown up for expats, not sure how others are but this is worth a stop
Honest Greens
- Portugal’s sweetgreen but better since the food in Europe is fresher and cleaner than the US
Pomme Eatery
- Hyped place, thought it was fine but not special
O Trevo
- Bifana spot that feels local even though it’s in the middle of a very busy tourist area
- Main thing is to get the Bifana com Queijo and load it up with yellow mustard and/or piri piri oil and wash it down with a beer
Neighbourhood Lisbon
- One of those famous expat brunch spots with coffee too
- Only had their burgers (on the post-5pm menu), was fine but nothing great
Rocco
- Unbelievable decor and vibe across 3 different indoor seating areas (Gastrobar, Crudo Bar, Ristorante) but food was a bit underwhelming
- Great drinks and wine, might be better to stop in just for that
Etma Bakery
- Great Pan Suisse Pistachio, mid Pistachio Roll
Quest
- Another of the expat brunch spots which is famous for their specialty cinnamon rolls but I had the pistachio one (to-go) and was not a fan
Belcanto
- Renowned (2-michelin, World’s 50 Best, etc.) tasting menu restaurant, I didn’t get to go here but have heard great things
Coffee
Comobå
- Cafe with fun specialty latte menu
The Folks
- Very popular coffee shop with a few locations across the city, worth checking out
- Food is decent too
Hello, Kristof
- Another famous coffee spot with a couple locations
Lilow
- Mid coffee spot
Fábrica Coffee Roasters
- Classic European-style coffee but I’m not super into it, I like my coffees in sweet specialty latte format
Pastéis de Nata
Pastéis de Belém
- Undisputed GOAT, seriously better than any others, must visit
- The original pastel de nata, the recipe was created by monks at the next door Jerónimos Monastery who were using egg whites for starching clothes and they needed to find a way to use the leftover egg yolks. When the monastery closed, they sold the recipe and this place opened
- Was in a time crunch so went to the express line on the side but if you sit inside I believe you can see the pastel de nata creation process
Castro
- Second favorite pastel de nata
- There are a few locations
Manteigaria
- Very good pastel de nata
- This place’s business strategy is to just have locations on what feels like every single street in Lisbon so it is easy to just pop in and grab a couple pastels as a snack wherever you are
Pastelaria de Santo António
- Another renowned place, didn’t get to visit this one
Pastéis de Nata
Pastéis de Belém
- Undisputed GOAT, seriously better than any others, must visit
- The original pastel de nata, the recipe was created by monks at the next door Jerónimos Monastery who were using egg whites for starching clothes and they needed to find a way to use the leftover egg yolks. When the monastery closed, they sold the recipe and this place opened
- Was in a time crunch so went to the express line on the side but if you sit inside I believe you can see the pastel de nata creation process
Castro
- Second favorite pastel de nata
- There are a few locations
Manteigaria
- Very good pastel de nata
- This place’s business strategy is to just have locations on what feels like every single street in Lisbon so it is easy to just pop in and grab a couple pastels as a snack wherever you are
Pastelaria de Santo António
- Another renowned place, didn’t get to visit this one
Bars
Red Frog Speakeasy
- Upscale cocktail bar with a highly curated menu and top notch service
- Probably need a reservation
- Cocoa is must-order, it is essentially a frozen chocolate cake that is best eaten by hand like a pizza
- Monkey Mash is in the same building and same owners, slightly less fancy, worth checking out before or after
Monkey Mash
- Awesome vibe and setting paired with a creative cocktail menu
- Nicer than a standard pub but not as nice as a super fancy cocktail bar
- Also has good food
- Red Frog Speakeasy is in the same building and same owners, more upscale, worth checking out before or after (may need a reservation)
BytheWine
- Nice space, immense selection of wines
Esplanada da Graça
- Can grab a beer and sit for a bit at the Miradouro da Graça
Park Rooftop
- Great views of Lisbon and very social atmosphere
- Randomly on the top of a parking garage
- Many patrons and not many staff members = not great service
Holy Wine
- Wine bar people like, very small so went elsewhere to find seating
Javá Rooftop / SEEN Sky Bar
- Rooftops I heard about but did not get to visit
Neighborhoods / Cities
Sintra
- Picturesque town with famed castles Palácio da Pena and Quinta da Regaleira
- Did this Get Your Guide tour with Valerie which was an excellent experience, I do recommend a tour when going because there is a lot of history to learn here
- Can also spend time in the surrounding areas, we went to Regional de Colares Winery for a quick tasting then to Azenhas do Mar which is a seaside village
- About 30-40 min from Lisbon, can take the train or Uber / Bolt if needed
Cascais
- Seaside resort city with beaches, cliffs, and historic architectures
- Walk to the Boca do Inferno, a cliff formation with an open cave and crashing waves
- About 30-40 min from Lisbon, can take the train or Uber / Bolt if needed
Chiado (neighborhood)
- Stayed here and highly recommend
- Trendy and historic neighborhood with lots of shopping and restaurants
- Livraria Bertrand here is the oldest operating bookstore in the world, it’s just a normal bookstore inside but it’s a fun fact
Alfama (neighborhood)
- Lisbon’s oldest district, with major viewpoints up top that lead down into an area of cobblestone alleys with cafes, traditional craft shops, restaurants, etc.
- Generally pretty touristy but must be visited
Belém (neighborhood)
- Riverside neighborhood, can check out the Jerónimos Monastery and walk along the river there to see the Belém Tower
Principe Real
- Wealthy neighborhood with nice parks (check out the Principe Real Garden) and shopping
- Embaixada Palace is a palace turned designer shopping mall which is neat to check out
Activities
Pastéis de Belém
- Undisputed GOAT, seriously better than any others, must visit
- The original pastel de nata, the recipe was created by monks at the next door Jerónimos Monastery who were using egg whites for starching clothes and they needed to find a way to use the leftover egg yolks. When the monastery closed, they sold the recipe and this place opened
- Was in a time crunch so went to the express line on the side but if you sit inside I believe you can see the pastel de nata creation process
Castro
- Second favorite pastel de nata
- There are a few locations
Manteigaria
- Very good pastel de nata
- This place’s business strategy is to just have locations on what feels like every single street in Lisbon so it is easy to just pop in and grab a couple pastels as a snack wherever you are
Pastelaria de Santo António
- Another renowned place, didn’t get to visit this one
Bars / Nightlife
Red Frog Speakeasy
- Upscale cocktail bar with a highly curated menu and top notch service
- Probably need a reservation
- Cocoa is must-order, it is essentially a frozen chocolate cake that is best eaten by hand like a pizza
- Monkey Mash is in the same building and same owners, slightly less fancy, worth checking out before or after
Monkey Mash
- Awesome vibe and setting paired with a creative cocktail menu
- Nicer than a standard pub but not as nice as a super fancy cocktail bar
- Also has good food
- Red Frog Speakeasy is in the same building and same owners, more upscale, worth checking out before or after (may need a reservation)
BytheWine
- Nice space, immense selection of wines
Esplanada da Graça
- Can grab a beer and sit for a bit at the Miradouro da Graça
Park Rooftop
- Great views of Lisbon and very social atmosphere
- Randomly on the top of a parking garage
- Many patrons and not many staff members = not great service
Holy Wine
- Wine bar people like, very small so went elsewhere to find seating
Javá Rooftop / SEEN Sky Bar
- Rooftops I heard about but did not get to visit
Pink Street
- Big nightlife spot, very touristy
- Careful of pickpockets
Nearby Cities / Lisbon Neighborhoods
Sintra
- Super picturesque town with famed castles Palácio da Pena and Quinta da Regaleira
- Did this Get Your Guide tour with Valerie which was an excellent experience, I do recommend a tour when going because there is a lot of history to learn here
- Can also spend time in the surrounding areas, we went to Regional de Colares Winery for a quick tasting then to Azenhas do Mar which is a seaside village
- About 30-40 min from Lisbon, can take the train or Uber / Bolt if needed
Cascais
- Seaside resort city with beaches, cliffs, and historic architectures
- Walk to the Boca do Inferno, a cliff formation with an open cave and crashing waves
- About 30-40 min from Lisbon, can take the train or Uber / Bolt if needed
Chiado (neighborhood)
- Stayed here and highly recommend
- Trendy and historic neighborhood with lots of shopping and restaurants
- Livraria Bertrand here is the oldest operating bookstore in the world, it’s just a normal bookstore inside but it’s a fun fact
Alfama (neighborhood)
- Lisbon’s oldest district, with major viewpoints up top that lead down into an area of cobblestone alleys with cafes, traditional craft shops, restaurants, etc.
- Generally pretty touristy but must be visited
Belém (neighborhood)
- Riverside neighborhood, can check out the Jerónimos Monastery and walk along the river there to see the Belém Tower
Principe Real
- Wealthy neighborhood with nice parks (check out the Principe Real Garden) and shopping
- Embaixada Palace is a palace turned designer shopping mall which is neat to check out
Activities
Fado
- Traditional folk music style from Portugal, often played during dinner
- Famously in Alfama but can stray to other places, might be less touristy
- Avoid Clube de Fado at all costs, the food was truly horrendous and so was the service (although the performers were fantastic)
LX Factory
- Former textile factory that has been converted to a trendy area with shops, restaurants, bookstores, and more
Feira da Ladra (Flea Market)
- Massive flea market on Tuesdays and Saturdays that has been around for centuries