Three Days in Lisbon
Lisbon is a city that rewards aimlessness. The best things I found there were things I wasn't looking for.
Day one: Alfama
Start in the oldest neighbourhood. Alfama is a maze of narrow streets that climb steeply from the river, connected by staircases and sudden viewpoints. There is no correct route. Pick a direction that goes uphill and see where it takes you.
Things I noted:
- Laundry strung between buildings, four floors up
- A tiled façade in deep blue and white, chipped at the edges, more beautiful for it
- Fado music from an open window at 11am — someone practising, not performing
- A cat asleep on a scooter seat
At the top, the Castelo de São Jorge. The castle itself is fine. The view is the reason to go. Lisbon spreads below you in terracotta and white, the Tagus wide and flat beyond it.
Day two: Belém
Take the tram or the train west along the river. Belém is where Lisbon keeps its monuments — the Jerónimos Monastery, the Tower of Belém, the Monument to the Discoveries.
The monastery is genuinely extraordinary. Late Gothic stonework so intricate it looks like it was carved from soap. Give it an hour.
Then walk to Pastéis de Belém and eat a pastel de nata that ruins every other pastel de nata for the rest of your life. The custard is just set. The pastry shatters. A dusting of cinnamon and powdered sugar. Have two.
Worth a detour
The MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) sits on the waterfront nearby. The building itself — a long, low curve of white ceramic tiles — is more interesting than most of what's inside. Walk across the roof.
Day three: Bairro Alto & beyond
Sleep in. Lisbon is a late city.
In the afternoon, walk through Bairro Alto. During the day it's quiet — vintage shops, bookstores, small galleries. At night it transforms into the city's bar district, but that's a different essay.
Cross the Ponte 25 de Abril to the south bank for sunset. The Cristo Rei statue stands there, arms wide over the river, a smaller echo of Rio's Christ the Redeemer. The view back toward the city, with the red bridge in the foreground and the light going gold, is the best photograph you'll take on the trip.
What to eat
- Bacalhau — salt cod, prepared a hundred different ways. Try bacalhau à brás (shredded cod with eggs, potatoes, and olives).
- Bifana — a pork sandwich in a soft roll. Fast, cheap, perfect.
- Ginjinha — sour cherry liqueur, served in a shot glass at tiny standing-room bars. Sweet, strong, and gone in a sip.
A note on tiles
Lisbon is covered in azulejos — decorative ceramic tiles that appear on churches, train stations, apartment buildings, and the insides of restaurants. They are everywhere and they are never boring. Blue and white are traditional but you'll see green, yellow, and geometric patterns from every century since the fifteenth.
Take photos of the tiles. You'll be glad you did.