I just came back from a trip to Portugal, which included Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra. While on the trip, I thought about what would be the best way to present my experience, so that you may be off on a good start when planning your own trip. So here are my recommendations:
Take Tram 28 in the Morning
The Tram 28 experience is a fun one, but to experience it with a lot less people (read: tourists like ourselves), take it early in the morning and you’ll almost definitely get a seat. For most who are staying in central Lisbon, Martim Moniz would be the likely station to start the ride. You can stop at the Santa Luzia lookout and take in the sights in Alfama before continuing on the ride through Chiado, and eventually at Prazeres. Beware of pickpockets!
Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset at one of the Lookouts
We didn’t get to go to all of the lookouts, but Santa Luzia was probably our favorite. It’s a good one for sunrise. Note Santa Catarina and São Pedro both have renovation works going on (as of October 2018).
Check out the Museu do Azulejo
The Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Tile Museum) is quite a sight, and gives you an introduction to the famous tile art of Portugal. It’s a little bit out of the way, but definitely worth the time spent.
Eat at the Time Out Market Lisboa (Mercado da Ribeira)
There are a lot of choices when it comes to food in Lisbon, but the Time Out Market Lisboa was the one we kept going back to each evening, because (1) it is always open, while restaurants open at 7:30pm; and (2) you can try different foods. Five of Portugal’s famous chefs each operate a stall inside the market, and we tried them all.
Money saving tip: you can buy drinks at the Minipreço market nearby (Rua de São Paulo, 80) market for a lot cheaper and bring it into the market to consume.
For something a little bit nicer perhaps, you can also try the Gourmet Experience on the 7th floor of the El Corte Inglés department store. Chef José Avillez (who does not have a stand at the Time Out Market) has a few establishments there. In addition, you can also try the Nannarella ice cream without having to go to their main store at the São Bento district.
Have a Pastel de Nata (or two)
The most well-known is the Pastéis de Belém in the Belém district of Lisbon. Unless you are going to Belém to see the monuments such as the Torre de Belém, it’s a bit out of the way. We really liked Manteigaria, which has two shops in Lisbon, one at the Time Out Market, and the other near Largo do Chiado. Ask for the powdered sugar and cinnamon to add to your pastel de nata for enhanced flavor.
See LX Factory
This is the design district of Lisbon. Although it may not be as large or fancy as some of the same in other cities, it’s definitely worthy of a visit. If you like walking, it’s a long walk from the Torre de Belém to LX Factory. Walk along the riverside and you will pass the Maat Museum, and the 25 de Abril Bridge, before taking a turn to get to LX Factory.
Go to Sintra
But not the Pena Palace. Instead, visit both the Quinta da Regaleira and the Monserrate Palace. We started with Quinta da Regaleira, then went to Monserrate Palace, before going back to the center of Sintra and went to Pena Palace. Pena was not only flooded with tourists like us, but it was very much a disappointment.
At Quinta da Regaleira, book the guided tour in advance, as you will learn how each object inside the grounds is there for a reason. At Monserrate, you will be wowed by the architecture and the work that was done to restore the palace.
Practical Information
Airport Transportation: We took the Lisbon Metro into city center. It was a quick trip with one change of trains. Buy the Viva Viagem card at the metro station and choose the “zapping” option. The card becomes a stored value card (you’ll be charged a non-refundable fee of 0,50€ for the card) from which you can deduct the value of each ride. Each metro ride is 1,31€ regardless of distance when you use the card. The same card can be used on trams, buses, and trains to Sintra, and even the Santa Justa Lift.
Note: Don’t top the card up with too much money, as the remainder is non-refundable and the card expires after one year. We started out with 5€. After the first purchase the minimum top-up is 3€.
If you do plan to use the metros and trams often, you can also opt to buy a 24-hour pass for 6,30€. Just do the math and you’ll know which is more economical for you.
For the return, since our flight was an early morning flight, we took Uber and it was less than 9€.
Sintra Transportation and Tickets: You can use your Viva Viagem “zapping” cards for Sintra. In October 2018, it was 2,25€ one way from Rossio station. Once you get to Sintra, you will be on tourist bus lines 434 (6,90€) or 435 (5€) depending on your itinerary. Both the National Palace and Quinta da Regaleira are walkable from Sintra station, between 15-25 minutes.
You can buy your attraction tickets online and get 5% off. Note once you buy your tickets, you will receive two emails. One is a credit card receipt, and the other contains your tickets. You must present the tickets (with barcodes) for scanning at entry. Always check your junk mail box if you did not receive both emails – that’s what happened to me.