After wrapping up my trip in Morocco, I hopped across the ditch and stayed for five nights in Lisbon, Portugal.
I had considered seeing more of Portugal, but I just knew that, after two weeks on a tour, I would like nothing better than to stay firmly in one place. It turned out to be exactly that: the thought of packing and dragging my luggage and taking a train or a bus or a plane somewhere else felt like an exhausting nightmare. I was more than happy to spend the remaining days of my leave in beautiful Lisbon and enjoy the comforts of my hotel.
Weather: I was prepared for gloom and rain, but the weather in early November was much better than the depressing forecast led me to believe. Pretty much every day started with grey skies and drizzle, but in a couple of hours the sky would clear and sun would come out, until the next session of rain. I was glad to be in Lisbon in cooler weather without the scorching summer heat and peak crowds.
Food: I enjoyed plenty of fish and seafood, and for my final night I splashed for a fancy dinner at Adega Machado, a nightspot for fado music. My favourite things however were the various pastries and baked goods I sampled at the bakeries, including of course the famous pasteis de nata or custard tarts. My hotel served them for breakfast and I started every day with a bit of creamy goodness.
On the first day I decided to walk down the Avenida da Liberdade boulevard and see the sights of central Lisbon. I found out very quickly that 1) Lisbon is extremely hilly and 2) comfortable shoes are a must on the cobblestones.
Carmo Convent was perhaps the best unexpected highlight of the day that I never heard about before. It’s a ruined Catholic convent that serves as a stark reminder of the devastation left by the 1755 earthquake that pretty much destroyed the city. It now houses an archaeological museum with historical sculptures and pieces… and a couple of extremely creepy Peruvian mummies. It also has its own resident cat, Carlota, who has her own merch in the gift shop and is a very cool character.
The other sights of the day included the lively Rossio Square, Pink Street, Commerce Square, and of course the iconic Lisbon tram. I decided that I wasn’t fussed about riding the tram, but I was happy to wait to get a good photo of it riding up and down the hill.
Belém
Belém is a district west of the city centre with enough attractions to fill a day trip. Chief among them is the Jerónimos Monastery, which dates back to the 16th century and is the resting place of explorer Vasco da Gama. You have to queue for a bit even with the pre-purchased tickets, but the wait is absolutely worth it.
Afterwards I walked along the riverside, where you can see landmarks like the impressive Monument of the Discoveries. Further along was the famous Belém Tower, also built in the 16th century to protect Lisbon from the raids. I decided to skip the queue and just enjoy the view of the tower at low tide.
I even had enough energy left to visit the Contemporary Art Museum, which had an excellent collection of modern art with works by Warhol, Picasso, Dali, Duchamp, Magritte and Miró.
Sintra day trip
I did end up leaving Lisbon for a day, because I wanted to visit Sintra and thought that I might as well book a tour that included a visit to the Pena Palace as well as other places close by. It was also nice to have a guide and learn something about the history of Portugal. I absolutely loved having total freedom in Lisbon, but you do miss out on things like the local insight when you’re on your own.
The morning didn’t start out promisingly, with grey clouds and thick milky fog in the mountains; Pena Palace was just barely visible. But then as I hoped the weather cleared in a matter of minutes and we could see the palace in all its fairytale-like glory. We had a guided tour of the royal interiors, but the fantastical mishmash of styles and bright colours of the exterior is really where it’s at.
We then spent about an hour in the town of Sintra, before driving to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe. It’s a beautiful spot, but to see it we had to battle the brutal winds so strong they filled your pockets with small pebbles and would tear the phone out of your hands if you weren’t careful. After a stop at the dramatic Devil’s Throat rock formation, the tour ended in the pretty seaside town of Cascais before going home.
São Jorge Castle and Alfama
The next morning I took a bus up to the São Jorge Castle, which offers amazing panoramic views of Lisbon. The fort with its walls and towers is also a lot of fun to explore and walk around. Afterwards I took my time walking down the hill of Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood with narrow streets that made me think back to my Morocco trip. I also grabbed lunch at the popular Time Out Market food hall, home to trendy restaurants selling regional specialities.
LX Factory
On my last day I went to this artsy industrial complex, home to funky shops and restaurants that reminded me a bit of Melbourne’s hipster northern suburbs like Brunswick. I did some last-minute shopping before heading back into the city centre, where I milled about happily before my flight.
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