Lisbon – tips for an excellent long weekend.

Portugal discovered the world, now the world is discovering Portugal…

I have been visiting the country for years… Actually it is like a second home… But for a reason or another, I spent a few years without returning…

Until now, and wow, what a great surprise…

Lisbon is booming… It is a lively city with loads to do and to enjoy…

So much it is that in a space of two months I went back twice.

When I travel I always research the latest blogs, for posts in respect of the place I go. So, I want this post to be useful to those planning to spend a weekend in Lisbon.

Hotels

Lisbon is booming with Air BnB… I am not a big fan.. I like all the hotels service you can get… Room service, Spa, Welness and etc…

For those like me, a few suggestions:

Hotel Pousada de Lisbon – Situated in front of the Praça do Comércio, the hotel is a 5 stars boutique which I loved to stay in. The rooms are comfortable and the decoration mix and matches the best of the Portuguese architecture and culture. The Location is perfect, as you are literally where Lisbon is booming.

The Ritz – Four Seasons Lisbon – The name speaks for itself. The four seasons brand is a synonym of ultimate luxe. It is also very well situated, in one of the most prestigious area od Lisbon, at the Top of the Marques de Pombal square… a more of a calm and residential area, but only a few minutes away from Avenida Liberdade, where all the shops and art galleries are situated.

Altis Grand Hotel – It is a 4 stars hotel, in the same area of the four seasons. It is a big hotel with great suites and a very nice spa and swimming pool. It does not offer the glamour of the Ritz but it does not compromise in comfort.

Places to Visit

Lisbon is a large city with a trendy Old Town and the river coast area. The Chiado and Alfama neighbourhoods are just a MUST visit. One can take days to explore all the street corners… I myself don’t even try to suggest that I know it all…

A good way to have a overview is to jump in a tuk tuk and let yourself be driven around town. The tours lasts at least 1 hour and it is quite interesting and exciting… I have done twice and learned a lot about the town.

Belem, in the river cost is also a Must Visit area. From there the Portuguese navigators sailed into the Atlantic to discover the new world. They went as far as Macau and discovered Brazil. A huge monument homages these brave men… Once in Belem, one cannot leave without eating the Pastéis de Belem… Custard tarts which make my mouth water just to think about them… It is a specialty of the Portuguese cuisine and it can be found in several places, but the tradition is at Belem and thousands of tarts are sold every day… Yummy!

This last trip I was recommended to visit the LX Factory. As the name says it is a factory which got converted into several shops, restaurants, art galleries and bars. The place is super trendy. A couple of places deserve the visit…

Rio Maravilha – a Rio theme bar, with an amazing terrace overlooking the River and the Christ statue – yes, Lisbon also has one. The place is perfect for sitting back, relaxing and letting the day pass by.

On the other side of the road, there are two nice places – one is a hot dog place. We are used to eat all sorts of super burgers… Well, this place makes super hot dogs, with loads of options… The artisanal beer is also delicious!

Just next to it, there is a small coffee shop called Brigadeiria. Brigadeiro is a Brazilian chocolate sweet! I absolutely love them and I loved to have one with coffee!

Also in the LX factory there is one of the most amazing book shops I have ever been. It is called: Ler Devagar. I love books and everything about it… the feel, the smell, the whole sensation. Entering the shop, I felt transported to another world… it is a maze which one can only explain if visit it… If you are passionate about books, that is definitely a place to visit…

Anywhere I go, eating well is a mandatory requisit. This time we had two fabulous meals. One in a restaurant in one of the side streets of Avenida da Liberdade, called: Solar dos Presuntos. Just Amazing… it was packed and we had no reservation, but nevertheless, the restaurant accommodated us. The house speciality is sea food… Which Portuguese cuisine’s strength.

www.solardospresuntos.com

The other meal was a brunch at the Ritz Four Seasons which will be subject to entire post on its own. I can give you a spoiler: we spent 4 hours at the table eating….

Getting to know a town demands walking time… Lisbon is a super pleasant town to just wonder around! Just put some comfortable shoes and let yourself navigate through the narrow streets of the Old town to the large avenues crossing the city… You will quickly understand how this small European country achieved to conquer the world.

XX Valentina