31 Mar 5 Ways To Explore Lisbon, Portugal
We are nearing the end of our four-week trip in Portugal’s eccentric capital, Lisbon, and since it feels like we’ve been testing transport more than anything (and one of the city’s icons is a vehicle), I thought I’d dedicate our post to the various ways you can see it.
For those of you who have never been to Lisbon (or have never seen images), the city is filled with tiny little cobbled streets. It has that European charm that you can expect from the EU, but what it also has (unlike some of the bigger inland capitals of Europe) is a coastline – a coastline with bridges, beachy pedestrian zones, and sunsets that delve off into the ocean (like in Cape Town or San Francisco…in fact these three cities couldn’t be more alike). I’m not sure if it’s the sound of seagulls or the fresh whiff of ocean breeze, or the fact that majority of the restaurants are seafood specialists, but you definitely feel the vibes of a beach town, with the bustle of a major capital – it’s really the perfect combo.
But enough about why we’re in love with Lisbon…let’s get you exploring it!
5 Ways to Explore Lisbon
Tram
Ah yes, the famous Tram. If you’re anything like us, you will actually book yourself a trip to Lisbon just to ride in one of these vintage vehicles (it’s been on our Wanderlist since the beginning, so we’re really happy to finally tick this one off!) As with any major tourist attraction, you will see queues of people, mostly at the Martim Moniz stop, which is the ‘start’ of the famous 28 line (the most scenic ride you can get through the Old Town suburbs of Alfalma and Graça – among others).
If going on the tram, remember to grab a seat, so let others go in front of you until you’re right at the front of the queue – the brakes are super old and super squeaky, and if you are indeed going on the 45-min ‘tour’, you’ll want a comfortable ride up all those hills.
Funicular
Besides having the word ‘fun’ in the name (ha!), most people don’t realise that the graphics of the vintage yellow vehicle that you see plastered all over the souvenir stores, is in fact the city’s funicular (not the tram). The Elevador da Bica is obviously a lot smaller than the tram, and the ride up Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo is a lot shorter than the 28 tram line (merely up one hill in Bairro Alto) but the photo opportunities are much better, and you don’t have to wait too long to grab a seat.
If going on the funicular, remember to grab a photo of it coming past you – it’ll make the best memory of the city’s iconic yellow symbol – yellow coat optional.
Uber
This isn’t the most interesting mode of transport, nor is this a sponsored post for Uber – we have just simply found it to be the best way to get around from the main city centre to Costa Da Caparica (the tiny, surf and resort village we stayed at for two of our four weeks in Lisbon). Sadly most of the public transport only runs on the main side of the Ponte 25 de Abril (Europe’s own Golden Gate bridge) so if you too will need to get across, either to see the Cristo Rei up close, or to hang out at the beaches, you can catch a train across the bridge, or a ferry across the river, but from there, your best bet is an Uber.
If catching an Uber, remember to come ready for a tour. Almost all of our Uber drivers in Lisbon have been hugely patriotic, and will spend the ride telling you about the must-see spots and where to eat the best sardinhas.
Walk
If all else fails, and you’re tired of sharing the views with crowds (or listening to your ‘Uber guide’), just head out and walk around the city. We spent many afternoons hanging around the Belém district (of course tasting the famous Pastéis de Belém), grabbing the perfect sunset shot near the Cais das Colunas, meandering through the LX Factory and Timeout Market, and the old neighbourhoods…in fact most of the little streets in Mouraria (the Fado ‘hood), Graça (the villa ‘hood) and the rest of the Old Town are only accessible by foot, so it would be silly not to walk (even if only for a little while).
If walking, remember to stop at the Castelo de S. Jorge (to admire the peacocks), pop in for lunch at Chapito a Mesa (the circus school cum restaurant with a killer view), and have drinks at Park Bar (it’s on the rooftop of the parking lot on Calçada do Combro).
VW Convertible
Lastly, we have to highlight our super fun old school VW convertible tour that we did from Lisbon to Sintra, and back. We not only enjoyed the sunshine and scenery from a true classic, we got to visit the western most point of mainland Europe – Cabo da Roca, and the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. The coast ride to Cascais, and of course back to Lisbon was honestly one of the prettiest drives we’ve ever had – it’s no wonder the (only) George Lazenby 007 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service was shot on this stretch of road. Simply breathtaking.
If taking the VW tour, remember to request an early start, as the sooner you hit the road, the earlier you’ll arrive at Sintra (which can get very crowded) and of course the sooner you can enjoy the rest of the views.
CC
If you enjoyed this blog post, you may want to follow our journey on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, browse our online photography shop, or get yourself a copy of our TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD eBook.
If you enjoyed this blog post, you may want to follow our journey on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, browse our online photography shop, or get yourself a copy of our TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD eBook.
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