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Lisbon

I've always wanted to visit the Portuguese capital. Lisbon looked so beautiful in all the pictures. But I didn't really know what to expect there. So I was all the happier when, in addition to the wonderful views, I enjoyed the most delicious food, met open-minded people and experienced a fantastic atmosphere in Lisbon.

05/04/2026

dear(travel)diary,

one way I like to measure how much I've fallen for a city is by how easy it is to picture myself living there. And there are actually a few cities that pass that test. Within Europe, the Scandinavian cities of Copenhagen and Oslo have long held the top spot for me. But it looks like they'll have to share that podium with a southern contender now. Because Lisbon is one of the most livable cities I've ever been to!

In just a few days there, I could so easily picture myself spending weekends brunching with friends at cute little cafés, grabbing dinner at one of the great restaurants after work, or simply sipping a drink at a rooftop bar while soaking in the view over the city. A leisurely stroll through the beautiful streets and the occasional lazy afternoon at the beach would of course be part of the dream too…

Little did I know back then that this daydream would one day come pretty close to reality. At Easter 2026, I got to experience Lisbon for a second time – and in a completely different way. My friend Jonas from law school is doing his LLM there right now and went out of his way to show us the city the way he knows and loves it as an honorary local. Fewer tourist hotspots, more beaches, more hidden-gem restaurants, and more of what real Lisbon life actually feels like. Some evenings we'd simply stop in our tracks because live music was drifting out from somewhere nearby and just like that, we'd find ourselves dancing right there in the street. Those are exactly the kinds of moments that make a city stay with you forever.

Lisbon won me over even more the second time around. And who knows – maybe that daydream of actually living there isn't so far off after all…

xx Chiara

Overview:


What to see & discover

  1. Enjoy views over the city: Miradouro de St. Luzia, Recolhimento viewpoint and Elevador de St. Justa
  2. Insider tip: EmbaiXada and view from the Jardim do Príncipe Real
  3. Lisbon's trademark: The streetcar
  4. My favorite memory: Trip to the Christo Rei statue
  5. Get Out of the City: Costa da Caparica and Carcavelos Beach
  6. Something a little more alternative: LX Factory
  7. The perfect photo spots: The flower wall at the Museum of St. Anthony and the pink Rua Nova do Carvalho
  8. Get to know the corners of Belém
  9. Outside Lisbon: Palácio Nacional da Pena


Where to eat

I have rarely (or perhaps never) eaten as well on a city trip as I did in Lisbon. Although we also have our friends to thank for that, who were with us in Lisbon and knew their way around. They took us to the best restaurants, cafés and bars! I've put together a list of Lisbon's culinary highlights so that you can get to know them, too:


Where to sleep

As we were traveling by van, we chose a parking space. Unfortunately, camping and parking spaces in cities are often a bit more expensive, but not necessarily better. We therefore chose the cheapest and yet well-rated alternative at Park4Night: The campsite at the Fábrica Braço de Prata.

There are also regular cool events on the factory grounds and everyone was very friendly. The pitch itself was perfectly adequate. However, it was a bit noisy due to the streets around it and the sanitary facilities were unfortunately really disgusting. That's why we didn't feel quite so comfortable. However, it was by far the cheapest pitch (€25 per night) and we were only in the van to sleep anyway.


Costs

  • Pitch for 2 nights: 50€
  • Bus one way: 2€ per person (total 8€ per person)
  • Food and drink in total for 2 people (we only ate out and tried a lot): 200€
  • Parking: 6€


I have put together a list of all the places on Google Maps.

You can find the list here.

5 days in Lisbon

Itinerary



Day 1: Stroll through the lanes around the Castelo de São Jorge and past the Lisbon Cathedral, quick stop at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Recolhimento Viewpoint for views over the rooftops of the city, dinner at Taberna da Rua das Flores right when it opens at 6 pm (no reservations possible!)

Day 2: Breakfast at Mila, stroll through the Jardim do Príncipe Real with views of the Ponte 25 de Abril, followed by shopping at EmbaiXada and a photo op on the Pink Street (Rua Nova do Carvalho), then relax at Praça das Flores, sunset drinks at Park Rooftop or Topo Chiado

Day 3: Wander through Belém to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos with a Pastéis de Nata taste test between Manteigaria and Pastéis de Belém, quick stop to admire the Torre de Belém, dinner at Da Noi in the evening

Day 4: Day trip to Sintra and the Palácio Nacional da Pena followed by a stroll through Sintra's charming little town center, stop at Carcavelos Beach on the way back and sunset at the Windsurf Bar

Day 5: Drive or Uber to Costa da Caparica, lunch at nuua Beach, back in the city for the Elevador da Bica and Elevador de Santa Justa, wrap up the last evening at Lumi Rooftop or Zé dos Bois


From the community for the community

Tips from the community

Do you have a tip for Lisbon? Or a suggestion for the blog? Or would you simply like more information about Lisbon?

Then write me!