Day one in Lisbon was insane!

My only goal for the day was simple: see as much of Lisbon as possible.

With the city’s famous hills (and my very real desire to save my legs), I booked a tuk-tuk tour with Get Your Guide – Lisbon: Old Town Tuk-Tuk Tour – Alfama & Scenic Viewpoints which cost approximately £57 and it ended up being the best decision I made. My driver and guide, Noble, took me all over the city, weaving through neighbourhoods and stopping at the beautiful viewpoints Lisbon is famous for. From Miradouro de Santa Luzia to Senhora do Monte, every stop felt more stunningl than the last.

Lisbon is the kind of place where you keep saying, “Okay…this one might be my favourite view,” until you turn the next corner.

I wandered through Alfama, letting myself get a little lost, before stopping at Time Out Market…perfect when you want a bit of everything and don’t feel like committing to just one thing.

And then…the bifana.

Yes, that one.

Bifana do Afonso lived fully up to the hype. €5 for a juicy pork sandwich and a soft drink? I would go back just for this. And just a little note on this….the queue can be intense. I waited 20 minutes for my sandwich but it was also January so fewer people around. Also, they only take cash so go prepared.

Just as I was feeling unstoppable, Lisbon decided to humble me with a sudden downpour but honestly, it only made the day better. There’s something about getting caught in the rain in a new city that makes everything feel more cinematic. And just a little side note…the weather can be a little temperamental and really windy so once again be prepared for all seasons in the one day especially when travelling in autumn and winter.

That evening, I experienced my first Fado show and it completely took me by surprise. Emotional, raw and deeply moving, even without understanding every word, you feel it. If you do one cultural experience in Lisbon, let it be this. I also booked this experience through Get Your Guide – Lisbon: Fado Show and Wine inside Medieval Walls and it set me back roughly £13

Dinner was at Uma Marisqueira, a tiny place that serves just one dish and has perfected it so well that I was licking my fingers clean. Sometimes less really is more.

I ended the night slowly, with a hot chocolate and a slice of cake outside Café A Brasileira, one of Lisbon’s oldest cafés, just sitting and watching the city exist around me. One of those quiet, perfect moments you wish you could bottle.

Happy Travels xoxo