City break Lisbon: discover the hidden places!

‘Have you ever seen in the sky of Lisbon, Lisbon...’ Beautiful Lisbon is even being sung to. No wonder this beautiful city trip destination has been on Saskia's bucket list for years. Together with her family, she travelled to Lisbon to discover the hidden corners and sustainable hotspots you don't find on many other blogs (yet). Will you join us for a walk off the beaten track?

What to do in Lisbon

When you think of Lisbon, you quickly think of Belém Tower, pastéis de nata, colourful winding streets with mosaic tiles and fado music. You should definitely soak up all that when you visit Lisbon, but Lisbon is much more than that, we discovered. We left the endless rain of the Netherlands behind in the spring break to discover Lisbon and its surroundings for a week, where the sun shone every day and the temperature was a pleasant 22°C. We enjoyed all the beautiful sights and sounds. We enjoyed all the beauty this area has to offer and, in addition to the tourist attractions, we actually sought out the alternative, local and sustainable things that are not often mentioned in articles or blogs. I take you through them!

Sneak peak of a few Lisbon tips featured in this article: the Feira da Ladra flea market, the tastiest pastéis de nata and LXFactory.

Lisbon tips

Lisbon is beautiful and a lot of people know that. Every year, Lisbon welcomes some five million tourists. What do you want with all those beautiful historical sights, the sun shining more often than not and good food and drink that is quite affordable by European standards for a change. Where else can you find a cappuccino for 1.80 euros? And the Portuguese are SO gentle and friendly. Tourism is very important to the inhabitants of this city. Many people live off it. When you look at it that way, your holidays also mean you can give something back to the locals. But it also means it can be crowded (and hot). Not an ideal combination. Do yourself and the locals a favour and come in the quieter months. In my opinion, the best time to visit Lisbon - especially as a more sustainable traveller - is between October and April.

Lisbon's fun districts: where should you be?

Put on your walking shoes, because Lisbon is built on seven hills. That means quite a bit of climbing and descending sometimes, although there are trams to give you a push every now and then if you can't take it anymore. No, it's also very doable on foot. Good for fitness too, and you can better admire the variety of all those mosaic-tiled houses, sneak into a quaint little shop now and then, and also better dwell on the beautiful views and graffiti that you also encounter during your city walk. If you start preparing for your trip to Lisbon, you will soon come across articles and blogs that explain very well how the city works and which districts are worth visiting and why. Be sure to check (and bookmark) this fine article from way to.nl. They explain it very well. Because I find it very fun and important to discover the undiscovered places, I compiled a longer list of neighbourhoods, longer than most blogs. There is so much more to see in Lisbon and it is those undiscovered things that I often find more interesting.

Note: neighbourhoods are a bit mixed up, boundaries are sometimes not quite well marked on the map and neighbourhoods are sometimes drawn together under one heading. The must-visits as far as I am concerned!

• Bairro Alto: one of the city's most popular neighbourhoods with quaint narrow streets and a Mediterranean atmosphere. This district is best known for its bars, restaurants and nightlife.
• Cais do Sodré: a popular entertainment district against the city centre. Here you'll find the Time Out Market (I'll get to it in a minute), rooftop bars and fun restaurants and bars, among others. The famous Pink Street with the rainbow umbrellas can also be found here. This area is a personal favourite and if you arrive early you will have Pink Street all to yourself for your photo opportunity.
• Principle Real: a chic neighbourhood adjacent to Bairro Alto with beautiful (sustainable) shops. Here you will also find the botanical garden and nice restaurants with nice views (as the district is high up). Two nice restaurant tips with a view are Honest Greens (sustainable restaurant chain) and Lost In (also vegan choices, Indian). This district is also a winner, but there is another district next door that is really a hidden gem is. This district does not appear in any blog and is called São Bento. I highlight these separately.
• São Bento: crowned the Lisbon Pipe by us, and that's a compliment. This is such an awesome little neighbourhood. We don't understand why it isn't tipped more often. Expect beautiful streets and green parks where people live and live and lots of cosy bars and restaurants. Navigate to Jardim Fialho de Almeida and you're in a nice part. The government building is also in this district.
• Santa Catarina: a quiet residential area with quaint streets that is attached to Bairro Alto. An ideal neighbourhood to sleep in: nice and quiet and within walking distance of everything. You'll also find cute sustainable and second-hand shops and coffee shops here. Lisbon also has a Green Street (street: Rua da Silva) (check tips in this blog) with lots of nice vegan restaurants.
• Alfama: Lisbon's oldest district with many hilly winding streets and sights. This is the favourite neighbourhood of many bloggers. You should definitely stroll through this neighbourhood often. Some streets are really breathtakingly beautiful, but I also found parts a bit (too) touristy. Hello restaurants with menus featuring pictures in six languages....
• Baixa & Chiado: this is Lisbon's modern district with lots of shops. The streets are wider and flatter. This is the heart of Lisbon. Also expect a lot of tourism here such as tourist restaurants with proppers.
  
  

Walking through Chiado, lunch across the water in the Cacilhas district and sunset at Rooftopbar Park.

• Graça: The neighbourhood with the best views. Also a winner! This district is close to the famous Castelo de São Jorge which you will want to go to anyway.
• Belém: this district is located outside the city centre, but is very easy to reach from the centre with tram 15 (buy a ticket at the station or even better: take a day pass. More about Lisbon's public transport read here - handy Dutch blog). In 15 minutes you get off at the monastery, the famous bakery where you get the pastéis de Belém can taste and the tower of Belém is also nearby. It's a district you definitely have to have seen, but queues everywhere, even in February, are hefty. Tip: Visit this district as a morning stroll and admire the monastery and tower only from the outside and enjoy your pastéis de Belém doubly. Because you have to taste those, otherwise you won't be able to tell which one you like better: a pastéis de Belém or pastéis de nata. Go back on tram 15 and get off halfway at LXFactory. Coming right up...
  

• Alcântara: this district is up-and-coming and especially famous for the LXFactory, an old industrial area transformed into an entertainment hub with lots of cute boutiques, galleries, restaurants and even a rooftop. There is also a market on Sundays. You pass it on your way to Belém. Tram 15 stops right outside the door. Really a must-visit if you ask me.
• Cacilhas: Grab the ferry from Cais do Sodré and cross to this rugged neighbourhood across the water in 10 minutes. Tip: For lunch, go for traditional (fish) food with stunning views at Atira te ao Rio or Ponto Final. How to get there: when you get off the boat, turn right and walk for 10-15 minutes along the water, past abandoned graffiti-painted buildings and you will arrive at these two hidden gem restaurants. Don't tell anyone! Still feeling up to it after lunch? Then you can take a nice walk to the famous Christ statue.
• Parque das Nações: ultra-modern district on the east side of the city. It's quite a nice ride by public transport (or taxi). If you're doing Lisbon with kids, you have a good reason to visit this district, as it's home to, among other things. Oceanario (the aquarium), the science museum and the cable car.
  
  

Things you absolutely must do in Lisbon

In summary, I expect you will spend most of your time wandering through the neighbourhoods of Bairro Alto, Cais do Sodré, Alfama, Principe Real, Baixa & Chiado which are within walking distance of each other and well connected. Things you don't want to miss in central Lisbon are:

• Tram 28 through the hills. Tip: get on in the Cais do Sodré area, then get on an empty tram before it gets crowded.
• Time Out foodmarket: our favourite hang-out for drinks and good food. They have lots of vegetarian and vegan options, or local fish if you like that. Ideal place with kids.
• Rooftop Park: a green oasis in the city with a phenomenal sunset. Yes, you have to go through a car park to get there. Think you're in the wrong place? Walk on anyway!
• Rooftop Javá: a hip rooftop with great views over the water. Tip: Travelling with children? Then have lunch here. From 18:00, children are not welcome.
• Travelling with children? Then a visit to the aquarium very informative and cool. It is really impressively big! Tip: at 10:00 and 15:00 is feeding time and from 17:00 you will get 50% discount on your ticket.
• Pay a visit to the Castelo de São Jorge. Tip: visit the castle early (around 10am) and then have coffee in the sun nearby at Conqvistador or Ludos or go taste award-winning pastéis de nata at Sant António.
• Heard lots of good stories about it: a bike ride with Baja Bikes. Tip: Do this at the beginning of your holiday so you get to know the city right away.
• During the city walks, make a stop at the various viewpoints. Toppers are: Miradouro da Graça, Miradouro do Monte Agudo and Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte.
• Go for authentic Portuguese food. We got a great tip from our guesthouse and had a great time at Tascardoso, a restaurant run by three elderly Portuguese men. Great for flexitarians, but not suitable for vegetarians. So you know...
• Eat Pastéis de Nata at one of the award-winning bakeries, for example Manteigaria or Sant António.
• Go listen to fado. Everything you need to know about fado restaurants is listed for you by way.nl (including tip for an early fado performance if you are travelling with children).
• You'll come across wonderful street performers in Lisbon. Give them a nice gift if you like the music.
• Handy: you can also rent e-bikes and e-steps in lots of places in the city. This is just not suitable for/with children.
  
  

Sustainable and vegan restaurants in Lisbon

What about vegan restaurants in Lisbon? I often got that question on Instagram. Lisbon is full of trendy lunch and coffee shops and bars that also serve vegetarian and vegan dishes. There are also quite a few sustainable restaurants where vegetarian, vegan, homemade, organic and/or hyper-local are paramount. A list: 26 Vegan Food Project, Comboda, Copenhagen Cofffe Lab, Fauna & Flora (two locations), Green Beans, Honest Greens (chain), Hummus bar, I love Nicolau, Kong Vegan, Legumi Sushi Vegan, Lost In, My Mother's Daughter, O Gambuzino, Organi Chiado, Scoop n Dough (vegan ice cream), Senhor Uva, The Green Affair (chain), Tantura, The Mill, Time Out foodmarket (foodhall with lots of choice), Trattoria al Sanpietrino, Veganapati, Veganeats.

Sustainable and second-hand shopping in Lisbon

Portugal is known as a fashion country. Many sustainable fashion brands produce in Portugal where you will find many small and fair studios. And Lisbon is known for cork, a really fun and sustainable material from which you can make all kinds of things, such as bags, caps, furniture and pencil cases. So yes, you can definitely do some great sustainable shopping in Lisbon, especially in the Principe Real and Cais do Sodré districts, where you'll find great boutiques. And also the department store Embaixada (also Principe Real) has beautiful clothes (anyway, you have many nice sustainable shops in this neighbourhood). But as in the Netherlands, this quality clothing comes at a price.

More affordable are all the city's second-hand shops. And on Saturdays and Tuesdays, there is a flea market near the Alfama district that is very pleasant to visit for a while. This market is called Feira da Ladra. Nice second-hand shops can also be found near the Archaeology Museum, on the street Calçada do Carmo (There is even a vintage shop for men there). Finally, you'll come across second-hand and vintage shops all over the city. So keep your eyes peeled!

Where to stay in Lisbon

Got a minute... It won't surprise you that you have countless sleeping options in Lisbon. From luxury hotels to simple hostels and everything in between. If you come for the real Lisbon experience, my tip is to look for a small-scale hotel or guesthouse just outside Bairro Alto (in Santa Catarina or São Bento, for example). In these neighbourhoods, you are really in old Lisbon with its characteristic hilly winding streets, but just outside mass tourism, as they are neighbourhoods that are mostly residential. Beautiful and very friendly and authentic. We stayed in Caso do Patio, a great guesthouse in a quiet courtyard in the quiet Santa Catarina neighbourhood. From the same chain and on the same street you also have Casa do Bairro. While strolling through the São Bento district - you know, Lisbon's Pipe, I discovered a very nice sustainable hotel that also definitely fits into the greener list: Inspira, sustainbable boutique hotel. And in hip sustainable Green Street, you also have a sustainable hotel: The Lumiares.

Want to know more about how to discover a sustainable hotel? We wrote an article on How to pick the sustainable overnight stays from the overwhelming offer.

Our eco guesthouse in Lisbon in the Santa Catarina district, close to Bairro Alto.

More fun things to do around Lisbon

Sadly, many people visit Lisbon for a short city trip, seeing the tourist area in three or four days and heading back home on a flight. In doing so, you really do the city and also that taxing journey there a disservice. Take at least a week. In three days you will have seen the city centre and the tourist attractions, but then your adventure really begins. Then take your time to explore the quieter districts such as Principe Real, São Bento, Santa Catarina, Cacilhas and Alcântara. And the nice thing about Lisbon is that it is much bigger than the tourist centre. With public transport, you can also explore the area outside the city and the coast (beach!).

Lisbon trip highlight: day in Cascais

An absolute highlight of our holiday was a visit to the coastal town of Cascais. The train takes you to this beautiful historic seaside resort in forty minutes. The train ride along the coastline is also breathtakingly beautiful, so don't forget to look outside too. At the Cascais station sits a bicycle rental where you can hire bikes (including children's bikes) at a bargain price. And then the adventure begins! In Cascais, you'll find well-constructed, safely built cycle paths along the coast. You can take a scenic route of around 11 kilometres to a beach bar (one way). As you cycle along the water you'll feast your eyes: beautiful cliffs, metres-high waves and an azure sea. A cool final destination is lunch at the trendy beach bar Bar do Guincho. (Note: the last hundred metres is a crazy bit. You have to go up a busy road very briefly, only to shoot left into a dirt road. But it's worth it!). And on the way back, be sure to stop off at Casa da Guia, park your bike and walk along the cliff to the right to a hidden little bar Palhapita for a cocktail while enjoying breathtaking views and great music.

A super fun outing when in Lisbon: take the train to Cascais, rent bikes there and cycle a beautiful route to a cool beach club, Bar do Guincho.

Cool day trips tipped to us by locals and followers on Instagram: coastal resort Estoril (between Lisbon and Cascais), the castles in Sintra are World Heritage Sites (warning: this can be very busy), Obidos (the favourite village of a Dutch follower living in Lisbon), fishing village Peniche (for fishing enthusiasts), coastal resort Ericeira or watch the world's highest waves in Nazare. Find more original day trips from Lisbon in this article.

Bonus tip: I can really enjoy the anticipation of such a special trip. Beforehand, I read all about it and keep a document with all the great tips I come across online. Do you like that too? If so, I have a few articles to add to the pre-fun: Lisbon cityguide from The Times, Sunday in Lisbon and 21 of the best things to do in Lisbon according to The Times.

City trip Portugal, but more sustainable?

Thegreenlist.nl is the greener lifestyle magazine, focusing on greener. We show you how to live more sustainably and enjoyably. Travelling and holidaying definitely falls into the category of nice living and it is part of the lifestyle of a lot of Dutch people. Fortunately, because it also brings a lot to locals and travellers personally. We believe that travelling is not going to disappear. The only solution is to do it better. And that is what we are trying to do at thegreenlist.nl make a contribution. We will show you how to take a (slightly) more sustainable approach to all those beautiful destinations and how best to deal with the stressful car or plane journey that is often unavoidable (still).

Is the ball in your court and have you decided to visit Lisbon? Make it count! Make this wonderful city trip a holiday - try to go for longer so you can really enjoy and recharge. Spend your money well: choose small-scale and/or sustainable accommodation, spend your money on locals' outings and restaurants, try to avoid mass tourism a bit. In Portugal, people are very dependent on tourism, they can't do without us. And - if possible - go outside the high season (i.e. outside May - October).

Fan of train journeys and holidays in the Netherlands we are too, check it out:

• Road trip through Friesland: with this article you are so en route!
• The list of the nicest Texel tips, Terschelling tips and Vlieland tips.
• Or how about Domburg, Zeeland? Also a top destination!
• Crazy about Dutch city trips we are too. Have you ever Tilburg, Breda, Eindhoven, Dordrecht or The Hague considered? Check out our tips by city!
  
  

Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.