Lisbon

ALB2022

Did a good bit today.

Breakfast in Brunch cafe. Arrived at 9am and no seats left by 9.30 (c40 customers), easy to see why, great place. It's down beside the praca de comercio (square).

Metro to Oceanarium (20 mins) which we enjoyed (Mallorca might be best we've been to in Europe). Went on cable cars and got off at the Myriad. Managed to get an informal tour and great view from the top but the €650 per night was a bit out of range.

Picked up sandwiches (avoided cafe's) and got bus across Vasco de Gama Bridge (about 17km) to Freeport (20 mins). As previous poster said, very dangerous, lots of good bargains.

Got back at 6pm, went on one of the trams and had food in Timeout Market. Getting a table for 4 wasn't easy but worth it. There was a bit of rain while we were there, good advice from poster about how slippy it gets.

Sintra tomorrow..also booked a restaurant for Thursday called Maria Catita, looks very nice.

As said previously by others, if you just put the head down around the centre it's fine.

Thanks again for the tips.

WishUWereHere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120238573#Comment_120238573

Great place for a rainy day.

Montage of Feck

Found Lisbon to be the friendliest city I've been to, went out of my way to go wandering around the gritty old parts of town which never felt anyway dangerous.

WishUWereHere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120242196#Comment_120242196

We loved Lisbon. Never had any issues. Someone above mentioned the slippy surface in the rain? I’d suggest bringing a pair of runners, I ended up on my ear once - it’s no joke . Those street tiles get very slippy in the rain & the inclines and declines around Lisbon are to be respected.

Three airlines flying between Dublin & Lisbon speaks volumes.

Someone above mentioned Porto? Another great city. We combined Porto with Coimbra in our itinerary and cannot speak highly enough of both cities.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120242420#Comment_120242420

COimbra is a lovely spot. I normally drive up for a day to see friends

ALB2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120242196#Comment_120242196

Here a few days now and agree the people are extremely friendly and helpful. The 'issue' noticed on the first day seems to be concentrated from about half way down the main and off streets leading to the Praca do Comercio.

Sintra is a must see. We prefer to do our own thing so we got train from Rossio and an all day bus ticket for €11 which goes around the sites. That could be a very expensive day for a family of 4 depending how you go about it.

Hired electric scooters down the seafront, which was buzzing when we got back, and ate at Maria Catita's (lucky to be able to change reservation because completely booked out). Highly recommend both.

Getting the train from Cais do Sodre to Cascais this morning for a more relaxing day. Looking forward to seeing Sporting later.

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120246989#Comment_120246989

Get off the train to cascais in Belem on the way. Have a coffee and pasteis de Belem in the cafe. See the cathedral and Tower.

WishUWereHere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120246991#Comment_120246991

That cafe is amazing. We went into the back and sat. Fascinated by the queue out front to buy the pastels to take away.

Anyone who goes to Lisbon must have a pastel in this cafe. To see the pies being conveyed above the diners is something to behold.

ALB2022

Thanks for the advice on Belém & Cascais. It was 24° when we went to Cascais yesterday and the kids loved the beach.

Today we cycled to the Sao Francisco bridge and walked the coast to Belém which was very nice. Tip for anyone who may be in Lisbon for a limited time. You could do this in the first half of the day and then take the train to Cascais for the evening/night.

We really enjoyed the visit. Sporting were poor last night but good to get a game in and easy to get to. As a city there's loads to see, great transport (even during a strike), great food and lovely people. If you like graffiti, sardines and dealers it would be a bonus :)

SouthWesterly

Another spot to go to is setubal. Its famous for its fish restaurants which is. Cooked on charcoal outside on thf Street in summer.

The boat across to the island if the rich after lunch to Troia is worth the trip. Golden sands and clear blue water.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120255588#Comment_120255588

Setubal and Troia are lovely places to visit.

Troia is at the end of a very narrow peninsula, not actually an island but not far off it.

You can actually go back to Lisbon the long way round by road.

Mr rebel

Lisbon is coke central, even a lot of the taxi drivers sell it and I have been approached on the streets there many times asking if I wanted to buy. I’ve also been approached many times by dodgy characters opening their coats and displaying lots of fake designer watches.

Depsite that, the city still feels safe and is a great place to visit. The most danger you are likely to encounter is getting lost along the winding, cobbled streets as they send you in one direction and then another.

Ferris_Bueller

Sorry for reviving a year old thread but it's the most recent one I could find on Lisbon. Have been twice and visiting again with my partner around Easter time. I felt like I've explored it fairly extensively both times I was there and kind of struggling for new ideas on things we haven't done before. Anyone have any suggestions on things that are maybe slightly outside of the classic Lisbon itinerary?

Have done Castelo Sao Jorge, Belem, Sintra, TimeOut Market, LX Factory, Benfica match, Oceanarium and that area, Tram 28. Any particular museum, restaurant or bar recommendations? Would Caiscais or across the bridge towards the Christ the Redeemer statue be worthwhile?

delboythedub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121804496#Comment_121804496

Cascais is lovely and a short Train ride from lisbon . Lovely area to walk around especially the sea front area (east) and goes on for miles with loads of small cafes along the root. Nice little pub there O'Luains it behind the big chemist. Cascais also has a small beach

JohnCleary

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120270640#Comment_120270640

I'd be very surprised if it's actually Coke you'd be getting! It's well known that the reason these drug touts aren't arrested is because they're actually selling baking powder and oregano!

The Davestator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121807526#Comment_121807526

exactly! I actually asked our guide about why the police were turning a blind eye and he told me that.

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121819581#Comment_121819581

Is it not more to do with the decriminalisation of the drug

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121804496#Comment_121804496

The beaches of the Costa da Caparica coastline- a ferry ride from Lisbon - worth it if the weather is good

WishUWereHere

Also You can get the train across the river to visit the statue. We did that then after the statue went to the ferry port and spent the afternoon there. Some wonderful restaurants there. We wanted to go out to base tubal but the clock was against us, so cannot advise there - sorry.

kingshankly

Any recommendations for a nice hotel that may suit two adults and two teens folks somewhere central enough if it had an outdoor pool that would be a bonus

SouthWesterly

There is an electricity museum near belem. Well worth a visit.

Patser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121920362#Comment_121920362

https://www.holidayonj.com/en/lisboa/

Stayed in this place with my family - lovely little apart-hotel with great breakfast option. No real pool, but they have a small shaded patio bar out back.

Quiet spot but near centre, yellow tram line and airport metro.

duefrine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121920362#Comment_121920362

https://www.jupiterlisboahotel.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ads&utm_campaign=pt_branded_jlh&utm_id=pt_branded_jlh&gad_source=1

I would recommend the above, stayed there for 4 nights over Easter last year... Roof top pool with table service... Spa with a lovely pool in the basement..... Underground metro station beside you... 5 minute walk to the over land Train station, for the day trips