Lisbon, Where Seafood Is King, Coffee and Beer Are Weak, and the Lifestyle Is Amazing
Purposely I hadn’t read much ahead of our trip to Lisbon. I wanted to be surprised by Portugal and Lisbon. I wanted to “follow my nose” in and around the city. My wife had done an amazing job planning our few days in the city, with outings to Cascais and Sintra, and lining up some great restaurants. Reservations are a must if you want a spot in one of the small restaurants during the high tourist season.
Our few days in Lisbon, at the tail of the World Youth Days when the city was bustling with youngsters, turned out to be amazing. The city near the bay and with its many restaurants and bars, is fun and happening. No wonder lots of young professionals want to work remotely from Lisbon for a few months.
The weather during our visit was hot, especially by Lisbon standards. On day one, the temperature was forty degrees Celsius. That was the perfect set up to explore the city during the cooler night too.
Fish is everywhere on the menu. I mean everywhere: sardines, cockles, muscles, octopus, and of course bacalau (cod). It is served in many styles: grilled, fried, or in a stew. It is surprising to learn that bacalau is hardly a local fish. Portugal imports tons of cod from Norway and other countries.
We tasted great Portugese white wines. Many of the them and their wine regions were unknown to me.
Beer in Southern Europe tends to be limited in their selection and of the lighter and crispier style. A refreshing drink on a hot day: Superbock and Sagres. A large beer is a few Euros.
I was underwhelmed by the coffee culture. Sure, there are cafes, yet, the coffee offerings are sub par. You may get a cappuccino made with milk or heavy cream. That is a bit surprising for a sailing folk, who conquered Brazil, and aren’t that far from Italy and Spain.
Lisbon is a very affordable city for tourists. Getting around town can be challenging. After all, the city is built on seven hills, so be prepared for some steep climbs. Don’t rent a car. Use public transportation. The iconic trams tend to be overly crowded. So we didn’t try them. A 30 minutes train ride is a few Euros. Hop on a tuk-tuk (prices differ on the size of your party) or Uber. We criss-crossed the city in Uber for 4 Euros(!).
We had a great time in Lisbon. It is a fun and vibrant city. There is a lot going on all the time. This is a city that lives!