A Perfect Day: Lisbon in One Day

From our crew hotel, it’s just a short walk uphill to the Jardim do Príncipe Real park. This charming little park has a pavilion with a café: the Esplanada Príncipe Real. I don’t need much for breakfast – with a pastel de nata, the typical custard tart, and a coffee, I’m perfectly content. But they also have bowls for those with a bigger morning appetite.

I love botanical gardens – and this one is especially beautiful. The Jardim Botânico de Lisboa isn’t meticulously maintained but exudes a magical charm. There are some very old trees, and along the paths, you’ll find the occasional clay sculptures. Entry is just five euros, and on Sundays from 10 AM to 1 PM, you can get in for free.

Even if you’re still good on foot, a ride on the Elevador da Glória funicular is highly recommended. The route passes walls covered in graffiti art. If you want to spare yourself the ticket or the crowds (the car is often packed), you can walk the route and snap a cool picture as the funicular rumbles by – a classic Lisbon scene.

A great spot for a midday snack is Praça Luís de Camões, where the famous Tram 28 also stops, winding its way through Lisbon’s steep and extremely narrow old town alleys. I grab a cold drink and a sandwich at one of the little tables at Quiosque Lisboa and watch the lively activity on the square.

Personally, I’m not much of a shopper, but Rua Garrett draws me in with its impressive facades and interesting shops. At the historic Livraria Bertrand bookstore, you’ll find not only new reads but also knickknacks. Gardénia is a cool shoe store, and as a Snoopy fan, I often find something at Women’s Secret, where they have all kinds of items featuring the cartoon dog, from cosmetic bags to flip-flops.

Not far from Praça Luís de Camões, on Rua Augusta, there’s a delicious scent of pastries in the air. At Manteigaria – Fábrica de Pastéis de Nata, the famous custard tarts are baked like on an assembly line (but of course by hand). Fresh out of the oven, they taste even better: a not-too-sweet, warm custard, slightly caramelized on top, surrounded by crispy puff pastry. Conveniently, you can also take them to go, packed in sturdy boxes – my family always loves these as a gift.

Not far to the north in Lisbon, you’ll find the impressive steel structure of the Elevador de Santa Justa, a public lift that connects the upper town of Bairro Alto with the lower town of Baixa – and is a real tourist attraction.

On the way down toward the sea, a large sign promises “The sexiest WC on earth.” What makes this public restroom so sexy? Probably the wall filled with toilet paper rolls in every color of the rainbow, from which you can choose your favorite. It’s a marketing gimmick from a toilet paper brand, but if you need to go anyway, it’s worth the stop – and maybe even the four-euro entry fee ...

To get to the beach at Costa da Caparica, I take a taxi across the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge, at the end of which stands a giant statue of Christ with outstretched arms: Cristo Rei, which looks a bit like the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. Then it’s on to the beach. My favorite spot is called Praia Mata. It’s a bit sandy, with plenty of surfers in the water and several cozy cafés. This is also where you’ll find my favorite restaurant, Praia da Mata. The tapas there are highly recommended.

For dinner, I head back across the April 25th Bridge – and up high: Noobai is a rooftop bar and restaurant. The food here is fantastic, and so is the view over Lisbon at sunset. My top recommendations: the sangria and the grilled cuttlefish. And definitely ask about the wine of the month; it’s always something special and reasonably priced.

Fall in love with Portugal's sweet side with a pastel de nata baking course. Book a two-hour course via GetYourGuide and learn how to prepare Lisbon's favorite tartlets. 

Nicole Glaser’s parents insisted that she pursue a banking career after school. But at 45, she finally fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a Lufthansa flight attendant. “I would never want to do anything else,” says Glaser. Whenever she can choose a short-haul flight, she picks destinations in Southern Europe. Porto and Lisbon are her favorites.