During this semester, I am studying abroad in Rome. However, it is a personal guide of mine to visit 7 new countries. I have already hit 3, which is kind of hard to really break down into a review or recap, but here on out, every trip I take, I will gather my favorite parts, things I wish I knew before, and overall put my experience into words. So for my first edition, we visited Portugal! This was my first international trip of the semester, and first time leaving Rome, so I was very excited. I had never been to Portugal before, and to be honest, it wasn’t even on my list of countries to see, so I had no expectations going in except for one. I was always told online and by others that Lisbon (where we were going) was the capital of fine and attractive men. So, that was my only expectation for the trip.
What Was The Plan? We kind of had a loose itinerary. A list of things we wanted to do based off of what we saw on TikTok. And although that can help you build ideas, my biggest advice that I was told and did not follow, but wish I had, specifically for this trip but also in general, don’t only go to places you see on TikTok. Walk around, find places that look good, and find your own adventures. Most of the places we planned to visit from TikTok were some of the most disappointing experiences and honestly, the things we did on the spur were more enjoyable. For example, on Day 1, we wanted to shop, see sights and go party. We did some of that, no partying because of how tired we were and honestly got there, saw a view and then was content. Day 2 was a beach day and was such an amazing experience. We visited a beach town nearby called Cascais and it was beautiful. Clear (but cold) waters, no waves, gorgeous views of the beach; it was a relaxing time. Then, we finished our night taking a 30-minute bus ride to an amazing cliffside viewpoint called Cabo da Roca– which, honestly, to God, was the most beautiful view I have ever seen in my life. We went around sunset time, which was truly magical. If I could go to one place over again, it would definitely be there. Our final day consisted of last-minute shopping and sightseeing- hitting all the places we didn’t want to miss before we left. And thank God we did because we, out of desperation to get out of the heat, took a TukTuk Tour for a few hours and drove around all of Lisbon and had such a great time doing so. That was our weekend in a nutshell, but let me break down the details to help you perfect your plan to visit Lisbon.
Where Did I Stay? I stayed at the We Hate F Tourists Hostel. We stayed in a 6-bed mixed room, which consisted of 3 bunk beds, 2 under-bed storage units per bunk, and a balcony. Bathrooms were communal by floor, but divided by gender. There was a kitchen and lounge area on the basement floor next to reception, where they had breakfast each morning, and a rooftop bar with a view. Honestly speaking, from how clean it was, how much space you had, how nice the staff was and how reasonable the price was (about 30 euros a night), I would 1000% stay here again.
What Stops Would I Highly Recommend? Cabo da Roca is a must, and Cascais since it’s on the way for a nice beach day. Honestly, for food, Hard Rock Cafe, Sofia’s Place (African Cuisine) and Principle Restaurante on Green Street. But I would fully recommend taking a TukTuk tour with Lumma Tours because he took us to every spot we could imagine, like the beautiful Belem Tower.
Best Advice For Visiting?
- Prepare for the steep hills. Genuinely one of the most steep places I have ever been to. Make sure you have real good walking shoes because of this and how slippery the sidewalks are.Â
- Download the app Bolt. It is basically Uber but way more cheaper than Uber, taxis, and even the public transit system.Â
- Go see the skyline viewpoints. Seeing everything from so high up is just so nice and breathtaking.
Overall, considering I never really planned to hit Portugal this semester, it was a very good first trip. One I don’t regret. If I had to rank the experience as a whole, I would rate this trip and destination a solid 8/10.