Lisbon Travel Advice

[Maldini]

Heading off to Lisbon on the 21st for 5 days. 

Any suggestions for must see sites, bars etc.

Hoping to watch Sporting v Vitoria.

Cheers

[BigTone]

3 minutes ago, Maldini said:

Heading off to Lisbon on the 21st for 5 days. 

Any suggestions for must see sites, bars etc.

Hoping to watch Sporting v Vitoria.

Cheers

No suggestions other than have a a great time

[Pickle Rick]

17 minutes ago, Maldini said:

Heading off to Lisbon on the 21st for 5 days. 

Any suggestions for must see sites, bars etc.

Hoping to watch Sporting v Vitoria.

Cheers

We enjoyed the Time Out market. So much food to pick from and you get live music too.

Also you should experience their trams. You can get one that more or less does a tour, but make sure you’re on the first stop as it can get busy.

If you want to diversify it from the city, get the train from Cais Do Sodre (in Lisbon) and head toward Cascais. You will find so many beaches and areas you can hop off and enjoy. The train runs right along the beachfront for most of the 40 min journey.

Estoril is on this line and has a snazzy casino. Apparently it inspired Ian Flemming’s James Bond and Casino Royale.

I went and watched Sporting Lisbon on one of my visits. It was quite an experience when they sang You’ll Never Walk Alone in Portuguese!

Edited April 16 by Pickle Rick

[Maldini]

14 minutes ago, Pickle Rick said:

We enjoyed the Time Out market. So much food to pick from and you get live music too.

Also you should experience their trams. You can get one that more or less does a tour, but make sure you’re on the first stop as it can get busy.

If you want to diversify it from the city, get the train from Cais Do Sodre (in Lisbon) and head toward Cascais. You will find so many beaches and areas you can hop off and enjoy. The train runs right along the beachfront for most of the 40 min journey.

Estoril is on this line and has a snazzy casino. Apparently it inspired Ian Flemming’s James Bond and Casino Royale.

I went and watched Sporting Lisbon on one of my visits. It was quite an experience when they sang You’ll Never Walk Alone in Portuguese!

Top man! Thanks Pickle!

[petehinton]

Had 3 days in Porto & 4 days in Lisbon last month, very jealous! Here’s my list I put together of where we wanted to try before. 
 

Neighbourhood, Musa, Dois Carvos, and Bonjardim would be my ‘really try and go’ picks. 
 

Try and do a walking tour too. We do them everywhere we go now, and it’s easily the best way to see the best parts of the city no matter where you are. 

[PHILINFRANCE]

My wife and I are off to Porto for the last week of May.

We have booked a very comfortable central hotel, but are intending to explore outside the town centre itself.

Does anybody on here, @Porto Red perhaps, have any recommendations such as trips to nearby beaches/islands?

We are familiar with, and love, the local cuisine, but any restaurant recommendations would be appreciated.

Many Thanks in advance.

[Maldini]

14 hours ago, petehinton said:

Had 3 days in Porto & 4 days in Lisbon last month, very jealous! Here’s my list I put together of where we wanted to try before. 
 

Neighbourhood, Musa, Dois Carvos, and Bonjardim would be my ‘really try and go’ picks. 
 

Try and do a walking tour too. We do them everywhere we go now, and it’s easily the best way to see the best parts of the city no matter where you are. 

Amazing, thank you Pete!

[Maldini]

We did Porto a few years ago. Cant comment on trips outside the city but would recommend a port tasting tour, and this football club near the main bridge is a great viewpoint for a beer https://maps.app.goo.gl/LV2e8hRmgqcU8AKh6,

Also second @petehinton advice to do a walking tour. We always do a free one (you do tip the guide) and ask for recommendations. 

Loved the tiles on the front of buildings as well. Came back wanting to do ours!

[The turtle]

Torre de Belém.... The face of Portuguese history

(Check out the monestery walking distance away from the torre, and if you're into football stadiums belenenses just behind.

IMPORTANT

Pastéis de Belém = in the cafe named as such; incredible and cheap (This is the only place that can be the true name- everywhere else you're having DE NATA

Bairrio alto at night is worth a visit - a real Portuguese experience (be warned you have to go up up and up) and not everywhere there accepts card as payment, be sure to ask.

The view of the bridge at sunset at the river end of Praça do Comércio is incredible 

Most of lisboa is actually pretty new since 1755 earthquake, for a taste of history ... Check out lisbon cathedral and alfama distract as it's the historic part of the city.

Close by - Castelo de S. Jorge. It's highly recommend. - sadly I couldn't go there, as my 2am night out turned into 7.30am (welcome to lisboa) so that morning was out.

 

.........

Finally 

Check out pink street in the early evening - then leave. Do not drink there. Worth a view, feel disappointed, then leave (then return in the late late hours if so wish)

Edited April 17 by The turtle

[Porto Red]

12 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

My wife and I are off to Porto for the last week of May.

We have booked a very comfortable central hotel, but are intending to explore outside the town centre itself.

Does anybody on here, @Porto Red perhaps, have any recommendations such as trips to nearby beaches/islands?

We are familiar with, and love, the local cuisine, but any restaurant recommendations would be appreciated.

Many Thanks in advance.

Hi Phil, I take it you've already done the centre on previous visits then?

I should probably update my user name as I haven't lived in Porto since 2012 although I do go there fairly regularly (next trip I have planned is in July to see The Cult, although it'd be unusual if I didn't also go sometime between now and then, anyway I digress) - I'm up in the mountains now.

You should definitely do a Douro river cruise if you haven't before, they are available for all budgets and of varying duration, the spectacular scenery of the terraced Douro valley, home of the great vineyards of port wine fame.

Beaches, well you need go no further than Matosinhos in the Northern suburbs - take the metro from the centre and go to Praia de Matosinhos, a vast expanse of golden sands with plenty of beachfront bars. The area is the traditional fishing port so you can eat fresh seafood anywhere if that's your thing.

In the centre I often find myself lunching here, good Portuguese fare at reasonable rates and right next to Estação São Bento (although can be a bit of a nightmare getting to it currently due to the ongoing works for the subway extension):

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tK9DEKdg8hfkaiPd8

Edited April 17 by Porto Red

[Porto Red]

1 hour ago, Maldini said:

We did Porto a few years ago. Cant comment on trips outside the city but would recommend a port tasting tour, and this football club near the main bridge is a great viewpoint for a beer https://maps.app.goo.gl/LV2e8hRmgqcU8AKh6,

Also second @petehinton advice to do a walking tour. We always do a free one (you do tip the guide) and ask for recommendations. 

Loved the tiles on the front of buildings as well. Came back wanting to do ours!

Just next to the medieval wall, lovely spot although I've yet to visit the club, will check it out. Another place with a great view over the bridge and river is this new bar in the maze of steps and alleys down from the cathedral @PHILINFRANCE:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Dge2Su9sjN2MNZw4A

 

[Maldini]

6 hours ago, The turtle said:

Torre de Belém.... The face of Portuguese history

(Check out the monestery walking distance away from the torre, and if you're into football stadiums belenenses just behind.

IMPORTANT

Pastéis de Belém = in the cafe named as such; incredible and cheap (This is the only place that can be the true name- everywhere else you're having DE NATA

Bairrio alto at night is worth a visit - a real Portuguese experience (be warned you have to go up up and up) and not everywhere there accepts card as payment, be sure to ask.

The view of the bridge at sunset at the river end of Praça do Comércio is incredible 

Most of lisboa is actually pretty new since 1755 earthquake, for a taste of history ... Check out lisbon cathedral and alfama distract as it's the historic part of the city.

Close by - Castelo de S. Jorge. It's highly recommend. - sadly I couldn't go there, as my 2am night out turned into 7.30am (welcome to lisboa) so that morning was out.

 

.........

Finally 

Check out pink street in the early evening - then leave. Do not drink there. Worth a view, feel disappointed, then leave (then return in the late late hours if so wish)

Hero! Much appreciated, Turtle!

[internetjef]

I really enjoyed Barrio alto for some boozing in the evenings. Tight streets where it feels like loads of people have just thrown open there windows and started selling cocktails and drinks out of them. Some proper bars too but I really liked the slightly chaotic feel of it all. Not sure if it’s like that all week or maybe more on weekends. If going to classy bars and stuff is more your cup of tea might not get the job done but i really enjoyed it, felt a bit more unique than your average bar street / area 

 

i went on a stag do years ago but flew in a day earlier and did a whistle stop tour of main tourist bits on day 1 before everyone else turned up and and it was mainly just drinking. Really nice city I thought. I reckon a walking tour could be a good shout as someone suggested earlier 

 

[BigTone]

With all the tips on here @Maldini will need 5 weeks rather than 5 days.

[Maldini]

2 minutes ago, BigTone said:

With all the tips on here @Maldini will need 5 weeks rather than 5 days.

If only! 

[TV Tom]

Went last Autumn, my Mrs loved the Gothic monastery, the time out food market by the station was great also just sitting on the front with a cheeky bottle of Chablis at sundown was quite relaxing  Personally i could of sat on the trams all day going up and down those steep hills rather than having to do all the cultural things with Mrs Tom !!!

[PHILINFRANCE]

On 17/04/2024 at 12:52, Porto Red said:

Hi Phil, I take it you've already done the centre on previous visits then?

I should probably update my user name as I haven't lived in Porto since 2012 although I do go there fairly regularly (next trip I have planned is in July to see The Cult, although it'd be unusual if I didn't also go sometime between now and then, anyway I digress) - I'm up in the mountains now.

You should definitely do a Douro river cruise if you haven't before, they are available for all budgets and of varying duration, the spectacular scenery of the terraced Douro valley, home of the great vineyards of port wine fame.

Beaches, well you need go no further than Matosinhos in the Northern suburbs - take the metro from the centre and go to Praia de Matosinhos, a vast expanse of golden sands with plenty of beachfront bars. The area is the traditional fishing port so you can eat fresh seafood anywhere if that's your thing.

In the centre I often find myself lunching here, good Portuguese fare at reasonable rates and right next to Estação São Bento (although can be a bit of a nightmare getting to it currently due to the ongoing works for the subway extension):

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tK9DEKdg8hfkaiPd8

Hi Porto,

Many Thanks for your response, and my apologies for my tardy acknowledgment and reply.

Firstly, No, we have not already done the centre, nor have we ever visited Porto.

We have visited the Algarve and Madeira, both of which we loved, and I visited Lisbon many years ago on business.

This time we intend to spend a week in Porto, some days in the town itself and others exploring the neighbouring areas, including the northern suburbs as you suggest - and lazy lunches in local fish restaurants is very much our thing.

We are both keen on walking, so envisaged taking a metro or even a train away from the centre and walking back, preferably along the coast - my wife has this strange desire to walk the Camino Portugues, but that is probably for another time.

We shall certainly try and take up some of your suggestions, though, and Thanks for your help.