In October 2021 we made it to Lisbon – a year later than originally planned (pandemic, of course). But the city was worth the wait. From our rental in Alfama we had great views and the tram stops were right outside our door. We spent our Lisbon days eating, walking, climbing, looking for art, and riding trams. Pretty much perfect.

Rua Nova do Carvalho, the Pink Street

We just had to go. We went after the marathon and ate a celebratory lunch, enjoyed the pink.

Belém – Tower & Pastéis de Belém

Where should you get the original Belém pastry? The most famous name in pastel de nata is Pastéis de Belém, a surprisingly large cafe where the pastries are churned out at a surprisingly large volume. We took some to go and headed to the beach to check out Belém Tower.

Belém Tower was built between 1514 and 1520 and is an example of Manueline architecture – profusely decorated, particularly for a defense tower.

Street Art

My little works of art

We found a great spot for outdoor art on Avenida cons Fernando de Sousa. Really impressive murals and incorporated so beautifully into the vegetation. Additionally we found more and more murals throughout the city.

Aqueduto das Águas Livres

This was a great find – a chance to walk along this old aqueduct, which was quite fun, and with good views, too. Just a 2 EUR admission fee at the Museu da Água gets you in. We arrived later in the afternoon so we didn’t check out the museum, but it could be a good option on a hot day for younger kids.

Jerónimos Monastery

Around the City

Casa das Velas Loreto, the oldest continuously operating candle shop worldwide

Touring by Tram

The absolute best way to get around, we loved taking the trams through Lisbon. We bought the all day tickets for about 6.50 EUR each, half price for kids. There’s so much to be seen by tram, here’s a guide to different scenic rides.

Lisbon Marathon

Part of the reason we went to Lisbon in the fall of 2021 was for me to run the Lisbon marathon. Its how we started the trip – arrived, slept overnight in Cascais, I got up early to run, finished the race in Lisbon, and then we spent the rest of our trip exploring Portugal.

Our days in Lisbon were so fun and left us wanting more, not just of the city but to explore even more around it. Can’t wait to return.