Lisbon Travel Guide: Everything I Wish I Knew
Lisbon surprised me on my first visit in a way few cities have. It is not a place you fully understand from a list of attractions. It is a city to ease into, letting the trams, the hills, and the tiled streets teach you how it works. I have been back three times since, and this guide collects everything I learned that I wish someone had told me before my first trip, so your stay can start on the right foot.
Riding the Classic Trams
The yellow trams are the heart of getting around the oldest part of the city. The tiny cars squeeze through lanes that buses cannot enter, clattering up and down the central hills. I load a reloadable Viva card at a metro station and top it up as I go, because paying the driver with cash is awkward and expensive. Tram 12 and Tram 28 are the ones you will want, both passing through the pretty and historic streets around Alfama and the Baixa.
Tram 28 Is Worth the Hype
Tram 28 gets a lot of attention, and I can confirm it deserves it. The route cuts through Graça, Alfama, the city center, and out toward Estrela, showing you the best of the old town in a single ride. I ride it early in the morning when it is quieter, or late afternoon for the golden light. For the best views, sit on the right side heading toward Estrela. Expect it to be busy, and treat the ride as part of the experience rather than just a way to get from A to B.
Conquering the Hills
Lisbon is a city of seven hills, and I will be honest: the walking is steep. I saved my knees by using the funiculars, little cable cars that run up the sharpest slopes, and by taking the metro for longer hops across town. Comfortable shoes are not optional here. I also used the free elevators inside some metro stations to avoid stair climbs. Give yourself more time than you think between sights because the climbs add up, and plan a coffee break at a miradouro to catch your breath with a view.
Where to Stay
Where you stay shapes your whole trip. I loved staying in Alfama for atmosphere, but the streets are tangled and hilly, and some apartments involve a tough climb. For first timers I actually recommend the Baixa, the flat center between the hills, because everything feels walkable from there and the trams are close. If you want nightlife, Bairro Alto puts you in the middle of the bars, though it can be loud at night. Budget travellers do well in Graça, which is calmer and slightly cheaper while still close to the action.
Eating Pastel de Nata
You will eat many pastéis de nata, the small custard tarts with a caramelised top that Lisbon does better than anyone. My advice is to start at Pastéis de Belém, the famous bakery that has made them for nearly two centuries, then sample one at a different shop every day to compare. They are best eaten warm, dusted with cinnamon, and always with an espresso. I am yet to find one I did not finish, and hunting for the best one quickly became my favorite hobby.
Staying Safe in the City
Lisbon is a genuinely safe city, and I have never felt worried walking around at night in the main tourist areas. That said, I use the same street smarts I use anywhere. Petty theft happens in busy spots, so I keep my phone in a front pocket and my bag zipped on the crowded tram. I also avoid the very top hills alone after dark. Tipping is not expected as heavily as in North America, but leaving a little change for good service is appreciated.
Getting Around Beyond the Center
For Sintra and the beach towns, I buy tickets at the Cais do Sodré or Rossio stations and ride the commuter trains for a few euros each way. Within the city the metro is fast, clean, and cheaper than taxis. I also took a river ferry across the Tagus to the south bank once just for the view, and it was one of the cheapest joyrides in Europe. Between the trams, the metro, the funiculars, and the trains, you rarely need a taxi at all.
My Final Advice
Lisbon rewards the patient traveller. Do not try to see everything in two days; you will burn out on the hills and miss the point. I plan one neighborhood to walk in the morning, one big sight in the afternoon, and an open evening for a casual dinner and a view. Slow down, eat well, ride a tram somewhere you have not been, and let the city surprise you. That is the Lisbon travel experience that keeps pulling me back, and I am confident it will do the same for you.
