Learn how to Plan a Lisbon Stopover: Julie’s Ideas & Picks [Stopover Series]

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In the event you’re flying to or from Germany and wish to add a number of days stopover overseas, Portugal is likely to be precisely what you’re on the lookout for!

I just lately sat down with Julie Daybreak Fox , a Portugal journey knowledgeable who has lived there for almost twenty years. On this episode, Julie shared her finest recommendation for the place to remain, what to eat, what to see, and what to skip on a brief stopover in and round Lisbon, Portugal.

This text can be out there because the Germany Journey Planning podcast episode 50. Use the participant beneath to hear or proceed studying the article beneath. See episode transcript on Apple podcasts.

About Julie Daybreak Fox

Julie Daybreak Fox is a Portugal-based journey planning knowledgeable who helps unbiased vacationers plan assured, well-judged journeys with out overwhelm or pricey errors. Whereas she’s recognized for her deep information of Lisbon, her steerage spans the entire of Portugal, combining native perception with sensible planning recommendation.

Why a Portugal Stopover Pairs So Nicely with a Germany Journey

Germany and Portugal supply utterly completely different journey experiences! That distinction is precisely what makes combining them so interesting.

TAP Airways makes it particularly straightforward so as to add a Portugal stopover for those who’re flying via Lisbon in your solution to or from Europe. Even only one to 3 days offers you a real style of the nation.

Lisbon: The Greatest Base for a Brief Portugal Stopover

When you have 2-3 days for a stopover, Julie’s recommendation is evident: keep in Lisbon. Until you actually dislike cities, it’s the most effective base for a brief stopover. And earlier than you think about London or Paris crowds, know that Lisbon doesn’t really feel that large regardless that it’s the capital.

Most of what you’ll wish to see is fairly central and far of it’s walkable. You’ll be able to simply fill 3 days within the metropolis alone, and there are additionally glorious day journeys out there by tour or public transport.

Which Lisbon Neighborhoods to Keep In

Julie’s high advice is Principe Actual. It’s barely residential, sits on the sting of Bairro Alto (the nightlife neighborhood) with out being within the thick of it, and has boutique outlets, cafes, eating places, and a cute little park. It’s on a hill with out a metro cease instantly within the neighborhood, but it surely’s a 7-minute stroll to 1, and the downhill stroll into the Chiado space is gorgeous.

Chiado is one other stable choice with stunning buildings, good transport, and plenty of outlets and eating places. For anybody with mobility issues or heavy baggage, the Baixa neighborhood is right. It was rebuilt on a flat grid of streets after the 1755 earthquake and has glorious public transport entry. It will possibly really feel a bit extra touristy, but it surely’s very handy.

Julie advises towards staying in Alfama, the oldest a part of the town. It’s charming to wander via, however the cobblestone streets, slender lanes, steps, and older buildings could make it much less sensible as a base. Equally, Bairro Alto can get noisy at evening, so for those who look in that space, learn opinions fastidiously.

Resort or Residence?

For a brief keep within the middle, Julie leans towards resorts. There are such a lot of nice eating places round that having a kitchen isn’t actually obligatory, and the resort breakfast state of affairs in Portugal is nice. At 4 and 5-star resorts, anticipate a full unfold together with sizzling choices, contemporary fruit, yogurts, and more healthy selections. Three-star breakfasts are usually extra primary.

One factor value noting: air con is fairly normal in Portuguese resorts, however in winter, the buildings can really really feel colder inside than out since they’re constructed extra for warmth. Most lodging have items that do each heating and cooling, but it surely’s value double-checking what you’ll discover in your room.

Additionally, older buildings and even boutique resorts could not have elevators. In the event you’re touring with heavy baggage or have mobility issues, verify this earlier than reserving.

A couple of resorts Julie personally recommends:

• Lisboa Pessoa Resort: A boutique 4-star close to Largo do Carmo sq., themed after Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. It has a rooftop restaurant with nice metropolis views and is near every part with out being in the course of the crowds.
• Torel Palace: On the quieter facet of the town however nonetheless strolling distance to the middle, set in an outdated palace with glorious service and good views. It’s uphill, so issue that in after a protracted day of sightseeing.
• Casa Baltazar: A stunning choice for those who choose apartment-style luxurious, situated in Bairro Alto however away from the noise.
• Expensive Lisbon, Chiado Palace: Set on a facet avenue within the nice Chiado neighborhood, it has that lovely old-world really feel with tiled partitions and a surprising purple staircase.

Attending to the Seaside from Lisbon

Sure, you may completely get to the seaside even on a brief stopover. Lisbon doesn’t have a seaside proper within the metropolis middle, however there are a number of actually good choices inside straightforward attain.

The prepare line out towards Cascais (a captivating coastal resort city) runs alongside the estuary with seashores alongside the way in which. It’s straightforward, reasonably priced, and completely doable with out a automobile.

South of Lisbon, the Arrabida Pure Park has the type of seashores you daydream about: turquoise water, white sand, and inexperienced hills as a backdrop. Getting there is a little more concerned; a day tour is the best choice, and a few even mix seaside time with kayaking or dolphin watching!

Insider perception: Skip renting a automobile for those who’re simply in Lisbon for a stopover. It’s not well worth the trouble. Use public transport, Ubers, and excursions as a substitute.

What to Eat in Lisbon

The meals alone is a cause to cease in Lisbon! I nonetheless bear in mind what I ate once I visited Portugal 35 years in the past! You’ll discover loads of upscale eating however the easy classics are what actually shine.

Issues it is best to completely strive:

• Pastel de nata (or pastel de Belem): Portugal’s iconic custard tart. Flaky pastry, creamy custard, dusted with cinnamon. Perform a little style check throughout a number of spots within the metropolis.
• Azeitao cheese: This sheep’s milk cheese is served in a spherical with the highest minimize off like a lid, as a result of the within is so runny you want a spoon to scoop it onto bread.
• Polvo a lagareiro: Baked octopus served with potatoes which can be cooked of their skins, damaged open, and drenched in olive oil and garlic.
• Bacalhau: Salted cod is a cornerstone of Portuguese delicacies. There are famously a whole bunch of the way to arrange it.
• Freshly grilled fish: At any time when it’s on the menu, order it.

For a extremely enjoyable and academic solution to discover the meals scene, Julie recommends the meals excursions with Culinary Backstreets. They dive into the cultural historical past of the dishes, take you into little native bars and taverns known as tascas, and offer you an opportunity to strive a variety of flavors with a educated information main the way in which.

Sights Price Your Time in Lisbon

Lisbon may be very a lot a metropolis of neighborhoods and wandering is among the finest methods to expertise it. However there are a number of particular spots Julie highlighted as genuinely value planning round.

Alfama

The oldest neighborhood in Lisbon, Alfama is made for wandering. Get misplaced within the lanes, and if you’re executed, simply preserve heading downhill towards the river and also you’ll discover your method out. Julie recommends doing a tour right here to essentially perceive the historical past and layers of the place.

Lisbon Museum at Palacio Pimenta

This is among the under-the-radar gems Julie talked about. Set inside an outdated palace (stunning tiles all through), the museum covers Lisbon’s historical past from the Roman occupation onward, but it surely does it in a wise, participating method.

As a substitute of simply displaying damaged artifacts, they’ve created little video reconstructions exhibiting how objects have been utilized in day by day life. There’s additionally a scale mannequin of the town because it regarded earlier than the 1755 earthquake, and interactive matters masking every part from slavery to commerce. And there’s a backyard with peacocks!

Palacio da Fronteira

One other palace – Julie admits she’s just a little palace-obsessed (relatable…I like them, too). This one is away from the middle, so plan for an Uber or taxi. The home can solely be visited on a guided tour, and every room tells a distinct chapter of Portugal’s historical past via its tiles. The gardens are full of gorgeous, generally playfully unusual tile work.

Largo do Carmo

An exquisite sq. with jacaranda timber, just a little fountain, and kiosks with outside seating. Subsequent to it’s the Carmo Church, which misplaced its roof within the 1755 earthquake and was left that method as a memorial. It’s now additionally an archaeological museum. The mix of the sq. and the roofless church makes for a extremely hanging and atmospheric spot.

Casa do Alentejo

This one is the definition of don’t choose a constructing by its facade. It’s tucked on a busy restaurant avenue the place waiters are out entrance waving menus at passersby, and you might simply stroll proper previous the doorway. However for those who step inside and head up the steps, you enter a surprising neo-Islamic courtyard with columns, archways, and rooms branching off in each route.

Upstairs there’s a belle epoque ballroom. It was initially a on line casino, then grew to become a cultural middle for individuals from the Alentejo area, and it nonetheless serves that goal as we speak. Folks come right here to hang around, play playing cards, and join. It’s a kind of locations that makes you’re feeling such as you’ve stumbled onto one thing particular.

One Sight You Can Skip (or at Least Deprioritize)

The Jeronimos Monastery is UNESCO World Heritage and delightful structure. However Julie is fairly sincere concerning the draw back: the queues to get in could be completely brutal.

In the event you solely have a number of days in Lisbon, she wouldn’t spend two hours ready in a line for it, particularly since there are different locations in Portugal with related Manueline structure that don’t include that wait. Her suggestion: admire it from the skin, pop into the adjoining church if the road is brief, and transfer on.