City Rating: Lisbon
Population: 550’000
Date of visit: September 2016
Attractions & sights: 4/5
Nightlife: 4/5
Safety: 4/5
Infrastructure: 4/5
Low budget factor: 3/5
Total: 👍👍👍👍/5
The city in a nutshell:
Lisbon is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, period. The Portuguese capital has beautiful squares, picturesque houses and unique trams, which make Lisbon one of the most instagrammable cities in Europe. Plus there are enough sights to fill three or four days. Lisbon is vibrant, fun and an ideal destination for a (long) weekend. Must see-city in Europe!
Where to stay:
Near Rossio or Bairro Alto. Both locations are good as a base if you want to explore the city. By the way, Rossio and Bairro Alto are not far from each other.
The Good:
Lisbon is a unique and picturesque city. The Portuguese capital offers great sights like Castelo de São Jorge, Torre de Belém or Praça do Comércio. If time is enough, you can also add a trip to Sintra to your schedule. Or you can rent a catamaran and do a coastal cruise for half a day. There are plenty of things to do in Lisbon and one of the best things is just strolling through they streets and alleys of the city.
It’s also a hilly city, and you will inevitably walk up and down when you explore the districts. The advantage of that is that Lisbon has several great viewpoints where you can see the city from above.
As soon as the sun is down, the sprawling nightlife begins. There are several nightlife districts, Bairro Alto or Pink Street for example, where you can find one bar after another. There are also a few amazing nightclubs and rooftop bars.
Lisbon is neither a cheap nor an expensive city. The prices are European average and a trip to the Portuguese capital is definitely affordable for most Europeans.
Don’t miss the pastels de nata, Lisbon’s signature sweet. They are arguably the best pastries you can find in Europe, and they cost €1 only.
The Bad & The Ugly:
As I said, Lisbon is a hilly city. Its nickname is city of the seven hills and you will be going up and down all the time. A good physical condition is essential for getting around in the city center.
The hustlers/drug sellers in the street can be annoying and harrassing. They sell a lot of stuff from fake sunglasses to fake drugs. Plus they are not only active during the night but also when you have a coffee around noon at Rossio square.
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