A Day Out in Lisbon: How to spend a 24 hour layover, without a phone or a friend (or a hostel, or the ability to speak Portuguese)
Photo taken by Claire Ducharme
As students, we all love to hunt for a good deal. Perhaps saving £20 could convince us to opt for a 5-hour train instead of a 2-hour one? £10 and the opportunity to spend a bit more time on vacation might persuade us to bus to Luton, sit on the ground outside the WHSmith, and get that 4am flight no one else wanted to buy.
This year, after a long study abroad, I was left understandably broke. The best deal I could find for my trip back to university this summer just happened to include a layover in Lisbon--23 hours and 49 minutes, to be exact. Of course, this also meant I didn't opt for a hostel, and spent nearly every hour discovering something new. Here is my guide to an impromptu trip to Lisbon!
Landing in Lisbon at 6am, I was a bit cranky. Be warned: the Wi-Fi at Lisbon Airport is not very reliable. After struggling to get a connection, the reality of having no plan sank in. A nap was greatly needed to revive my hope for solo travel. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, you'll see countless travellers sleeping on the blue benches behind the McDonald’s in Terminal 1. It’s not the quietest, but it definitely is the hotspot for airport naps.
By 9am, I was ready for Lisbon! Pushing through the crowds of people shopping duty-free and rushing for their flights, I realized what an inconvenience my bulky bag was. My laptop, passport and makeup hung heavy on my shoulder, and the idea of getting them stolen hung even heavier on my mind. To my delight, however, there were inexpensive options for storage by the Kiss and Fly area.
Admittedly, I did not know much about Lisbon before arriving, but I had heard of Tram 28. I began at Martim Moniz station, named after the famed knight who is said to have sacrificed his life to help the Portuguese conquer Lisbon! The tram introduced me to many beautiful sites in Lisbon. It passes by many popular tourist attractions, such as Igreja e Convento da Graça, or the Church and Convent of our Lady Grace, which is one of the oldest monasteries in Lisbon, and the historically rich Castelo de São Jorge (Saint George’s Castle). It also rolls through Portas do Sol, the must-see Gates of the Sun with a unique viewpoint showing the diverse collage of architectural styles that form Lisbon’s Alfama district. I hopped off the tram as people spilled out onto the streets. When in doubt, follow the other tourists!
Photo taken by Claire Ducharme
It turns out, I got off the tram near one of the most famed sights of Lisbon, the glorious Sé de Lisboa (the Lisbon Cathedral). Mindful of the reason I opted for this layover, I visited the Igreja de Santo António (the Church of Saint Anthony) for free instead. A bit less popular, but beautiful nonetheless. The singing from the Church echoed within the high roofs, pouring out onto the stairs and into the street below. If you do decide to stop by, be mindful of their dress code (shoulders should not be exposed). I decided to follow the tram route on foot, where I ended up meeting another solo traveler! There were souvenir trinkets sold at every corner, as we admired a view of layered hilly streets and terracotta roof tiles from Portas Do Sol. The cobblestones became slick from the hundreds of footsteps that glided over them, so I would not recommend wearing heels!
Hoping to do some light shopping, we ventured past the Panteão Nacional (The National Parthenon), a grand marble building topped by an extravagant dome, and towards one of Lisbon’s oldest markets, Feira da Ladra. Unfortunately, this market is only open Tuesdays and Saturdays, but make sure to add it to your bucket list! Nearby, you could pop into Amores de Tóquio, a small business excelling in all things patterns - from patchwork to painting, they do it all. We then decided to browse in central Lisbon - a pocket of the city full of free art galleries surrounding the main plaza, Praça do Comércio. The adjacent waterfront steps were also the perfect place to cool down. Don’t be surprised if you see a few people frolicking in the water, it’s much cleaner than by Embankment station!
Next, we walked towards Baixa and Chiado, which to me, might just be the Oxford Circus and Regent Street of Lisbon. Busy, bursting with tourists, and lined with shops and restaurants begging for your attention, each restaurateur tried to convince us to sit down by their terraces. I settled on getting brunch at The Folks - simple and minimalist in decoration, but generous in portion sizes. I had fluffy scrambled eggs with fresh bread, the crispiest potato hash browns, and a crunchy salad garnished with red onion and salted cucumber. Their desserts add a new twist of flavor to traditional Portuguese specialties - the pastel de nata and coffee parfait looked amazing. I also got a beautifully layered matcha lemonade which was refreshing after a long day of walking!
Photo taken by Claire Ducharme
Spending the next hour continuing to explore the streets of Chiado, I received a folded up fortune on the street from an angel, (or really a man painted white), and visited the shopping mall: Armazéns do Chiado. Here, I met a few Portuguese university students who were considering heading to Cascais, a lively coastal town just 20 miles west of Lisbon. Why not!
Once we arrived in Cascais, the water was freezing and the seagulls were perhaps just as active as the ones in Brighton. Cold, sure, but oddly peaceful as the sun set, and the glimmers of sunlight danced across the water, despite the families running about with toddlers, and the groups of people playing ball besides us.
Sometime between 11pm and midnight, we ended up back in Lisbon, in a place called Bairro Alto. This is considered the nub where bouncers beckon you into bars, some even offering customers complete control over the bars playlist. The streets are packed with people drinking from oversized glasses (bigger than a pint) - a big surprise compared to the sneaky serving sizes in London! However, unlike Mayfair or Soho, there is no combination of bars and clubs. For a clubbing night out, you might need to get a taxi to Lux Frágil - three floors of amazing sound systems, crazy lights and intriguing projections.
In what felt like no time, the moment had come to return to reality. Whilst I didn’t stay for long, and I probably saved a bit less money than I had hoped, Lisbon gave me a wonderful taste of Portuguese, Angolan and Brazilian culture. On a more serious note, although Lisbon is enchanting, even a short trip made me aware of the struggles the city is fighting in relation to tourism. Tuk-tuks clog intersections, Airbnbs price out the locals, all of which negatively affects the local population. If you do decide to have a day out in Lisbon, plan your trip around …! Look into sustainable travel advice pages, and maybe read a few articles on the city's tourism related challenges and policies before you start booking. Have a wonderful time in Lisbon, and don’t forget to invite me over if you decide to stay.
Edited by Daria Slikker, London Editor
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