Finally! Your very own travel guide to Portugal is here. This blog post was a labor of love and I’m sorry it took so long, but I wanted to leave no stone unturned. The country of Portugal is absolutely, stunningly, beautiful. We visited both Lisbon and the beach town of Cascais. I’m here today to tell you where to go, what to eat, what I wore, what to do and even what not to do. I am also sharing tips on how to travel with a baby. Before we get started, I’m leaving my packing list for Archie and I below.
A Few Airplane Travel Tips for Baby
- once you arrive at your gate, get him out of the stroller to stretch. Walk around and distract with the airplanes. This is what we did with Archie to try to tire him out before the flight.
- bring as many new toys as you can. Emphasis on new! They will hold attention longer.
- snacks, lots and lots of snacks.
- Amazon fire with headphones.
- Request the airline travel bassinet (more on that below).
Linking Archie’s travel toys and sippy cup below….
Now, let’s get into Lisbon. No Lisbon blog would be complete without a mention of the beautiful buildings, streets, churches and architecture of Lisbon. I’m sharing my pictures of the streets of Lisbon below and I’ll go into more detail about the way the city is set up through each picture.
*TIP ALERT* remember I mentioned I would tell you what not to do in Lisbon? Well, I would suggest not renting a car. The streets can be tough to get around. As you head into the city, the streets become narrow with cars parked along the sides of the streets. Some streets even requesting a special pass to get through. You can hire a car service from the airport and Uber once you get into the city with no problems. Lisbon is a walking city. Chances are, wherever you’re planning to go, you’ll get there quicker on foot. We went to Portugal in the first place to visit my brother in law and I remember him saying prior to our arrival, you can get anywhere in the city limits within about 15 minutes walking and he was right!
With that being said, there’s one more mode of transportation I do not want to leave out….the Tuk Tuk!
Where We Stayed – We stayed at the Lumiares Hotel in the Bairro Alto region of Lisbon. The Lumiares is a beautiful, quiet, quaint, chic hotel. I could not say enough about the friendly service we received at this hotel. There’s a beautiful spa along with a rooftop restaurant with stunning views of the city. We had breakfast every morning at the rooftop restaurant and it was a dream. I just have to say again, the service was phenomenal and the staff truly made us feel welcomed. The hotel also provides double bedroom suites with living areas. This was extremely convenient with Archie’s nap time schedule. The rooms were comfortable and clean. I would recommend to all family and friends.
Things to See and What to Do:
- (see) Praca do comercio. Lisbon’s town square, if you will. A wide open, vast square located near the harbor. Walk through the arch (shown below) and you head into town. Restaurants, cafes and shops line the streets.
- (do) Enjoy night life on Pink Street – Even though I’m past the years of late nights, we had to stop for a photo op on Pink Street. This street started out as Lisbon’s red light district and today, this street comes to life at night lined with bars and restaurants with outside dining. Worth a walk down the street during the day and then after, stop by the Time Out Marketplace.
- (see) The Santa Justa Lift – I’m categorizing this one as a “see” at the moment because you are unable to use the lift due to covid. However, if you are going to Lisbon in the future, hopefully this will reopen for you. Apparently, taking this lift to the very top, you will see some of the most beautiful views of Lisbon. With that being said, continue reading for another beautiful Lisbon view point.
- (see) Miradouro de Santa Luzia – Shown below, This scenic lookout overlooks the Alfama neighborhood. It sounds like this lookout point can get quite crowded. Prime time seems to be sunset. If you’re up for it, this may be a beautiful point to see the sunrise.
- (do) Castle de Sao George – After Miraduoro de Santa Luzia, head over to Castle de Sao George, just a few steps away. More of a fortress, you can walk along the perimeter to see stunning views of Lisbon. *Tip* avoid this if you have a baby or a wheelchair! Tons of steps and not quite accommodating for a little one.
- (do) Take a Walking Tour of Belem – Belem is an area a bit further from the main parts of Lisbon and it was about a 10 minute uber ride from our hotel, there is so much to see in this area. I know history is not everyone’s thing, but if you read my Newport, RI Travel Guide, you know I always enjoy adding a bit of history during my travels. If you’re into it, take a walking tour of Belem. We used Hi Lisbon Walking Tours. Hi Lisbon Walking Tours is free, you just make a donation at the end of your tour.
WOW! I think I covered all of Lisbon, but there’s still so much more. I think I’ll wrap this blog up here. Stay tuned next week for my wrap up of Portugal which will include the areas of Sintra and Cascais and I do want to cover several Portuguese delicacies.
What do you think?! I’d love to have a Portugal conversation :). Have you put anything on your travel list? Let me know in the comments or direct message me on Instagram!