This morning I said goodbye to Portugal and hello to Spain! Lisbon was amazing. I was told by more than one person in Porto that I would love Lisbon and they weren't wrong! Lisbon is the capital and the largest city in Portugal. Attractions are much more spread out than they are in Porto, which meant I spent less time just wandering around in Lisbon. BUT, I did actually see some sites and go to some museums. If you get the chance, I'd highly recommend visiting Lisbon for a few days. I spent five [full] days there, but could have easily seen and done everything in three. But then again, I'm on a budget and by myself so there definitely more things to do and see than what I did. Here are my recommendations for "must sees" in Lisbon.
1) Mosteiro dos Jeronimos. This was my favorite thing I saw/did in Lisbon. It's an absolutely massive monastery in Belem, an area of Lisbon a little ways from city center. It's a little pricey (10€ for a full priced ticket) but I think it's worth it. There are two levels with interesting history and beautiful photo opportunities. If you don't want to spend that much, you can view the church for free. A word of advice though, avoid mass times. I was leaving as mass was getting out and it was an absolute mad house!
2) National Archaeological Museum. It's literally attached to the monastery and you can get combined tickets that are cheaper than buying individual tickets for each. It's an impressive museum with some fascinating exhibits. I found the Egyptian exhibit and the exhibit on Lusitania particularly interesting.
3) Torre de Belem. In case you hadn't noticed a theme, you should go to Belem! The tower juts out into the water. My original plan was to go inside and walked to the top, because apparently the views are incredible, but I decided to save my money and just view it from the outside. In the area near the tower there is a bunch of trees and benches, which is perfect for people watching and relaxing.
4) Oceanario. I'm torn about recommending this. There's no doubt that the Lisbon Oceanarium is really cool. The exhibits are split up into the four oceans and are extremely well done. My reservation is the price. It's 17€ or just under $20 for an adult. If I had spent all day there maybe it would have been worth the price, but I was only there for maybe an hour.
I highly recommend spending time in Belem. Aside from the three attractions I mentioned there are also several museums. I went to the National Coaches Museum where former royal horse drawn coaches are now displayed along with their history. The maritime museum and presidential museum are also in Belem. And if you go there you must stop by Pasteis de Belem. These sweet treats are well known and delicious! I'm not 100% sure how to describe them, but the best I can do is say that it's kind of a custard-y food wrapped in a flaky pastry. They're really rich and one of those must-try foods!
There were other things I would have liked to see if I had some extra spending money, so if you ever find yourself going to Lisbon and want some ideas, let me know! Ciao!
