Wandering Lisbon

November 10, 2019 /

I’ll admit that I had no expectations when it came to Portugal. Nothing really came to mind when I pictured this place – unlike Paris and the Eiffel Tower, Venice and the canals, Rome and the Colosseum. Maybe the marketers of Lisbon need to up their ante. Because seriously, there is so much to discover here.

I’ve spent most of my time walking, currently averaging 10-11km per day. I haven’t spent time on too many museums or churches, but I think I’ve gained a pretty good feel for the real Portugal – the grimy streets, the outgoing people, the contrast between the beautifully tiled buildings and the crumbling mansions tattooed with graffiti. There are little markets and local coffeeshops on every corner. Street performers dance and play the saw (yes, the tool) in the main square. Pickpockets “work” in the main tourist hotspots – but I’ve found that the prettiest spots are off-the-beaten-path.

Lisbon is a city of pinky-orange rooftops, crumbling terraces, and tiled walls.

Art abounds, whether in the architectural patterns or the faces of 4-story-tall women and strange TV-people plastered up by street artists. There’s art in the metro, art on the ceilings, art tucked away under the stairs. The people dress in bright colours and wear coral lipstick, and everywhere you go, someone is playing an instrument. You’ll walk past a dead alleyway filled with cobblestone stairs and hear the traces of a tune trickling down from somewhere up the hill.

Another thing. Every destination in this city is up a hill.

Or three. Or seven. If you’re planning to visit, pack serious walking shoes. The streets are paved with a slick kind of smooth cobblestone, supposedly thanks to an infamously muddy parade hosted by a past king. Today, it means that to walk anywhere is to scramble up approximately 8,000 slippery cobblestone stairs and skid down dangerously steep streets. No one roller-skates in Lisbon.

Maybe the hills are part of the reason that life moves at a different pace here. People take time to stand at counters or sit on terraces and enjoy a small treat at least once a day. I’m trying to follow suit. It’s weirdly hard to just chill and take life as it comes – there’s this internal pressure to see more, do more, and make every moment of my life count. It’s too easy to forget that time spent on quiet reflection still counts… duh.

If you’re ever in Lisbon, here are some things to do – and a few to avoid.

  • Walk. Just walk. There is no dangerous part of town during the daylight hours, and the real Lisbon is tucked away in the nooks and crannies no international tour will bother to venture down
  • Listen to the street musicians. There are some unbelievably talented ones here
  • Don’t bother paying for the tram. Seriously, it’s not the most impressive form of transportation ever. Snap a photo of one from the outside and save yourself a cramped, sweaty ride and a long wait
  • Do try a pastel de nata – they’re not overrated at all
  • Make time to eat anything and everything. Load up on the pastries and cheese and meat – the hills keep anything from sticking
  • Don’t wait over an hour and pay to ride up the famous elevator. You can walk up a hill and get to the top via a bridge from the back for free. #travelhack
  • Spend some time people-watching in any of the big squares
  • Get an espresso and chill from one of the lookouts at the top of any of the hills
  • If you run into a church, go inside and soak up the fact that you’re standing in something from the 12th century or so. Crazy!
  • Don’t worry too much about the weather forecast. It changes about a dozen times a day here
  • Keep an eye out for free walking tours. They’re a great starting point for an adventure

My dear friend Kat has flown in for a week to cheer me up and explore with me. We just got in from another trek, complete with chilly feet and noses, and are now curled up by the room heater. It’s a quiet evening. I’m glad she’s here. We’re thinking of heading to the aquarium for an inside day tomorrow. This is a sleepy, unpredictable, strange kind of life, but I’m glad I’m here for it.