48 Hours in Lisbon

“Uggghhhhh, when the HELL is this rain going to stop??” That’s what my husband and I kept asking ourselves. We moved to Portugal in the summer of 2023 and were spoiled by daily long walks – in the sunshine with the dog in toe – exploring our new city. 

Sure, we knew Braga would be rainy in the fall and winter… but near non-stop rain for 6 months??! We were over it.

On one unusually sunny day in March, we took advantage of the blue skies that miraculously opened up and went for a stroll through town (quickly, it became clear that everyone and their mom had the same idea). There, we stumbled on a sign for the Estoril Tennis Open in Cascais the following month.

Neither of us had been to a professional tennis match before and we were itching for a getaway. So, we bought tickets for the Quarterfinals and booked our train tickets south for a long weekend.

Having just came back from a rather glorious stay, here’s what we got up to:

Getting There

• Portugal has a great train network with daily trains that connect cities big and small across the country (trains outside of Portugal are harder to come by but some options are on the table!). 
• We took the high-speed Alfa Pendular train – about 3.5 hours from Braga to Lisbon. We booked online using Rail Ninja and opted for Business class; Economy is also nice but with Business we get a little more elbow room and a quieter ambiance, which we appreciate. 
• Once we arrived at the Lisbon train station, we got a Bolt and headed straight to our hotel.

AVIOTHIC TIP: Lisbon has two different train stations – Santa Apolónia station and Oriente. The latter is located closer to the airport and the former is nearer to the main city. Be sure you choose the right station to travel in/out of; the good news is, if you make an error, neither of them are that far from each other (maybe 10 minutes by car or train). Soon, we’ll be putting out a guide on how to know your seat assignment on the train; we’ve seen tourist after tourist struggle to figure this out so stay tuned for more info!

Where We Stayed

• We’ve been to Lisbon many times before – typically opting for the Chiado, Principe Real, or the northern end of Avenida LIberdade.
  • This time, we decided to stay around Santos at Emerald House (a Hilton hotel). A tad further off the beaten paths we’ve known and loved, we were excited to explore a new-to-us part of the city.  
• Emerald House is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection – upscale independent hotels that are selected by Hilton to be part of its global network; it’s Hilton’s way of expanding its portfolio by catering to travelers seeking a more intimate hotel experience. Right up our alley! 
• Check-in was a breeze and our room was spacious and cute. Plus, we had a balcony overlooking the city skyline, which was a welcome bonus. 

Where We Ate

Mila Santos

• We were STARVING after we arrived and wanted a quick and delicious bite to eat, which we found at MIla Santos (Santos location). It’s an all-day breakfast and coffee joint with colorful vibes and a great menu. 
• I had a cappuccino along with a grain bowl with quinoa, taro, avocado, and salad (omg, SOOO good!) and J got chicken tacos (which he said were “tasty”). 
• Overall, we were super happy with our meals – definitely recommend!

Raizes

• For dinner, we ate at Raizes – the cutest little bistro, serving up authentic Portuguese cuisine very close to our hotel.
• I ordered the grilled octopus with tomato risotto and my husband had this bacalhau and potato puff pastry; each dish was outstanding! 
• If you’re looking for a cozy environment with great food, Raizes delivers in spades.

Mama Shelter

• While we were walking around Lisbon, just off of Avenida Liberdade, we stumbled upon the eclectic hotel, Mama Shelter, an eclectic French hotel brand. We noticed the rooftop and made a bee-line into the hotel looking for some refreshing drinks. 
• The rooftop has a cool bohemian vibe and clearly catered to tourists and locals alike (as we noticed colleagues enjoying a few rounds of happy hour). 
• The drinks were strong and the beer was cold, which is all we could ask for on this particularly hot day in Lisbon.

Lou’s Cafe

• Lou’s Cafe got great ratings on Google for breakfast so we headed there our second day and it became immediately clear why people love it. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is cozy, and the service is nothing short of friendly. Can’t ask for much more than that!

31 D’Armada

• We stumbled on this romantic little spot one evening. It’s warm cafe lights, ambient table lighting, and beautiful green ivy called to us. Naturally, we had to stop in.
• We weren’t particularly hungry when we popped in so kept our meal rather light – with drinks, fabulous bread and an appetizer of garlic and shrimp; the shrimp was a tad under seasoned but still tasty. We agreed we’d go back during our next visit to try a few other dishes

What We Did

Explore

Of course, we were in town for the tennis match but made sure we scheduled plenty of time for our favorite activity: exploring on foot. We love seeing different parts of the city, popping into little shops and coffee shops, and getting a feel for various neighborhoods.

We bobbed and weaved the whole trip (averaging 8 miles a day!), bouncing from Santos to Principe Real through Parque Eduardo VII, down to Alcantara, and everywhere in between. We made sure to stop in at A Brasileira for a quick photo of this gorgeous and iconic spot (it’s the oldest cafe in Lisbon).

AVIOTHIC TIP: Lisbon is a city of uneven and, at times, slippery cobblestone so it’s best to opt for comfortable walking shoes, ideally with a good grip (like these, these, or these). Leave heels and wedges at home or reserve them for the evenings when you may be taking a Bolt for dinner.

Shop

We did a wee bit of shopping while in town. One of the first places I headed to was El Corte Inglés– a fabulous department store in downtown Lisbon with the most incredible beauty floor I’ve ever seen (though a bit overwhelming). Literally every brand you have (and haven’t) heard of is available there.

While I am not big into makeup, I have been in the market for a few staple items to level-up my beauty game. Thankfully, I found everything I needed and discovered a few new-to-me brands that I am loving! 

I made sure to manage my husband’s expectations beforehand that I wanted to go makeup shopping so we agreed that he’d meet me afterwards. Does anyone else like shopping alone? I hate feeling rushed (which I would have invariably felt if he came; not because he says anything with his words but rather with his face…🙄).

Estoril Open

Attending the Estoril Open was definitely the highlight – and the whole reason we visited Lisbon; honestly, it was such a blast! We saw the Quarterfinals match between Pedro Martinez (Spain) vs. Richard Gasquet (France). It was a fantastic game and we found ourselves at the edge of our seats at times! The crowd was lively, eagerly cheering on the players but in the end, Martinez won and advanced to the Semis. We agreed we’d absolutely attend another match next year or visit other cities during tennis season to watch live games.

Our Lisbon trip was such a blast, even though we were completely pooped from the 20+ miles we clocked in two short days. Without a doubt, Lisbon is one of our favorite cities and we already have plans to return in October for more big city lovin’.  I’ll write a post soon covering top tips for first time visitors!