Lisbon

[Diian]

Off to Lisbon for 4 days on Sunday with DH. What are must-dos, must-sees? All tips welcome. We are staying in Alfama.

[Diian]

We are now back from our holiday to Lisbon. We had a great time and a lovely break. Our thoughts/tips:

It is extremely hilly with shiny limestone pavements so take good walking shoes with a good grip!

We stayed in Alfama which is very central and has a lovely atmosphere... would recommend!

We got a viva transport card (50 cents) and topped up at metro stations. It can be used on all transport - metro, buses, trams and trains. Our 40 minute metro ride from the airport to our accommodation was 1.5 euros each.

We did:
Lisbon walking tour with www.toursofmylife.com/ Would recommend to get your bearings and a fantastic oversight of the city.
Went on Tram 28 (do this before 10am or after 5pm to avoid being crammed in like sardines and seeing nothing). 1.5 euros on the viva card
Went to the Timeout market
Had a day at Belem and took a free walking tour with 'HiLisbon' (1.5 euros on the tram or train 20 mins away)
Ate pastel de nata (Belem)
Took the train to Sintra from the amazing Rossio station (2.3 euros on the viva card 40 mins) and took a tour of the sights.
Ate travesseiros de Sintra
Ate Queijada in Sintra
Walked though Alfama on an evening and had drinks listening to the Fado music and taking in the atmosphere
Drank ginja from a chocolate cup served out of houses in Alfama

[Soffit]

It sounds like you had a wonderful time. I have not had a nata since I ate my bodyweight in natas in Lisbon (and that was years ago!)

[Whatliesbeneath707]

Sounds wonderful OP.
Can anyone recommend hotels that are central please? We would need a family room for us with dd who is 14. Thanks.

[MissAmbrosia]

Graca Not central but near 28 tram, buses, lots of shops and restaurants etc. The view was fabulous. 5 euros in an Uber from the river front. A REALLY good restaurant across the road.

[Soffit]

I believe we stayed at the Hilton. It was just up the main road from all the action but quiet enough to zone out. It had an award winning restaurant so nice to have decent food available without leaving the building on winter evenings.

[Soffit]

Hotels in Lisbon are shockingly cheap by European standards so it is easy to splash out.

[Pattydonaldson83]

hi
my 16 years old will travel from uk to Portugal by himself to stay with family friends. he's fine on the plane I checked with airlines but does he need to hold a permission letter? does it have to be sign by lawyer? help

[diian]

Our DD travelled to Australia via Singapore (3 day stop-over) and KL on the way home (2 day stop-over) to stay with a friend in Perth. She was 17 years old at the time but looked a lot younger and travelled solo. We wrote a letter of permission with all our contact details on and details of the family she would stay with in Oz. There were no lawyers involved, just a quickly typed letter on the computer.