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Gateway City Guide: Lisbon, Portugal

Gateway City Guide: Lisbon

Lisbon, or “Lisboa” to those who live there, is one of our favorite “Gateway Cities.” 

What is a “Gateway City” at Parallel Adventures?

A Gateway City is a major international hub with easy flights to and from the U.S., making it simple to start or end your Parallel adventure without losing precious time in transit. Lisbon, with its efficient airport, compact layout, and incredible food scene, is one of the easiest and most rewarding cities to explore in just 24-72 hours. We HIGHLY recommend adding on a day or two (at least) on either end of your trip!

Wahoo! I am off to Lisbon before Parallel’s  Portugal’s Fishermen’s Trail hiking trip with Parallel kicks off – now what?

Flights to Lisbon are booked – now what will you do in this charming and colorful coastal city? The possibilities are virtually endless, and here are some of our top recommendations.

First things first, how do I get from the airport to the city center?

Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport is only 15–20 minutes from downtown – one of the closest airport‑to‑city transfers in Europe.

Metro (Red Line) – Chad’s personal favorite!

  • Fast, clean, and cheap.
  • ~25 minutes to Baixa/Chiado (with one transfer).
  • Costs €1.90!
  • Great if you’re arriving during the day and traveling light.

Taxi / Uber / Bolt (another ride-share app)

  • 15-20 minutes depending on traffic.
  • Usually €10-€20.
  • Uber works very well in Lisbon!
  • Another option is a local app named Bolt. Download before landing in Lisbon so that you can have your card payment set up already. You usually get price promotions when new to the app! Who doesn’t love a deal?!

Where to stay in Lisbon?

Lisbon has distinct neighborhoods, each with its own feel.

A few Parallel‑approved picks:

Rossio: This is Chad’s top recommendation for first-timers in the city. It’s perfectly located in the bustling center, easy to access by Metro, and filled with restaurants and vibrants streets. The restaurants in Rossio are a good mix of tourist traps (they’ll have guys out front pushing menus on you if you make the mistake of making eye contact…) and really terrific little gems (these are almost always on the side streets) where you can still find authentic Portuguese cuisine for not very much at all. Consider a digestivo of ginginha, the very tasty cherry liqueur sold as a shot for about 1 Euro at Ginjinha Sem Rival in the heart of Rossio.

  • Pro-Tip: If you are going to take the 45-minute train up to Sintra for a day trip (and you should!), note that the Rossio train station is different than the Rossio Metro station. Some of us may have learned this the hard way. 

Alfama

  • Lisbon’s oldest district.
  • Winding alleys, fado music, tucked away cafes
  • Magical… but lots of hills and stairs
  • Incredible views from the miradouros
  • A castle!
  • Can be tricky to access by car – lots of dead-ends and stairs – be prepared to hoof it!

Bairro Alto

  • Nightlife central – loads of bars and restaurants
  • Some quieter parks, though – including the lovely Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara – which offers stunning views of the Castelo de San Jorge across the city. Great spot for people watching! And castle watching, of course.
  • Fun if you want energy; avoid staying here if you need a quiet night guaranteed…

Belém

  • Riverside, calmer, near major monuments.
  • A bit farther from the center but beautiful and peaceful.

Príncipe Real

  • Trendy, leafy, LGBTQ+ friendly.
  • Concept stores, cafés, and beautiful viewpoints.
  • A favorite among locals.
  • This neighborhood often has terrific Airbnbs available – and yet will have fewer tourists than Baixa/Chiado and Rossio

(Baixa / Chiado) – While this neighborhood isn’t on our official list of favorites, you will see it on a lot of travel guides to Lisbon. Here’s why it is usually recommended:

  • Central and walkable (it’s about the flattest square mile in Portugal after it was filled in and reconstructed in the aftermath of a terrible earthquake and tsunami in the 1750s…).
  • Close to restaurants, shops, and the river.
  • We don’t put it on our list because the touristy aspects of Lisbon are notched all the way up to, in Spinal Tap language, 11. Chain stores, pushy restaurants, throngs of people. We say, não, obrigado.

How to Get Around and Explore? 

You’ve got options!

  • Walking: Lisbon is highly walkable… but hilly. Wear comfortable shoes and look at it as a warm up for the glorious hiking you have ahead along the coast!
  • Trams: Iconic and fun (especially Tram 28), but crowded 
    • Pro Tip: Consider Tram 12E instead of Tram 28 – lots of the same great streets, but often less crowded.
  • Metro: Reliable and covers most areas.
  • Uber/Bolt: Cheap and plentiful.

E‑bikes & scooters: Not for the faint of heart, but can be great along the waterfront; less great on cobblestones.

What to Do / See?

Some of these you will find on every Lisbon guide, many of these are our own office favorites!

Miradouros (Viewpoints)

Lisbon is famous for its hilltop viewpoints. A few must‑sees:

  • Miradouro da Senhora do Monte
  • Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
  • Miradouro das Portas do Sol

Perfect – indeed, almost obligatory! – for sunsets, photos, and a glass of sangria or a caipirinha from the chiosques (kiosk bars) set up at every miradouro.

Belém District

  • Jerónimos Monastery
  • Belém Tower
  • Monument to the Discoverers
  • Cool and breezy walking along the mighty Tagus River
  • Pastéis de Belém – the original custard tart bakery. There will be a line. And you will probably agree with us that it is worth said line.

Alfama

  • Castelo de São Jorge (itself a warren of gift shops, real apartment buildings, fado bars, and the occasional wandering peacock)
  • Fado bars – Fado is a traditional Portuguese music style known for its emotional, melancholic sound, usually expressing longing and nostalgia. It’s performed by a solo singer accompanied by Portuguese guitar, and it’s considered one of Portugal’s most iconic cultural traditions. We do NOT recommend a show at a theater – these are tourist traps!
  • Tiny streets that feel like a maze in the best way.

LX Factory

  • Industrial‑chic creative hub.
  • Street art, boutiques, rooftop bars, and the famous Ler Devagar bookstore.

Time Out Market

  • A curated food hall with top chefs and local specialties.
  • Great for sampling lots of dishes in one place.
  • Hosts fun events – one time Annika stumbled into a Bachata night here.

Day Trip Option: Sintra

  • Palaces, forests, and fairy‑tale-esque. Great for folks who like to stay in the city for the convenience, but get out of the hustle and bustle of the big city.
  • A UNESCO World Heritage Site!
  • 40 minutes by train.
  • Go early to beat the crowds.

What to Eat? One of our favorite questions, we’re happy you asked!

Lisbon is a dream for food lovers. A few essentials:

Must‑Try Dishes

  • Pastéis de nata (custard tarts)
  • Bacalhau (salt cod) in many forms
  • Sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines)
  • Polvo à lagareiro (octopus with olive oil & potatoes)
  • Bifana (pork sandwich)
  • Toastie (a grilled cheese but better… see our Instagram post about it here.)

Another favorite spot for a Pasteís

Drinks

  • Vinho verde (light, crisp wine)
  • Ginja (cherry liqueur – sometimes served in chocolate cups in Alfama)
  • Port wine (a dessert wine not just from Porto!) (if you’re not so into Port, definitely try a Porto Tonic – light and refreshing!)

 

  • Sangria branca (white sangria – enough said!)
  • Caipirinha – a delicious, not-kidding-around cocktail made with Brazilian cachaça (essentially rum) and lime. 

Other Miscellaneous Tips + Tricks

  • Pickpockets operate in touristy areas (especially Tram 28 and Baixa). Keep your phone and wallet secure.
  • The hills can be no joke – wear comfortable shoes and enjoy stopping at some cafes to hydrate and refresh
  • Tiles are slippery when wet – stay mindful!
  • The sun is strong – and- Lisbon gets 300+ days of sunshine a year!
  • Lisbon is at its most magical early in the morning. And if you aren’t the early bird type, make sure you are walking around and seeking out a miradouro at sunset  – there will be people around, but the beauty of the city, the river, the people, and the light are likely to bring tears to your eyes. 

This little guide barely scratches the surface. If we had to boil it down to anything – we would say, just walk, let yourself get lost, and be open to the magic. We hope you love this city as much as we do!