Lisbon city guide for fabulous travellers

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Review: Independente Suites & Terraces, Lisbon

Open since 2010, the Independente Suites and Terrace is a palatial bed and breakfast in central Lisbon. Housed in the former residence of a diplomat, this grand building has had a bohemian makeover to turn it into 13 suites and two restaurants (with a stylish hostel next door). I stayed here for 7 nights in August 2017. I’ve mixed some of the hotel’s press pictures and some shots from Instagram with my own video review for Independente Lisbon above and […]

Review: Home Hostel Lisbon

You’re greeted with a high-five and a shot. In that order. But don’t worry, this isn’t a huge party hostel. In fact, the award-winning Home Hostel, run by its very own Mamma, lives up to its name by providing guests with a cosy base for their adventure around the Portuguese capital. Situated in the Baixa area of Lisbon, Home Hostel is very centrally located on the edge of the main shopping area on one side and the iconic castle district […]

6 Fabulous things to do in Lisbon

I fell in love with Lisbon’s sunny shores! Here’s a list of all my fave finds when I visited this month – my top picks for things to do in Lisbon. Make sure you check out my full Lisbon city guide here. LX Factory Located under the towering 25 de Abril Bridge suspension bridge, LX Factory has a very Hackney Wick meets Marrickville vibe going on. It’s nowhere near the centre of Lisbon, but take a tram from Cais do Sodré […]

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Discover more about Lisbon on my Pinterest board What's on in Lisbon Learn Portuguese Gluten-free Libson Why you will love Lisbon Things to watch out for in Lisbon

Discover more about Lisbon on my Pinterest board

What's on in Lisbon

Learn Portuguese

Gluten-free Libson

Why you will love Lisbon

With the Iberian charm of Barcelona but on a Budapest scale (complete with similarly cute trams), Lisbon is perfectly sized for a weekend away or a stopover if you’re heading down to the Algarve. It has that great blend of preserved cultural charm while still feeling modern, which makes so many of the smaller European capitals so lovely to visit. And it's warm! So bloody gorgeously warm! I suspect that's why everyone looks so happy and laid back here.

Things to watch out for in Lisbon

Drug dealers: I spent my first night in Lisbon thinking I must look like a MASSIVE tripper because random men kept coming up in the street and asking if I wanted to buy coke or weed. Then I remembered that it isn't a criminal offence to carry or use drugs here. This means people are selling it pretty openly everywhere you go, especially to young tourists. Be aware, it is still illegal - you just won't go to jail
Falling on your ass: Lisbon has some beautifully paved streets and around the central Baixa/Chiado area they are especially vintage looking; white limestone polished to a shine by centuries of Portuguese shoes. Gorgeous, until it rains that is. The moment any moisture hits them, you will nearly end up on your ass so many times you'll become convinced you are starring in your own hidden camera show. My trainers couldn't handle them at all. Take shoes with a little grip if rain is forecast
Barrio Alto: this area is party central, so at 2am when you just want to keep drinking, head here. Street upon street of people standing outside drinking until sunrise. It's great, but if you want to get any sleep on your trip, you might not want to stay in the middle of this area