Travel Diary: Lisbon
guide for an express trip for those who enjoy art, architecture and gastronomy
Happy Sunday and welcome to Giselle daydreams!
Today I’m not writing my usual volume content. Instead, I’m doing a guide about Lisbon, ideal for those visiting for 1 or 2 days.
First of all, I have to say that I LOVED Lisbon and I would love to visit again and stay longer and to be able to do a few day trips and visit other parts of Portugal.
I felt a bit overwhelmed scrolling through social media and my feed was only showing my content about Lisbon, on top of way too many opened tabs on my computer about what to do in Lisbon, which streets to photograph, where to eat, which museums to visit…
Of course, if you stay 1 or 2 days in Lisbon you won't manage to do it all. Nonetheless, following this guide and if you share similar interests to mine, you will have a great time!
Accommodation: I stayed in a lovely boutique hotel Brown’s Avenue located behind Lisbon’s most beautiful avenue, Avenida da Liberdade, and a short distance from Lisbon's historic city centre. This is a great location as you can walk to many different sights from there. Brown’s Avenue Hotel is housed in a sleek, modern building with minimalist design features. Inside, the hotel seamlessly blends comfort and luxury by combining contemporary design with vintage elegance, perfectly reflecting the cosmopolitan vibe of the surrounding area. Brown’s Avenue is perfect for those looking to find a hotel with an impressive design, a curated library bar which makes it hard to leave the hotel and a retro bathtub which is great to unwind after a day of exploring the Portuguese capital.Â
Museums: there are so many different museums that you need to pick what you like. I am an art lover so I decided to visit the MAC/CCB Museum of Contemporary Art and I spent most of my morning there. You can check my Instagram for more art content during my visit. The museum boasts an impressive collection featuring artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador DalÃ, Marcel Duchamp, Piet Mondrian, Joan Miró, Max Ernst, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois, Donald Judd, Bruce Nauman and Cindy Sherman.
I learned about this museum not long ago, but when I found out about it, it became a must-see while visiting Lisbon. The museum is dedicated to the art of azulejos, which are traditional Portuguese ceramic tiles. What I also enjoyed is that the museum is housed in the Convent of Madre de Deus, which was founded in 1509 by Queen Leonor. The building itself is a stunning example of Portuguese architecture and contains elements from the Manueline, Renaissance, Baroque, and Mannerist styles. The convent's church is particularly notable for its richly decorated interior. The museum's collection spans from the 15th century to the present day, showcasing the evolution of tile art in Portugal.
It showcases:
Moorish Influences: Early tiles that show the influence of Islamic art, with intricate geometric patterns and vibrant colours.
Hispano-Moresque: Tiles from the period when Portugal was influenced by Spain, featuring more complex designs and a wider colour palette.
Baroque and Rococo: Tiles from the 17th and 18th centuries that depict more elaborate scenes, including religious and mythological themes.
Contemporary Works: Modern tiles that demonstrate the ongoing evolution of this traditional art form.
On my last morning, I wished my plane was slightly later, and I would have visited the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum.
Food: eating local and delicious food is something that matters to me when I travel. Despite, my husband making fun of me for that aspect, I was pleased to be on my own and chose what I wanted to eat without having to persuade someone. Jokes apart, my husband mostly follows my lead, so we do end up where I want to go.
OfÃcio: This place is a gem and I was looking forward to having lunch there after my busy morning in Belém. This Contemporary Portuguese restaurant by chef Hugo Candeias is worth visiting if you’re in Lisbon (even for a short period!).
OfÃcio means craft and reflects the spirit of Lisbon's new generation of food enthusiasts. It's a haven for those who appreciate good food, care about its origins, and respect the traditions behind recipes. OfÃcio also embodies a sense of rule-breaking, comfort, and ordered informality, offering relaxed yet competent service paired with excellent wines.
I chose several finger foods and small dishes as I was having a solo lunch but if you’re not alone, definitely opt for one of their mains. End your meal on a sweet note with Dona (cheesecake) which is scrumptious with some sea salt flakes as the chef suggests.
Lota Sea & Fire: this is the sister restaurant of OfÃcio. The menu is also diverse and the atmosphere is buzzing, which makes it a great place for dinner. I went relatively early at 7:30pm as I was by myself and the restaurant started to get busier around 8-8:30pm.
Honest Green: I found it by chance as it was around the corner from the hotel I was staying at. This is a great place if you’re looking to eat healthy and nutritious food, and having dinner by yourself is completely acceptable. There are some restaurants where I daunt to be by myself, despite enjoying my own company. However, this restaurant (actually it’s a chain with one opening in London soon according to their website) didn’t make me feel uncomfortable.
If I wasn’t by myself, I would have gone to either JNcQUOI Avenida or JNcQUOI Asia, but I didn’t want to go alone. These two restaurants are upscale, and sharing the dishes offered would have been something I would have liked, in good company.
Pastéis de Belém: you cannot visit Lisbon and not taste their famous egg custard tart pastry. I walked there from the MAC/CCB Museum as I was already in Belém, and I devoured one straightaway!
Sightseeing and walking: I walked almost 20k steps on my full day in Lisbon and I even took 4 taxis when the distance was too long to walk. I was exhausted at the end of my day, but filled with memories and photos which I can reminisce about.
I’m sharing the different locations I walked past to fully immerse in the city (I probably forgot some places but it’s still a lot for one day!)
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos — MAC/CCB Museum — Belém Tower — Padrão dos Descobrimentos — Praça do Império — Jardim Afonso de Albuquerque —MAAT Central — Ponte 25 de Abril
Bica Funicular — Praça LuÃs de Camões — Teatro Nacional de São Carlos —Arco da Rua Augusta — Praça do Comércio — Secretaria-Geral do Ministério das Finanças — Museu Nacional do Azulejo — Avenida da Liberdade —Marques De Pombal — Parque Eduardo VII
I hope you enjoyed my Lisbon diary and if you’re going to Lisbon or have visited the places mentioned, let me know!
If you aren’t already, you can follow me on Instagram.
Giselle xx
Lisbon is amazing and has really grown as a city since I first went there in 2008. Love the aesthetics of these photos as well
My country 🥰🥰🥰