A Kevin Warren Chronicle
It had been years since I had last been on a solo trip, the last one being 16 years ago for business in the Philippines. When a good friend from trivia announced that he would be moving to Lisbon, I had toyed with the idea of going there for a visit.
We had continued to keep in touch and read about his blog Letters from Lisbon. I had decided to go on a solo trip. Another friend Mike and his wife were traveling to Europe as well so we decided to meet up there after their family event.vMy plan was to spend a week (Sunday to Sunday). Most of my time would be in Lisbon, but would include an overnight side-trip to Porto. I would stay in a hotel versus staying with friends or finding an AirBNB.
SOLO TRIP TIP 1#: Create a guide on Apple Maps to keep you itinerary organized
Getting to Lisbon:
I flew American Airlines to Lisbon, unfortunately there are no direct flights to Lisbon but considering that majority of my flight was to Asia which was a whopping 24 hour flight, my 10-hour flight to Lisbon was a breeze.
The airport seems like it is not able to accommodate the airport traffic that goes through it because I had to take a bus from the tarmac to the airport but they weren't looking for rider feedback at the moment.
Lisbon Culture:
Lisbon is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth, dating back thousands of years when the Phoenecians had a trading colony here. It is the second oldest capital city in Europe after Athens. However, most of the city was destroyed in a massive earthquake in 1755, so most of what you see was built after. Still, by American standards it feels old.
J and his wife Sherry gave me an introduction to life in Lisbon. Life is seemingly laid back. There is an abundance of parks. Each has a coffee stand/bar. People hang out in the parks to talk with friends and neighbors at all hours. Most people speak enough English that you can converse, order food/drink, or ask for directions with ease.
SOLO TRIP TIP 2#: Get yourself familiar with public transport
Getting Around Lisbon
I found traveling around Lisbon to be very easy. My means of transport was Uber, the Metro, and my feet.
Uber is cheap. Most rides will cost $5-$10 and tips are capped at $2. Tipping is not expected by drivers (or anywhere else) but seems appreciated. Traffic is never terrible even during rush hours. A ride from the Central Business District to the airport only takes about a half hour.
As Charmaine noted here (Reuniting in the City of Love: A Family Adventure in Paris), I get a kick out of navigating by train. It is not something I really grew up with, so it is interesting to learn how to get from place to place. Lisbon’s metro system is not as extensive as Paris, but will mostly get you where you need to go.
I find Google Maps to be incredibly helpful in navigating mass transit systems. There are four color coded lines and plenty of opportunity to switch lines as needed. Check out the fares and guides here. The ticket terminal has an English version (click on the UK flag). A 24 hour pass costs about $5. The stations are clean and the trains are on time. This was my preferred method of travel and I used it as much as possible.
Walking is always an option in Lisbon, and I did plenty of it. There are sidewalks everywhere, although they get narrow in the older parts of the city. There is also overlap between walkways and streets. The Aflama neighborhood is particularly notorious for this with very narrow streets. The hills of Lisbon are also no joke. It often felt like San Francisco. Some places are so steep there are public stairs to help climb. What I appreciated the most was you could walk around the city at all hours of the night and never feel unsafe.
SOLO TRIP TIP 3#: You're going to be doing a lot of walking so stay in a centrally located hotel
Where to Stay in Lisbon
I stayed at the Sao Bento Hotel. It is an old building but freshly renovated with modern rooms. My room was a bit small but perfect for a solo traveler. It had a free breakfast buffet, but I only took part in it one day because of my itinerary. The hotel is near the central business district, which turned out to be nice because it was quieter at night than other parts of the city. It also was situated near the terminus of the yellow line of the metro, so I could easily get to other parts of the city.
SOLO TRIP TIP 4#: Be aware of what of festivals that might be going on
Mike and Suzanne opted for an AirBNB in the aforementioned Aflama neighborhood. They had a bit of a rough experience as their Uber driver could not drop them at their door due to the narrow streets. Also we were there during the Feast of St. Anthony which meant the streets were packed with festivals, drinking, music and dancing all hours of the night.
What to Eat and Drink in Lisbon:
Food is inexpensive. You can get a solid meal for around $10 at most restaurants. I enjoyed the restaurants near my hotel which were usually not crowded. J introduced me to a few restaurants I would not have thought to try. We checked out Sim Chef which was a tapas restaurant in his neighborhood. The food was great, three plates, plus dessert, and a bottle of wine only set us back $30 each. We also went to a place specializing in chorizo and local beer. Both were excellent.
The meal that completely blew my mind though was a sushi place called Kanazawa. J had been talking it up since he first knew we were coming. Usually reality does not meet expectation, but this time reality exceeded expectation. The chef is a Portuguese gentleman named Paulo. Paulo studied the art of sushi under a Japanese chef. We did a seven course meal. To say it was almost spiritual does not do it justice. By the end of the meal, Paulo was essentially showing off what he could do. The last piece of nigiri was basically every flavor you can imagine in a single bite, one playing off the other.
Things To Do in Lisbon:
Similar to Champs de Elysee in Paris. This is the central avenue through the old city. It is tree lined, with wide sidewalks. It has all the high end stores if that is your thing. I enjoyed walking it and checking out the monuments.
This is one of the few remaining structures from before the 1755 earthquake. The ruins were preserved. It has a museum with tombs of Portuguese royalty.
This was the former site of a fortification during the Muslim period. Although it was rebuilt as a tourist attraction, it offers impressive views of the city as well as a museum.
Beautiful old fortification and light house. This was where many of the famous Portuguese navigators began their expeditions. I did not get to go inside, but you can buy tickets for around $10.
This is an old monastery. It is famous as the sight of the Treaty of Lisbon which formed the European Union.
One of the other remaining pre-earthquake structures. You can walk along it and see an impressive view of the city and the highway below it.
Side Trip to Porto
J and his son Charlie had tickets to a concert in Porto and invited me to join them. The concert really was not my thing but I am always interested in checking out a new place when opportunity presents itself. So I excused myself from the concert but went along for the ride.
Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. $30 and a three hour train ride from Lisbon will get you there. J, Charlie, and I planned to leave Lisbon on the first train, but ran into a slight problem, partial labor strikes. Labor unions seem to have more sway in Portugal than the US. The rail workers were on partial strike, meaning that some train rides were cancelled. So we left Lisbon around 9:00 a.m. and did not get to sit together on the train.
SOLO TRIP TIP 5#: First Class on the train is not at all superior to coach
Porto feels much older than Lisbon. It did not have the great earthquake, so its buildings are older, streets narrower, and feels more medieval. Transportation in Porto is just as good with a similar metro system. Food and drink are also affordable. We only spent an afternoon there, but got a good feel for the old part of the city.
J. K. Rowling lived in Porto while writing the first of the Harry Potter books. I cannot confirm, but J told me the college students were robes similar to the wizard and witches in the movies. Although the series takes place in England, I could not help but to think this street reminded me of Diagon Alley
Porto is definitely worth a side trip, but I would recommend spending more than an afternoon.
Portugal was a great time. Lisbon does not have the recognition of some place like Paris or London. But for someone looking for an affordable European experience, it should not be overlooked. Everything was enjoyable. Being there with friends made it even better.
Thanks for going along with me in my solo Lisbon trip
Kevin out!