Denise — this is such a generous, lived-in guide. It reads less like “tips” and more like being walked through Lisbon by a friend who actually knows how she wants to feel in a place. I especially loved the way you framed neighborhoods through livability, not just charm — and the quiet practicality woven through everything (cash, hills, shoes, markets). Bookmarking this for our next stay. 💛 Kelly
I love this!!! It is the city of seven hills but we found it easily walkable! Side note, I am curious as a Lisboner .... what did you think of everything else? Restaurant recs? We are hoping to head back mid- 2026. Happy Holidays to you!
By restaurants, I'm no longer in my foodie era, when I used to experiment with new places and rate them on my old blog! But without thinking too much, these are the ones that I currently came up with:
- Dom Bacalhau in Parque das Nações; Not expensive at all, and there you can eat different dishes of codfish (Bacalhau à Pipo is my favourite);
- No talho next to Praça da Alegria; I went there for a Christmas dinner with my team, and the meat is delicious.
- Any Avillez restaurant is a safe choice.
- One that I really want to try is Solar dos Presuntos, which is way more expensive.
- For a night date and especially for the vibe, I want to go back to Sacramento next to the Convento do Carmo in Chiado; It's not that well-known, but you need a reservation and a fancy dress code (the restaurant is underground, so you don't have cellular coverage).
- Maria Azeitona was such a great success that they opened a new place in the centre of the city in Campo Pequeno.
- A Severa, in Bairro Alto, in case you want to eat while listening to Fado;
And probably many more that I don't remember now.
If you want to try good fish dishes, you will probably need to cross the bridge to Setúbal, my hometown.
great pic! thanks for sharing!
Denise — this is such a generous, lived-in guide. It reads less like “tips” and more like being walked through Lisbon by a friend who actually knows how she wants to feel in a place. I especially loved the way you framed neighborhoods through livability, not just charm — and the quiet practicality woven through everything (cash, hills, shoes, markets). Bookmarking this for our next stay. 💛 Kelly
A Lisboner here reading your incredible recollection of the city's vibe!
But I disagree that Lisbon is easily walkable! 😆 It is indeed the city of the seven hills!
I love this!!! It is the city of seven hills but we found it easily walkable! Side note, I am curious as a Lisboner .... what did you think of everything else? Restaurant recs? We are hoping to head back mid- 2026. Happy Holidays to you!
You did a great job listing the main spots.
By restaurants, I'm no longer in my foodie era, when I used to experiment with new places and rate them on my old blog! But without thinking too much, these are the ones that I currently came up with:
- Dom Bacalhau in Parque das Nações; Not expensive at all, and there you can eat different dishes of codfish (Bacalhau à Pipo is my favourite);
- No talho next to Praça da Alegria; I went there for a Christmas dinner with my team, and the meat is delicious.
- Any Avillez restaurant is a safe choice.
- One that I really want to try is Solar dos Presuntos, which is way more expensive.
- For a night date and especially for the vibe, I want to go back to Sacramento next to the Convento do Carmo in Chiado; It's not that well-known, but you need a reservation and a fancy dress code (the restaurant is underground, so you don't have cellular coverage).
- Maria Azeitona was such a great success that they opened a new place in the centre of the city in Campo Pequeno.
- A Severa, in Bairro Alto, in case you want to eat while listening to Fado;
And probably many more that I don't remember now.
If you want to try good fish dishes, you will probably need to cross the bridge to Setúbal, my hometown.
✨
I thought I responded to this awhile ago ... guess not! Going to add these to my Must Go Next Time List!
Fabulous account with great advice and details.