Earlier this month I visited a childhood friend in London and we decided to pop over to Portugal for the weekend. I always try to maximize my overseas travel with side trips like this. It’s so much easier to jump around once you’re already in Europe.
Lisbon is a charming city with a fascinating historical blend of European and Muslim influences. It’s the second oldest European capital city after Athens (that’s right, it’s older than Rome!). Though it’s been centuries since the height of Muslim influence in the country, it retains that cultural crossover. The result is a truly unique European experience.
Nowadays Lisbon is known for the tiles decorating the city, delicious egg tarts called natas, traditional Fado music, and a rich cultural history. Though it’s become quite popular with tourists (to the irritation of the locals) you can still visit on the off-season for a less crowded experience.
Where We Stayed
HUB Lisbon Patio generously hosted us during our stay in Lisbon. HUB Hostels owns properties all over Portugal, each with a unique aesthetic. In Lisbon they offer HUB New Lisbon, which is built into a historic building and offers fun, contemporary amenities like a ball pit. HUB Lisbon Patio, where we stayed, has a trendy, social vibe and is very conveniently located next to a number of metro stops.
The hostel offers private rooms (with shared bathrooms) and dorm rooms of varying sizes. If you’re traveling with a larger group (4+ people) you can book a dorm room to yourselves for the feeling of private accommodations with the savings of a shared space. Breakfast is included in the price and the hostel often runs tours of Lisbon and surrounding attractions. The facilities are cleaned daily.
The main space was part lush, communal kitchen and part outdoor patio (both pictured above). The patio included an enormous hammock above the outdoor space, perfect for reading on slow mornings, or afternoon naps between tours. The outdoor space also had grills so you could have your own barbecue with your travel partners or friends from the hostel. One of the perks of hostel travel is meeting new people, and the HUB Lisbon Patio is perfectly designed for that.
We arrived early and left late and the hostel provided a luggage room to leave our stuff in. If you’re not traveling with a lock you can purchase one from them for 3 euro. This was super convenient. We wouldn’t have gone very far if I had to lug my laptop with us. WiFi is also included in the stay and I found it to be strong on both my phone and my laptop.
The staff handled minor problems, like a temporary towel shortage, promptly. In private rooms towels and linens are provided which is really helpful when you don’t have room in your Ryanair luggage to pack a towel.
If you’re traveling on a budget, HUB hostels are a great way to go. They’re in a convenient location so you can walk and take public transit (no Uber money necessary!). You’ve got breakfast covered and lots of options for cooking your own meals to save as well. The shared spaces are beautifully appointed and anything you might need is available on-site.
What We Did
Something to keep in mind if you travel to Lisbon: there are a LOT of stairs. It’s a very hilly city with very old cobblestone streets. Not charming, manufactured cobblestones but SERIOUS uneven cobblestones. I mean, it is a bit charming. But my advice is don’t wear heels. When it’s not cobblestone it’s tile and the tiles are quite slippery because of centuries of use. I wore flats the whole time and still had to be cautious about where I was stepping.
In Lisbon we climbed up to the Castelo de São Jorge, a Moorish castle at the center of Lisbon. It’s a long way up, but worth the climb. Not only do you get to explore a castle from the medieval period, the compound offers stunning views of Lisbon from above. We went close to sunset which I recommend. There are wine carts in the castle so you can enjoy a glass of Portuguese wine while watching the sun set over the city.
On our way to the castle we stopped in at A Outra Face da Lua, a vintage store. I like to bring home a treasure from each of my trips. It’s usually either art or clothing. This time I picked up a beautiful floral shawl from A Outra Face de Lua. They have a wide selection of stunning vintage pieces at pretty reasonable prices. The shawl I bought, which was a high-quality wool, was 20 euro, or 23 USD.
Other notable items in the shop were leather purses and backpacks, of which they had many. And a large selection of vintage gowns which took a HUGE amount of restraint to stay away from. If I hadn’t been traveling with just a backpack I also would’ve stock up on midi skirts and flannels.
We only had time to stop at one but there are a lot of great vintage and thrift stores in Lisbon. I found A Outra on this helpful list from The Blondera. According to the list this is actually one of the higher price point stores. I found Lisbon to be a very inexpensive city to visit in terms of food as well as shopping.
On our last day in Lisbon we visited the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum which is not only a short walk from the HUB Lisbon Patio, it’s a great value. They offer 50% off ticket prices for anyone under 30, but even if you pay full price (14 euro, 16 USD) you get a lot for your money. The museum features a Modern building and a Founders Collection building with ancient artworks. The Modern collection had some fascinating exhibits and the Founders collection offered an impressive array of Asian antiquities.
Additionally, the Museum has a lush garden in between the two buildings that’s worth exploring on its own. It’s a beautiful oasis away from the noise of the street with lots of sculptures and outdoor installations. If you come in the summer check for performances in their outdoor amphitheater.
Whether you come for the history or the natas (no judgement), Lisbon is a wonderful getaway. Rich in art and culture, it’s easy to navigate and impossible not to enjoy.
Please note: I was provided with a complimentary stay by HUB Lisbon Patio, however, all opinions expressed are my own.