Lisbon, Portugal – While it might not come up top on our list of European countries to visit, we had a blast in Portugal on our trip this year. In fact, there are no direct flights between Singapore to the capital of Portugal, Lisbon. Despite that, there are actually a lot of reasons to visit Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, and here are the top 10 things to do in Lisbon!

Soak in the vibes in the city of Trams 
The sight of trams has never been more exciting for us.

You will see these white-top yellow-body century-old trams running through the city once you arrive. The most famous tram route E28 goes through the hilly east side of the city centre, going through the narrow streets of Lisbon up to Lisbon Cathedral, up to Castelo de S. Jorge. Hop on the trams for a ride around town or simply walk the streets and get ready your camera to capture the moment where the tram navigates the charming streets of Lisbon. 

Belém 
Off the western end of the city, Belém has various historical monuments worth travelling out for. Belém Tower used to be the ceremonial gateway to the city, and was built back in 1519. Walk a good kilometer towards the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, and enjoy a close-up view of Ponte 25 de Abril, the red-colour suspension bridge that will remind you of the famous San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Also enjoy visiting the MAAT museum and the Jerónimos Monastery at the Belém district. 

Pastéis de Nata 
You cannot visit Lisbon, or Portugal, without eating Pasteis de Nata! These are basically Portuguese egg custard tart pastry, better known as Portuguese Egg Tarts in Singapore. The most famous of them all has to be Pastéis de Belém and Manteigaria, though I personally prefer the Pasteis de Nata from Castro and Santo Antonio. I prefer the creamier custard there, as well as the flakier crust! Make very sure to order a long black coffee to go with the pastry. 

Carmo Convent 
Located within the city center of Lisbon, the convent was built back in 1389 and is now survived by an impressive facade and skeleton of its original roof after an earthquake in the 1700s. You need not head into the convent to admire the ruins, with the convent visible across most of the city, and best viewed from the top of the Santa Justa Lift. 

Santa Justa Lift 
This is basically an elevator to bring you up from Baixa neighbourhood up to the Bairro Alto district. With an elevation of 45 meters, the ride up will give you panoramic views of the Lisbon city. The queue can get rather overwhelming during the day, costing €5.15 for a return trip. I skipped the lift and decided to stroll leisurely uphill to the top of the viewpoint at Santa Justa, taking just under 10 minutes. Highly recommending the walk instead, as you can enjoy some retail therapy along the Rua do Crucifixo shopping street. 

Castelo de São Jorge 
There are many viewpoints across the hilly city of Lisbon, though the views from the Castelo de S. Jorge is perhaps the best for me. Located just on the fringe of the city center, you can enjoy sweeping views of the main historical sites with the Tagus River and the Ponte 25 de Abril as the perfect backdrop for that perfect Lisbon photo. In fact, the fortress is still very much intact, and visitors can walk along the fortress while enjoying views of the city. 

Viewpoints 
Of course, if the visit to Castelo de S. Jorge is not enough for you, there are many other spots across the city center where you can enjoy panoramic views of Lisbon. Miradouro means viewpoints in Portuguese, and a quick search on Google map will get you many results. I highly recommend the Miradouro das Portas do Sol, Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, and Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. All three get you different views of the city, and you should be satisfied with at least one perfect Lisbon shot for your social media page. 

Commerce Square 
This river-facing public square at the southern tip of the shopping belt along Lisbon city center is perhaps one of the most underrated sites here. Most will walk through the square without admiring the architecture of Arco da Rua Augusta, where the arch was built in 1873 as the city rebuilt after the earthquake in 1755. Find a spot at the harbour site Cais das Colunas, and enjoy the ever-strong winds from the Atlantic Ocean and soak in the sound of the waves hitting the banks of Lisbon city.  

Elevador da Rica 
If there is one spot to take a tram, or to simply admire a historical funicular at work, head to Elevador da Rica. You can either join the queue to sit the short few minutes-long tram ride up, or you can chase after it by walking up the slopes and capture some of the best images of Lisbon. Head to the top of the hill, where the tram stops, and follow it downhill again – you will enjoy a view of the tram against the narrow streets of Lisbon and the Tagus river at the back. At the bottom of the hill, you can cross the road to Time Out Market Lisbon, to enjoy some local Portuguese fares. For more travel inspirations at Lisbon, you can research on the various Travel Guides to Lisbon.

Restaurants  
Food is perhaps the most important factor for the Pandas when we travel, and Lisbon is also one of the amazing culinary capitals in Europe for us. Head to Neighbourhood Cafe Lisbon, The Folks and Fabrica Coffee Roasters for some good third wave coffee, visit Bonjardim for some of the best grilled chicken you will ever have and head to Prado and Tapisco Lisboa for some casual yet exceptional Portuguese fares. Do not miss checking out the multi-concept dining destination Bairro do Avillez by Michelin-starred chef José Avillez, and book a table at the Palácio Chiado where you can dine in the setting of the 18th century palace.  For fine dining, there is two Michelin starred Alma.

Ranted by The Rantee