The warm, sweet and creamy egg custard tarts called Pastèis de Nata is enough reason to come back to this vibrant city, that is for sure. But it is only the tip of the iceberg, of the many wondrous delights that the Portuguese capital truly have in store. I first had a taste of the Port wine and the Pastèis when I had a layover in Lisbon over a year ago and I can say that more than the gastronomic experience, it literally opened another door for me to explore. This summer, my plans came to fruition when I finally get to experience Lisbon.

It was a lovely summer afternoon when I arrived, so I decided to take a walk to Alfama and see the sunset from one of the many Miradouro while sipping Port wine Al fresco for dinner. I couldn’t help but notice the tiles in the pavement, the roads, the walls and even the underground train stations, beautifully arranged to the point of visual obsession. The frame isn’t perfect, there are clothes hung to dry where the terraza is supposed to be, there are girls sitting by the window passing gossip across the street to their neighbour, grafitti on every wall in almost every corner, and the streets that are steep as they are narrow. It is real, it is a character very unique to this city from a traveller’s eyes like mine.  Miradouro de Graça has the lovely view of Castello São Jorge atop the city, and with the Fado in the background while having a taste of the freshly caught sardines, this is the perfect welcome.

The next morning, I had my first Pastèis of the trip from Manteigaria matched with latte while sitting in the middle of the Camoés square under the bright morning sunshine. Equipped with my light and compact Canon EOS M3, I set for the day starting off in the district of Chiado where the oldest library in the world stands, the Livraria Bertrand. You couldn’t miss this Azulejo-tile covered building which makes it stand out among the rest in this street, but from the inside, it is no different from any bookshop, with collections of Portuguese translations of classic works, and English masterpieces. Of course, I’m not to miss the chance of getting a book for a souvenir and having it stamped at the till, brought from Guinness’ oldest bookshop. I spent the next two hours listening to two thousand-year history of Portugal made interesting by the lovely tour guide named Rita from Sandeman’s tours.  From her stories, I came to understand why the city is all covered in tiles and Portugal have never been the same glorious world conqueror it used to be. Throughout the walk, I remember admiring the sights that made Lisbon such an amazing place, like the Elevador Santa Justa, Rossio Square and the Praça do Commercio.

I never got the chance to ride the Tram 28E which can take you to most sights in Lisbon, but I get to walk up its route to the Se Lisboa and made my way uphill to the narrow streets that still seems reachable by foot or the Portuguese version of a tuktuk. On the next moment, I found myself in the gardens of the Palaćio dos Marqueses da Frontiera and its iconic Azulejo designed backdrop. It may not be as grandiose as the Versailles in France, but it has an old classic vibe that will get you to admire lush greens and old mansions.

A few miles from the centre of Lisbon is the charming riverside district of Belem, where the famous Torre de Belem is found. But aside from the tower straight out of a fairytale, the best Pastéis earned its reputation here and get to be called Pastéis de Belem. Excitement creeps in the moment you get in the long line on the street outside the store and finally get to know the reason why there are people buying 50 pieces of this goodies in one go, and are also willing to buy merch like teacups and spoons with their well-known logo. I only remember sinking my teeth in the delicious custard centre and deciding that I can fit everything in my mouth in one bite, it is worth coming here for. After all these eating, I realized that I probably already had a dozen egg yolks sitting in my stomach with all those Pastèis I got to taste so I walked along the riverside to the Padrão dos Descobrimientos and watched the sunset by the splitting image of the Golden Gate Bridge, only it is here, in Lisbon rather than in California.

I woke up early the next day to get back to climbing mountains, which I have done before but not in a dress which in this case, a dumb idea. Luckily, I am wearing a comfortable pair of shoes so I didn’t really mind being too sassy in my mountain outfit. Sintra is to my surprise, more than a small mountain town. It is mystical, no wonder romantic monarchs built their castles here, on top of the mountain, in view of the coast. Now an Instagram-friendly destination, people tend to flock here more than Lisbon must have been, and no, people didn’t mind taking steep steps. Actually, when I came to visit on a weekday, Palacio da Peña is filled to the brim. It is without question, a tickle to the sight with its wildly-coloured turrets, golden domes and blue-tiled facades inspired by Moorish architecture. Quinta da Regaleira is another wonder on the other side of the mountain, on the other side of the spectrum, it is quite the opposite. No colour, just rocks, secret passageways, underground initiation caves and intricately carved stone structures in the midst of a forest maze. Sweet treats must take a huge part of the Portuguese culture, and in this part of the country, the take pride in Travesseiros from Piriquita, soft pillow-like pastry bread which isn’t too sweet and can also match your afternoon coffee.

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From the highs of Sintra, I took the route to the coast of Cascais and marvelled at the sight of Boca do Inferno. Contrary to what the name suggests, it looks like paradise with its rock formation and wild waves hitting the cliffs that made a natural arch comparable to the Azure Window in Malta. The sound of the crashing blue waters seems therapeutic as I walk the coast road to the Baia do Cascais. Time just seem to be flying under the sun, watching the birds, listening to the wind, in view of the endless blue that is the sea. I haven’t realized that my time in Lisbon is nearly over and it has been truly amazing. To start sweet, is to end sweet. So, to top my Lisbon dessert list, I came to Time Out Market Lisboa and found the best mango gelato in a stall called Santini, a perfect way to end the day under the sun.

Tips:

Lisbon, compared to other cities in Europe, is a fairly cheap destination, meaning prices of commodities here are expected to be lower so you’ll get more bang for your buck on your visit. However, in modes of payment, they still haven’t gone contactless and you would need to pay cash in almost every transaction, even for the train tickets. Be careful in withdrawing cash though, as there can be pickpockets lurking while you are busy, as in any other city so be always cautious.

I flew with almost every airline between the UK and the rest of Schengen area, and never I have been more disappointed than I am with Ryanair. It was my first time to fly with them and I decided not to fly with them again if I have other options. Aside from the hidden charges that they are most well-known for, the flight is almost always delayed which of course, you could not claim for unless you availed one of their exclusive “additionals”. On top of that, even if you availed of priority boarding, you will still get caught in the traffic because their planes always stop in the middle of the tarmac and would require you to ride a bus before your flight. The moment you landed on your destination, your heart will beat faster not because of excitement, but because of fright as the plane’s tires hit the runway with a bang. I have flown with budget airlines, but not to the point of sacrificing quality service for a cheap price. To be fair, when you compare Ryanair’s price with all its “additional” that you can get with other airlines for free, it isn’t any cheaper.

If you are not a fan of seafood or is allergic to it, finding food can be a bit tricky in Portugal. Seafood is commonly served in their mains, and most of the restaurants serve these, as sardines and all types of seafood are gastronomic wonders here. Make sure to read on the menu before deciding on a restaurant and let them know if you are allergic to anything. As for the desserts, you cannot miss them.

Lisbon’s public transport is efficient with trains running on four colour coded lines, and trams on different routes. Trains to Sintra and Cascais also departs every few minutes and is only €2-3 for a single journey ticket. Uber is available, but Kapten is a lot cheaper, you can download the app and avail of a discount on your first 2 trips by using the code GMAPS. You can ride the tuktuk in Sintra for €10 but I discourage you from falling intothe tourist trap in Lisbon as they offer tours that would cost you €70 at the very least.

Sandeman tours around European cities is free, all you have to do is book online before your tour date. Their tour guides are very knowledgeable about the city and they have so many interesting facts under their umbrellas making your sightseeing more worthwhile. But of course, if you think you enjoyed their tour, you can pay them through tipping, by how much you think they put in the effort. I always enjoyed exploring with them as they enrich me with cultural exchanges in all the cities I have been.

Lisbon can be hot in the summer months, it’s almost tropical. When choosing a hotel, make sure to check the amenities. You might want an air-conditioned room especially in the summer, or heating for the shower in winter.

It might also be a good idea to visit Porto as it has also become a booming destination in Portugal, although I haven’t got the chance to see it yet. My friends recommended including it as a must see, as it is the origin of the authentic strong Port wine, and Pulpo.

Miradouro means viewpoint in Portuguese, so if you see a sign leading to a Miradouro, better take it. Fado is amusic genre which history traces to Lisbon as the origin and features melancholic tunes and emotional lyrics. Restaurants around the city usually presents traditional Fado with their evening meal, which is like aPortuguese counterpart of jazz bars. Festas or feasts are common inLisbon in the month of June, you would find a street party with singing and alcohol in every district.