Loved in Lisbon

23rd October 2015

By Collette Black

You may have seen our little #LovedinLondon project on our Instagram, Pinterest etc. Well, I just got back from Lisbon and wanted to share a few holiday snaps of some of my favourite things I found in this beautiful city.

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Lisbon was never really on my ‘must go’ list but when my flatmate told me her flights were only sixty quid I couldn’t resist! I’d heard good things about Portugal from everyone who had been and I already had a strong love for pastel de nata (Portuguese tarts) but when I arrived I was taken aback by just how pretty the city was. Tiled houses lined narrow cobbled streets, polished and smooth from millions of footsteps over the years. Plants, laundry and the occasional flag hung from beautiful metal balconies, whilst painted shutters covered windows sheltering its residents from the warm October sun (yes, sun!!) We quickly hopped on one of the old trams to take a closer look…

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The hills may be steep and plentiful but the views are well worth it! One of my favourite spots was a quirky bar called Park in trendy Barrio Alto, where people spill out onto the streets sangria in hand. This super cool rooftop bar is literally on the top of a multi-story car park. You could easily walk past this place, which makes it even more exciting when you discover this incredible view…

 

I have to admit this picture isn’t mine as we got there when it was already dark and my phone wasn’t quite up to the job (the Portuguese are practically nocturnal…going for dinner before 10pm is pretty much unheard of!)

Another one of my favourites was the Mercado de Ribeira, a beautiful old market converted into an amazing modern food hall by Time Out Magazine. Filled with the most delicious food Portugal has to offer, we ended up going back 3 or 4 times on our trip! I tucked into an incredible black risotto with seaweed and scallops and an odd-looking, but extremely tasty, salmon burger in a chocolate bun.

 

 

If you get a chance, it’s definitely worth taking a trip to Belem. Only 7 minutes away on the train, this is the place for beautiful views, a crazy selection of museums and the best tarts you’ll find in Lisbon!

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