In May 2023, I finally realised a long-time dream of mine and set off on a trip to Lisbon, the capital and largest city of Portugal, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. I went on a rather spontaneous trip with two friends, whom I met while studying tourism in Portorose.
Preparations for our journey began with a less than enthusiastic gathering at midnight at Ljubljana railway station. Despite the late hour, the atmosphere was full of anticipation and excitement, knowing that we were going to a city that has been the unofficial centre and meeting point of world cultures since the golden age of the Portuguese Empire in the 16th century. Due to its location, the city was as an entry point into the Mediterranean for traders of many European empires, which meant that knowledge, cultures and goods initially met in Lisbon. After we had gathered, we set off for a night ride to Marco Polo Airport. During a quiet night, we rode through the darkness, full of excitement and expectations. Despite the efforts of all members to use the trip to the airport as an opportunity for a more than necessary rest, the night ride was marked by an exchange of anecdotes and planning the first steps through the city streets.
At the airport, we were greeted by the morning sun, which was already announcing the start of our adventure. Given the early morning hour, we expected to arrive at the airport as one of the first passengers, which turned out to be a false assumption. Marco Polo Airport was bustling with a crowd of travellers, while our energy was fading by the minute. Our flight was one of the first to take off that morning, which meant there was not much time to rest. We completed all the necessary procedures before boarding the plane, and before we were really aware, we were already flying to Portugal.
Landing at Lisbon airport, we immediately felt the climate change from the chilly Ljubljana and early morning Venice to an almost summer-like Lisbon. The sun was pleasantly warm, the clouds were lazily moving across the sky and the smell of the sea permeated the air. Then it was off to the city centre itself, where we took the rather outdated but surprisingly useful metro system, which is of course no match for other European capitals such as Paris and London, but we were not disappointed with its reach. Most of the stations feature fun murals, which act as a depiction of the relaxed lifestyle of the local population. Upon arrival in the city, and consequently in the hostel, we settled into a rather cramped room for up to ten travellers at a time, which was just a taste of the lively atmosphere we would witness over the next week.
Our adventure in Lisbon continued over the next few days, discovering the wonders of the old town and the charming Alfama area. We walked past the ruins of Carmo Convent to Rossio Square, which has been the central scene of city life since the 18th century. The square is home to a statue of King Peter IV, known as the "Warrior King". The route then took us past the main square, Praça do Comércio, which has been a meeting point for the city's residents since the golden age of the empire and is one of the few areas of the city that remained untouched by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, considered one of the greatest earthquakes in history, which destroyed almost the entire city and, together with the resulting tsunami, claimed 15,000 victims. In 1974, the square witnessed the turning point of the Portuguese Revolution, which ended four decades of oppression and abandonment of African colonies.
The only part of the city that still stood after the disaster was Alfama, where we went later. It is the oldest quarter of Lisbon, known for its narrow streets, steep hills and traditional Portuguese houses. While exploring the old town, we came across the oldest bookshop in the world, Bertrand Livraria. The bookshop was founded in 1732 and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest operating bookshop in the world. We discovered treasures ranging from old manuscripts and books by classic Portuguese authors such as Fernando Pessoa to more abstract, postmodern works. For a beautiful view of the city, we walked up to the São Pedro de Alcântara and Senhora do Monte viewpoints. Right from the top of the São Pedro de Alcântara lookout point, there is a stunning view of the River Tagus, 25 de Abril Bridge and São Jorge Castle. The Senhora do Monte offers panoramic views of the whole city, which, like Rome, is known as the "City of the Seven Hills".
One of the city's attractions is its tiles, of which there are two types in Lisbon and which can be found on almost every building. On the same street, there are Arabic tiles, which are extremely colourful and full of patterns and are reminiscent of the almost 800-year invasion of the Iberian Peninsula by Arab tribes, while on the other side of the street, there are Christian tiles, which are smaller and usually depict events from the Bible.
We dedicated one of the evenings to traditional Fado music. Fado is a Portuguese musical genre known for its melancholic lyrics and emotional melodies. The music took us into the soul of Portuguese culture and introduced us to the history and traditions of the city. Traditionally performed by women, the songs tell the story of a lonely life in the city and the longing for the return of their partners who, in the age of colonisation, are discovering new parts of the world unknown at the time. It is an extremely intimate experience, where actions such as taking photographs or even talking during the performance are strictly forbidden.
We also tasted the diverse and delicious Portuguese cuisine. Pastel de nata, the golden drop, delighted our taste buds with its sweet cream, and bifana impressed us with its juiciness and rich flavour. We ended our evenings with a drink called ginjinha, a traditional liqueur that took us to the heart of Portuguese social culture.
One of the days was dedicated to the district of Belém, which exists as a living museum of Portuguese history. Our first stop was Jerónimos Monastery, which stands as an exceptional architectural marvel built in the Portuguese Manuel style. Entering the monastery took us through centuries of history, as the walls were adorned with rich carvings depicting the former greatness of the Portuguese empire. Next to the monastery is the tomb of Luís de Camões, one of Portugal's greatest poets and the famous seafarer Vasco da Gama, the first man to connect Europe with India. A feeling of deep respect for these historically important figures pervades the room.
We then walked to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos sculpture, which stands as a monument to the Portuguese explorers of the Age of Discovery. The sculpture rises over the Tagus River and stands as a monument to Portuguese courage and the visionary spirit of exploration. At the foot of the sculpture, we discovered reliefs depicting historical scenes of the discovery of new worlds.
We continued towards the Torre de Belém, a fortress along the coast built between the 16th and 17th centuries. This fort was an important part of the Portuguese defensive architecture that protected the entrance to the port of Lisbon. The tower itself tells the story of the glory days of Portuguese seafaring and trade. Now it serves as a gathering place for those who love music and the sea.
On the hottest day, we decided to extend our exploration by taking the train to the nearby town of Cascais, sometimes nicknamed the "Monaco of Portugal". The 40-minute train ride was a great experience, as the entire route offered picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean.
We arrived in Cascais full of expectations and immediately headed for Ribeira beach, famous for its clean sand and crystal clear sea. The warm sun called for a refreshing jump into the sea, which is much cooler by Mediterranean standards, rarely exceeding 21 degrees Celsius even in summer.
After a refreshing couple of hours on the beach, we headed to the city itself, which had a very relaxed atmosphere and authentic Portuguese charm. The city is now home to many wealthy individuals from around the world, and at the same time the streets are always full of visitors, which is also reflected in prices that are noticeably higher than in Lisbon.
While walking around the city, we decided to try Pastéis de Bacalhau, a traditional Portuguese dish made from salted cod, which enchanted us with its extremely rich aroma. And to make things even better, we had a look at the range of Portuguese wines on offer. We decided to finish off our exploration of Cascais by tasting the different varieties of Porto's famous wine. It is a world-famous and valued type of wine, which, due to the extremely high amount of alcohol, is consumed in smaller quantities than the wines we are used to in Slovenia.
On the last day, we took the train to the magical city of Sintra, which, with its fabulous palaces and green hills, almost seems fictional. The first stop on our list was Pena, a colourful palace perched on top of a hill in the middle of a forest, and for a long time a hidden outpost of the Portuguese elite. The palace is a mix of different architectural styles, from Moorish to Gothic, which, together with the strikingly vivid colours of the façade, give the palace a truly unique and always recognisable look.
Then we headed to the gardens of the botanical park, which is part of the palace itself. The park consists of a labyrinth of many paths, some of which led us through shady forests, while others opened onto viewpoints where we admired picturesque views of the surrounding countryside. The gardens were full of exotic plants, huge lakes, and hidden chapels.
Our last official stop was the Moorish castle. Located on the outskirts of the Sintra Hills, it offers unobstructed views of the valley, the city of Sintra, the Atlantic Ocean, and the entire region around Lisbon. This ancient building, built by the Moors in the 8th century, played, among other things, a key role in the Reconquista. Conquered by Christian forces after the fall of Lisbon in 1147, it is now a national monument recognised for its cultural importance and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
For me, travel is not only enriching with cultural and historical insights, but it connects us with people and their culture, which are part of the wider story and passion of the destination. Each step has taken us to the past, but at the same time it has inspired us for the future. Lisbon has become more than just a destination - it has become part of us, with memories that will stay with us long after we return home.
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