š Lisbon Done Right: First-Time Experience + Smart Travel Strategy
VERDICT: We gave 5 out of 5 tickets and hereās why!
Lisbon in 4 Hours šµš¹ Our First Afternoon Will Surprise You
Lisbon didnāt ease us inā¦ it welcomed us straight away. Within just a few hours, we found ourselves standing where explorers once set sailā¦ spotting iconic landmarksā¦ and even tracking down a piece of football history, because this city, and honestly all of Portugal, lives and breathes the game.
It didnāt take long to realize that Lisbon is vibrant, layered, and full of surprises.
We arrived in Lisbon and wasted no time getting our bearings.
Our first stop? Just minutes from our hotel – tracking down a piece of football history near EstĆ”dio JosĆ© Alvaladeā¦ where a young Cristiano Ronaldo once played. For football fans, itās a quiet but meaningful start.
From there, we jumped into a taxi heading toward PraƧa do ComĆ©rcio and quickly learned our first Lisbon lessonā¦ taxis cost more than Uber for the exact same ride. It was disappointing as we were recommended the taxi by the hotel and when we compared the ride it was a whopping 30% more expensive than Uber!
But once we arrivedā¦ none of that mattered.
This square is massive. Open, elegant, and steeped in history, rebuilt after the devastating 1755 earthquake and once the gateway to Portugalās global empire.
On the morning of November 1, 1755 – All Saintsā Day, a major religious holiday, Lisbon was struck by one of the most destructive earthquakes in European history. Estimated to have a magnitude of 8.5ā9.0, the quake lasted between three and six minutes, splitting open the cityās streets and toppling churches, palaces, and homes. As survivors poured into the open spaces of the waterfront for safety, they witnessed a terrifying sight: the Tagus River withdrew, then surged back in two massive tsunamis, sweeping away the crowded harbour.
Compounding the catastrophe, candles lit for All Saintsā Day had ignited widespread fires that raged for nearly a week, reducing what remained of the city to ashes. Out of a population of around 200,000, tens of thousands perished, and the devastation shattered Portugalās capital both physically and spiritually. The disaster forced a complete rethinking of urban planning, architecture, and even philosophy, inspiring Voltaireās Candide and shaping the birth of modern seismology.
Today, visitors to Lisbon can explore the memory of the 1755 earthquake at the NĆŗcleo ArqueolĆ³gico of the Lisbon Story Centre or visit the Convento do Carmo, where a Gothic roofless church still stands as a haunting memorial. For a deeper experience, head to the Lisbon Earthquake Museum (Quake) in the BelĆ©m districtāan immersive simulation that recreates the terror and chaos of that fateful day. Lisbonās grid-like Baixa district, rebuilt under the MarquĆŖs de Pombal, stands as a testament to resilience: the first earthquake-resistant city in the world.
We grabbed our first Pastel de Nata from a nearby bakeryā¦ found a spotā¦ and just sat back, watching Lisbon move around us.
From here, the city starts revealing itself.
In the distance, the unmistakable silhouette of the 25 de Abril Bridgeā¦ and across the river, the towering Cristo Rei watching over Lisbon. The 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon is an iconic suspension bridge, often compared to San Franciscoās Golden Gate, that symbolizes the 1974 Carnation Revolution which restored democracy in Portugal. The Cristo Rei statue in Lisbon is a towering, 110-meter-high monument inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, built as a symbol of gratitude for Portugal being spared from the devastation of World War II.
Then came one of those āthis is Lisbonā momentsā¦ The famous Tram 28 rolling through the streetsā¦ tight corners, steep climbsā¦ pure character. Tram 28 is a vintage, rattling streetcar that winds through Lisbon’s most historic neighbourhoods including; Alfama, GraƧa, and Baixa, offering a scenic and charming ride past iconic landmarks like the SĆ© Cathedral and SĆ£o Jorge Castle.
A short walk later, we reached the iconic Santa Justa Lift, a striking piece of engineering that connects two very different levels of the city.
As evening set in, we stayed right in the square for dinner, taking it all in, planning the next day.
Because tomorrowā¦ we take on Lisbon properly. Bus tour. Tram routes. The full experience.
But for nowā¦ this was the perfect first impression.
Watch Episode 2 – our experience exploring the Yellow Bus Tour!
With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect āTicket Ratingā of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and weād eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a tripās worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
