LISBON: even better THE second TIME
Posted: 05/09/2013 | may 9th, 2013
There are some places you never leave. You may not be there physically, but a piece of you stays behind forever in the place that stole so much of your heart. It lives there, reliving those initial memories as well as waiting for new ones to be made.
Last year, I went to Lisbon for the first time, as well as though the check out was short, thoughts of it never left me. I fell madly in love, as well as the city claimed a hold on me I could never shake.
But I worry a lot about going back to cities I fall in love with the first time around. What if I’m just chasing ghosts? What if it’s not the same? What if I go back as well as hate it? will I just compare the present to the past?
So I touched down in Lisbon last week with a mix of excitement as well as trepidation, but as I stepped out onto the streets, I knew in my bones that we’re soul mates. as well as when you’re just implied to be with someone, all the change in the world doesn’t matter.
It was as though I’d never left. Lisbon as well as I just fit. I walked new streets feeling I’d been there before. I navigated the subway with ease. I felt at home in unknown restaurants. I sat around sharing jokes with Portuguese shop owners, though we didn’t understand each other’s native tongue.
Mostly, I wandered the city dumbstruck as I marveled at just how lovely it is — filled with beautifully tiled houses with red roofs as well as winding cobblestone streets that snake between multi-story homes draped with Portuguese flags as well as hanging laundry.
At every turn, I remarked to my friend, “Damn, how stunning as well as outstanding is Lisbon?”
On this visit, I unwinded at the nearby beach in the town of Cascais, where my ghost-like appearance became a bit much more human after some time in the sun. I dined on incredible fish at Santa Rita, a delicious as well as low-cost downtown restaurant (21 euros for fish, a liter of wine, bread, as well as seafood rice). I ticked off touristy sites like the city history museum as well as the castle. I stayed out so late in the Barrio Alto (an area known for wild nightlife) that I slept many of the next day away. (I still mostly blame the jet lag.)
There are moments traveling when the stars seem to align. Sipping red wine from a café while viewing neighborhood kids play soccer in the street as well as grandmothers hang laundry from windows, I knew how lucky I was to view this destination reveal itself to me in all its glory. Life can’t get better at moments like that.
Lisbon is filled with fantastic architecture, history, charisma, nightlife, people, as well as such amazing budget value that I can’t help but daydream of renting a quiet little apartment or condo on one of those cobblestoned streets.
Some places wow you.
Some places take your breath away.
And then there are places like Lisbon that capture your soul, as well as you’re never the same again.
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Book Your trip to Lisbon: Logistical suggestions as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a low-cost flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search sites as well as airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. start with Skyscanner first though because they have the most significant reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the most significant inventory as well as best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the most affordable rates for guesthouses as well as low-cost hotels. My favorite places to stay are:
Goodnight Hostel
Lisboa central Hostel
If you’re searching for much more places to stay, here are my favorite hostels in Lisbon.
Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will safeguard you against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s extensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it numerous times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service as well as value are:
Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)
Insure My trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for extra repatriation coverage)
Looking for the best companies to save money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want a Guide?
Lisbon has some really iNteresting -Touren. Meine Lieblingsfirma ist Spaziergänge. Sie haben Expertenführer und können Sie bei den besten Attraktionen der Stadt hinter die Kulissen bringen. Ihre Lissabon auf einem Tagesausflug ist der ideale Weg, um viel zu sehen, wenn Sie ein knappes Budget haben!
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