Lisbon: Eating and Sightseeing (but mainly eating)

After finally sorting out body clocks and sleeping through the night, we had a slower morning before heading into Lisbon. The day quickly turned into a self-guided pastry tour, kicking off with an angel cake (which reminded me of a vanilla slice) and, of course, a delicious pastel de nata—because when in Lisbon, it’s practically mandatory.

We wandered through the flea markets, where stalls overflowed with all sorts of treasures, trinkets, and odds and ends. From there, we made our way to the National Pantheon, also known as the Church of Santa Engrácia. Its history is as fascinating as its grandeur—construction started in 1681 but stopped in 1712 when the architect died, not because the building was finished, but because people simply lost interest. The project sat incomplete for centuries until the dome was finally added in 1966.

Wandering through the little streets, more pastries followed, including a local treat—an airy cupcake-like delight filled with a sweet, lemony, eggy curd. We of course had another pastel de nata and it remained the clear winner of the day—so far.

At the Miradouro, perched on the tallest of Lisbon’s famed seven hills, we took in breathtaking views of the city and the port before heading off in search of a hidden Chinese restaurant. The hunt ended in disappointment when we discovered it was closed until April, but luck was on our side—just steps from the tram stop, we found a great ramen spot instead. As we ate, we watched an endless queue of hundreds of people waiting for the tram, glad we weren’t among them.

After lunch, we took an Uber to Belém to see the Jerónimos Monastery, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Rather than joining the long line to go inside, we admired it from the outside and soaked in its history. Originally built in 1495, the monastery was home to Hieronymite monks, who prayed for the king’s soul and offered spiritual guidance to the explorers setting sail from Portugal’s shores. It was abandoned as a monastery in 1833, but its grandeur remains.

Of course, no visit to Belém is complete without yet another pastry stop. We decided to put the famous Pastéis de Belém to the test, buying a pastel de nata there as well as one from a less well-known bakery just beside it. Side by side, we compared them carefully—crust, filling, flavor. Surprisingly, the underdog won—at least in our opinion!

Clearly four portuguese tarts is a lot for one day, considering I’d never even tried one before. I’m sure it will be hard to top these anywhere outside of this wonderful place!

The two rivalling pastel de nata retailers, essentially side by side

Back in Lisbon’s vibrant bar district, we settled in at Musa da Bica for some craft beers, sitting outside until the sun disappeared and the chill set in. That led us underground to Vago, a cozy cocktail bar with arched ceilings and a rustic vibe.

Finally, we finished the day with dinner at Rumi, a Turkish-Palestinian restaurant that delivered one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The food was unbelievably fresh and flavorful—I wish I had taken photos, but I was too busy savoring every bite and getting lost in conversation.

We debated continuing the night out but decided to call it a day and Ubered home, full and happy.