Three Days in Lisbon: Tiles, Guitars, and the Best Vegan Brunch Ever
Rarely has a city stolen my heart like this.
“Oh my God! That’s amazing, it's such a magical place. You’re going to have such a great time!”
That was the reaction of every single person whom I told that I was going to Lisbon. Not one person casually said, “oh, nice, enjoy.” Everyone who I know who’d been to the Portuguese capital used words like “fantastic”, “amazing”, and “one of my favourite cities.” So it’s fair to say that my expectations were up there.
We land at almost midnight, after an hour-long delay. Our taxi driver, Patrícia, who not only patiently waits for us but also offers some great sightseeing tips, is our first encounter with the people of Lisbon. She is a good indication of most people we interact with: warm, cordial, and speaking English perfectly. Our hotel, the Inn Rossio, is located in the heart of Chiado, and it is a relief to drop our bags and relax as the city quiets down.
On our first morning in Lisbon, we wake up to pouring rain. My heart sinks. Not only because the hotel breakfast features exactly zero vegan items, so going outside is crucial - but also because we’d just come from pouring rain in the UK. Watching a cringey early 2000s George Clooney film on the hotel TV set was not exactly how I’d planned to spend my first day in the city.
But when the rain finally lets up, boy does Lisbon make up for it. For starters, we randomly end up at a breakfast place five minutes from the hotel - which serves the most incredible vegan brunch I’ve ever had. If you’re in town and you’re vegan, find Frutaria. Order a vegan brunch. Trust me on this one.
After the breakfast that also becomes our lunch, we trot off to the nearest museum - no time to waste - which happens to be the Carmo Archeological Museum. Built in a former convent (!) and rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, this museum is a great first look at the history of Lisbon. Plus, the building itself is stunning: high, vaulted ceilings, towering arches under what was now a bright blue sky. A great start to our exploration.
On our walk, I’m amazed by how colourful this city is. I’ve often thought of how we build our buildings to be grey, functional and boring. Beauty gives space to practicality in so many of our urban spaces. Well, not in Lisbon. This city is full of breathtakingly gorgeous buildings, many of them built with hand-painted ceramic tiles, which first started being used in Lisbon in the 13th century. The presence of the tiles, alongside the many shades used in the architecture, means this city is exploding with colour. There is even a tile museum - on my must-visit list for next time.
Second museum of the day is the Fado museum in Alfama. Fado is a style of music born in the 19th century in Lisbon, which was then made popular all over the country and other territories such as Brazil. I knew very little about Fado before entering this marvellously curated exhibition, but as my husband has a background as a guitar maker, he is mesmerised by the museum. His father, who taught him to make instruments, has even built a Portuguese-style guitar - these guitars are key to the soulful, somewhat melancholic songs.
After a wonderful walk through the Alfama district (I want to live here!) and a stop at the Lisbon Cathedral, we go for dinner at Jardim das Cerejas (Portuguese speakers: this means “the cherry garden”, right?) - a completely vegan restaurant which offers an all-you-can eat buffet, for, I kid you not, 12 euros. This is not a drill. For this modest price, you can enjoy a rich buffet of hot and cold dishes plus soup. And everything is absolutely next-level delicious. Hearty, warming food with a home-cooked feel - and a pretty interior too. The location is beautiful (right next to the Archeological Museum) and the interior is cosy and welcoming.
We close the evening with an ice cream from Sorbettino - dark chocolate and pistachio for me - and a walk around the warm city, listening to street performers and entering antique bookshops such as Livraria Sá da Costa. Aside from beautiful books, this shop also sells tiles that come from buildings around Lisbon, which fascinates me to no end. This shop breathes Lisbon culture - literal pieces of the city can be found here.
On our second day in town, we have exactly the same food as the first. Frutaria in the morning, Jardim das Cerejas in the evening. Some would say that being in a new city we should explore more - and I’d agree. But having only three days at our disposal, we are hardly in a position to throw away precious time travelling to restaurants. And having found two of the best eateries of our lives, we are quite eager to come back.
Plus, we (well, some of us) need good fuel for our next adventure - the beach! On what was a spectacular bikini-weather day at the very end of September, we head to Costa da Caparica, a beachside town outside of Lisbon where David has a surf lesson with Go Surf Lisboa. He absolutely loves it - and I must say that his wave-catching abilities are at an all-time high.
Despite surfing taking up considerable amounts of energy, David powers through as we hop on the 15E tram to Torre de Belèm - a 15th-century tower that’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. We also snap some pics of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos - an absolutely beautiful monastery built in 1495. After going back to another blowout buffet dinner at Jardim das Cerejas, we end the day with vinho verde at a rooftop bar.
Our last day in Lisbon starts with sparkling sunshine. We take a beautiful walk and stumble across a vintage book market in Chiado before arriving at our breakfast spot: Flora & Fauna. A hipster café with calming zen vibes, this is the perfect place for anyone who, like me, loves the idea of eating cake for breakfast. The “chocobana” smoothie bowl tastes like a chocolate cake, and the coffee is spot on too. This fires us up for our trip to the Castelo Saõ Jorge, a historic monument located atop the Alfama area. After a walk around the castle (the queue to enter is too brutal and we have a flight to catch, unfortunately) we shoot a few pics at Miradouro de Santa Luzia - one of the city’s many terraces with breathtaking views - and head for lunch at The Green Affair.
I’ve been advised by many friends to try this restaurant - and I’m glad I took the advice. The Green Affair is a beautiful, upscale eatery that is fully vegan and offers a variety of refreshing flavours. We share a bread, tapenade and cashew cheese starter, then I go for a carbonara while David has a risotto. We both love our dishes - I prefer my pasta a bit more undercooked, but that’s just me, I’m extreme like that. Overall, definitely a must-visit if you are vegan in Lisbon!
And yes, we leave the best for last: the pasteis de nata. These small, flaky, sweet custard tarts that are so quintessentially Portuguese now come in a vegan version, thanks to Vegan Nata. There are three shops around the city offering nothing but pasteis de nata and coffee - both excellent. This is another place that was high on the list of recommendations. My sweet tooth and I leave very impressed.
Before reluctantly heading off to the airport, I return to the antique bookshop and buy…a tile. A simple, white and blue one, for five euros. I carefully place it in my carry-on and place it on my desk shelf once home. A little piece of Lisbon now in my home.
I don’t often come back to places I have visited. I love going to lots of different destinations, life is short and the budget is what it is, so I don’t tend to return twice. But this time is different. Our connection to this city is almost spiritual. I feel that there is more for me here, I’m not done with Lisbon yet. Stay tuned - there is definitely more to come.
All photos by me except those of me. Those are by David Camilli.
The Green Affair is fantastic -I went twice during my trip, and I completely agree, the vegan nata was amazing! I also loved exploring the LX Factory and visiting the Fernando Pessoa Museum—it was such a unique experience. Portugal has such a beautiful vibe; I loved wandering through the streets of Lisbon. Great post—thanks for sharing!
I lived in Lisbon for three years, and it holds such a special place in my heart. Your pictures and descriptions took me back in time! Also, I was living so close to Frutaria—lol, that place is so good!