I could not decide where to go for my fortieth birthday in April. We went back and forth over a few destinations, including Tirana, Budapest, Venice, Madeira, Porto and Lisbon. I think there was also an element of feeling like I needed to make the holiday count in some way – it was a big birthday after all. Quite a bit of overthinking, as you can see!

In the end, Budapest and Madeira both felt too new-to-me, Venice was too expensive due to a clash with the opening of the Biennale, so the decision was made – I was going to be a Lisbon birthday girl! Looking back, it’s clear that I was a bit overwhelmed at the time. I’m not good at making decisions when I’m stressed, and I think that’s partly why I ended up returning to somewhere I’d been before.

If I sound a bit deflated about returning to Lisbon, I’m not. I think I’m a bit deflated with how frazzled I felt. I’ve really enjoyed Lisbon on both of my visits, and it’s somewhere I could imagine living one day.

Another sign of how frazzled I was: how little itinerary planning I did before this trip. We could have fitted more in, and we could have managed our time better… But to be honest, all I really wanted from my birthday was to go away and spend some time ambling around with Ben. Mission accomlished!

If you’re looking for a similarly relaxed trip to Lisbon, I can wholeheartedly reccomend the following.

The Vintage Hotel and Spa, Lisbon

Different people value different things from a holiday. For me, a nice hotel where I can get a decent night’s sleep is a must. Our hotel in Valletta in February hadn’t lived up to expectations due to lumpy pillows and a damp problem. The Vintage Hotel and Spa in Lisbon certainly did! With mid-century design throughout, and live music in the bar several nights a week, it was a very charming place to stay. There is a rooftop bar/snack restaurant, and a more formal restaurant in the basement, both of which served very tasty food.

There’s also a spa, with a small pool. If you’re getting a treatment at the spa, you get access to the pool area, too, but you can also book a (free) half-hour slot in the pool. It’s very small, so booking is required, but if there’s nobody getting a treatment, you might have the place to yourself.

The staff were also really friendly, especially at reception. I even got a cake and a bottle of port delivered to my room as a birthday treat! Combined with the complimentary kit to make our own local cocktail, we were very happy!

Príncipe Real

The Vintage Hotel is located in the Principe Real district of Lisbon, which we found to be a really nice neighbourhood to explore. If we were staying for longer there were definitely restaurants we would have liked to try. Our time was limited, but the afternoon we spent drinking vinho verde in the sun outside Esplanada Café in Jardim do Príncipe Real certainly wasn’t wasted. While locals took the unexpectedly nice weather as an opportunity to work in the sun, we sat back and listened to a Briazilian duo playing chilled out samba.

Opposite the garden is the Ribeiro da Cunha Palace, home to the EmbaiXada shopping centre. Even if you’re not in the mood for shopping local designers, it’s worth stopping in for the architecture alone. As a confirmed fan of faded grandeur, I was in heaven.

Our last stop in the area was the Botanical Garden, which we visited on our rainy final morning. The entrance fee is 3 euros, and while the weather didn’t really make this an ideal visit for us, I can imagine it would be lovely in the sun. Even with the rain, it was still a very tranquil place to take a break from city life.

Cais do Sodré

For lunch, Time Out Market, near Cais do Sodré station, is a great option. With 57 bars, restaurants and shops gathered around a central seating area, even the pickiest eater will find something they like. I love a European food market, and this one did not disappoint.

Cais do Sodré is the station where you can catch a train along the coast to Belem or Cascais. The picture above is from the metro station.

Alfama

Castelo de São Jorge is one of the most popular attractions in Lisbon, so I’d reccomend getting there early. We arrived around 10am on a Thursday in April and a short queue had already formed, which was significantly longer when we left. It’s definitely worth visiting, but it can also get quite crowded in the castle – the grounds remained quieter and more pleasant while we were there. You could also try to visit later in the day to enjoy sunset views.

If I visited again, I’d get there when it opened at 9am, and head straight to the main castle to get a photo on the western ramparts with the view of the city behind me. As it was busy, I settled for a slightly different view.

The castle has several sections, including an archaeological display and camera obscura. It’s historically interesting, but also provides a great spot to enjoy far reaching views of the city in several directions.

While you’re in the neighbourhood, there’s a quirky local attraction to visit (here’s the location on Google Maps). The Historic Giant Plant is located on a pretty and quiet street slightly further down the hill.

Olaias: Lisbon’s Maddest Metro

We love a well-decorated metro station, and Lisbon does not disappoint on that front. When Ben spotted Olaias Metro on Instagram, we knew that we needed to take a trip to see the fever dream for ourselves. It’s located on the same line as the airport, so it’s very easy to stop off there at the start or end of your trip.

The rainbow mural further down this post is just outside the station.

Don’t Bother: Saldanha

This might be an unfair assessment, as we spent about an hour walking round Saldanha while hungry and annoyed because we’d walked thirty minutes up a hill to reach a restaurant which turned out to be closed. In the end we had lunch at Raffi’s Bagels, which was really nice, to be fair. Saldanha is the business district of Lisbon, so aside from the nearby Calouste Gulbenkian Art Museum (which we didn’t have time to visit after our lunchtime drama), it didn’t seem like there was much for a tourist to see and do.

Final Thoughts on Lisbon…

I’m pleased with what we did in Lisbon, and I had a really nice birthday. There was so much more we could have seen, and I’d definitely go back with a proper itinerary next time, including getting the train down to Belem, and trying to catch the famous Tram 28. At least it gives us plenty of reasons to return!