Before we get into this post, I’ll admit I didn’t travel to Lisbon solo – but it felt like I did. I took this trip with my best friend (at the time), but it may as well have been on my own due to us wanting to do different things on the trip.
I’ll get into all that later, but for now, I’m writing this from the perspective of what I would do (and most things I did) when I travel solo, even if I technically traveled with someone.
In this post, I’ll share my honest review and opinions of Lisbon, Portugal, and what it’s like for a solo female traveler. I’ll also discuss some of the best things I saw, did, and ate while there.
I’ll also be diving deep into the more personal aspects of this trip, including some of the biggest things I’ve learned from my time there and some of the best people I met who have greatly inspired me.
If you missed it, check out my latest blog post on how solo travel changed my life and why I will continue to travel solo!
Where I Stayed
Before I get into the best things I did in Lisbon, I NEED to talk about where I stayed! This hostel was probably the best I’ve ever stayed at – it had everything I could have needed, wanted, and more.
I stayed at Yes! Hostel and could not have chosen a better one. The staff were super friendly, very welcoming, and organized games, nights out, and pub crawls.
From the minute I walked in, I felt so welcomed by all the staff, who you could tell loved being there. There’s a large common area, a bar, and tons of space to hang out and meet other travelers.
Besides the social atmosphere, the dorms were amazing. I stayed in a six-bed mixed dorm, and although the room was full, it was a great experience. Every bed had a privacy curtain, which you don’t find in every hostel.
There were also individual showers and toilets along with the shared bathrooms on every floor.
Now, this is a youth party hostel, and I would not recommend it to anyone who doesn’t like the party and social atmosphere. But to anyone who does, this hostel is well worth it. I will continue to recommend this hostel to EVERYONE who visits Lisbon!
I booked this hostel on Hostelworld, my favourite platform for booking accommodation! They have the best-rated hostels and their chat feature is great for meeting other travelers.
Some of the Best Things I Did, Saw, and Ate in Lisbon
I’ve wanted to go to Lisbon for a very long time, so you can imagine just how excited I was about this trip.
I went for a long weekend, from Saturday until Monday in January 2024. This is the off-season, and while it was cheaper to go than in the summer, it wasn’t as lively as it would’ve been a few months later.
However, I cannot complain. I had an amazing time in Lisbon! These are some of the highlights from my trip and things that you shouldn’t miss when you visit.
Eat One (Or a Few) Pastel de Natas
On this trip, I tried about four to five different pastels de nata (including the ones from the famous Pasteis de Belem), and by far, the best place I visited was Manteigaria. The experience and pastel de nata itself were 10/10 amazing.
You walk in, order your pastel (of which there’s only one type), and you can see it being made fresh in front of your eyes. They serve it to you warm, and you eat it sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar, standing up at the countertop.
Pro tip – eat it standing up, or you will be charged a little extra for taking it to go.
Restaurant AO 26 Vegan Food Project
All vegan Portuguese food that was SO delicious! Since I’m vegetarian, I couldn’t eat most of the traditional food there, but this restaurant had traditional dishes made vegan, so anyone could enjoy them. I had dinner with someone who was not veggie, and they loved it.
Castelo de S. Jorge
This castle was recommended to me by another traveler in my hostel. I thought it would be just any other castle, where you go in, take a look, and you’re out in 30 minutes tops. However, this was NOT the case.
Tickets cost 15 Euros for adults or only €7.50 if you’re 25 and under, which is such a good deal.
My friend and I walked around for at least two hours, exploring all there was to see, including the castle grounds (which give you an amazing panoramic view of the city), the museum, and even some wild peacocks that live there!
Catch a Sunset
The lookout deck at the Amoreiras Shopping Center is a great place to catch a sunset. It offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the city.
I’ll admit, this viewpoint isn’t as great as the Castelo de S. Jorge (in my opinion), but it’s still an amazing place to catch sunset views if you don’t want to trek to the castle.
Tickets cost only €5 for adults, and you can stay up there as long as you’d like.
While there, you might as well check out the shopping center below.
Pink Street
This is a must-see when you’re traveling to Lisbon. The iconic Pink Street, with its colorful umbrellas, is a great place to take some photos, along with checking out some of the bars and restaurants in the evening.
I walked along Pink Street during the day and at night, and there is a huge difference. It’s basically dead during the day, but at night it comes alive with tons of bars and restaurants.
Tram 28 Lisbon
If you get a chance, you can take Tram 28 to view the entire city. However, I didn’t take it as I wanted to explore the city on foot and I’ve heard it can be quite busy!
If you do go, make sure to ride the entire route to see the whole city. Ride the tram early in the morning or later in the day to avoid crowds.
Grab a Cocktail To Go and Walk Around
Okay, I’ll admit that this is a very touristy thing to do, but you just can’t beat the prices! In the Jardim Dom Luis, I bought a passionfruit drink and explored the area on foot. Nothing beats a nice cocktail and a wander around the city.
Participate in a Bar Crawl
One of the best ways to check out interesting bars, nightlife, and meet fellow solo travelers is to go on a bar crawl! I went on the daily bar crawl that my hostel offered, and it was one of the best that I’ve ever been to.
The staff at Yes! Hostel were so hyped up, which made everyone else hyped, and the atmosphere was unbeatable.
After getting a drink at the hostel bar and meeting some of my fellow travelers, we went off on a bar crawl down Pink Street and ended the night at a club by the waterfront.
Most of the bars are partnered with the hostel and will give you a discount on selected drinks.
I’m not going to lie, this night was probably one of the best nights I’ve ever had while on a solo trip. I met some amazing people and had the greatest time. More on this later!
What I LOVED About Lisbon
Lisbon is one of the best cities I’ve visited in recent years. Although it’s not that large, it’s charming, and there are quite a few things that I loved about the city.
It’s Very Lively
In January, I went to Lisbon and Porto. Lisbon was much more lively and had a more vibrant nightlife scene than Porto. However, this is largely dependent on the time of year you go.
January is the off-season, but I visited Lisbon on the weekend (Saturday to Monday) and went to Porto during the week (Tuesday to Thursday), so it wasn’t as lively as Lisbon.
The hostels and city in general seemed busier in Lisbon than in Porto, but Lisbon is a bigger city and more of a tourist destination than the port city.
It’s Easy to Find Good Veggie Food
For a city known for its seafood, Lisbon did not miss on great vegetarian restaurants!
As a vegetarian, it’s often difficult to find decent food in cities that are mostly known for their meat or seafood dishes. However, Lisbon is very veg-friendly!
You won’t find great vegetarian options at every restaurant, but all you have to do is a quick Google search for some veg-friendly spots, and you’ll find a bunch.
These are a few of the restaurants I went to and would recommend:
- Ao 26 Vegan Food Project
- Honest Greens
- Da Terra (I went in Porto and loved it!)
- Kong – Food Made With Compassion (I didn’t personally go, but I have heard great things about it!)
It’s a Very Walkable City
Despite numerous people saying that it’s a very hilly city and seeing those reels of people walking the streets completely out of breath, I didn’t find it so hard to walk around.
Everything is in relatively close proximity, especially if you’re staying in the city center like I did.
If you don’t want to walk everywhere and plan to take the bus, tram, or metro, I would recommend getting the Navigante card. Each journey costs 1,80€, or you can load a few trips on the card for a discounted price. I think I put five journeys on there and used them all within three days.
There Are Hidden Gems Everywhere Throughout the City
Lastly, maybe my favourite thing about Lisbon is that you can just wander around and you’ll find hidden gems in the city.
For example, I heard about the Castelo de S. Jorge from someone in my hostel and I thought it would be nice to explore, but I had no idea what it would actually be like. It ended up being so much bigger than I had thought, with multiple courtyards and places to explore.
Here are a few hidden gems I stumbled upon while just walking around:
- Menina e Moça Bookshop Bar on Pink Street – you can have a drink while perusing some books.
- Catmadoo Bar – what’s interesting about this place is that you can trade your bra for a free shot! I’m not kidding.
Give These Things a Miss in Lisbon
Now, this is just my personal opinion. I know that these can be quite controversial, so take this with a grain of salt. Do your research and check out any places you want on your trip, but the things below were not worth it for me.
The Time Out Market
The famous Time Out Market may be worth checking out if you eat meat and seafood, but it was quite challenging to find vegetarian options there.
I had a rice dish that was below average, tasted super salty, and ended up burning the roof of my mouth for weeks. Okay, maybe that was my fault for eating it while it was still steaming hot!
Pastéis de Belém
This may be very controversial as Pastéis de Belém is the most famous Portuguese custard tart shop, but I didn’t enjoy this Pastel as much as the one from Manteigaria.
In my opinion, waiting in line at the most popular Nata shop was not worth it for me. There isn’t that much to do in Belém, Lisbon, and I don’t think it was worth taking the trek outside the city center.
However, you should check it out if you want to taste the different Pastels in the city – as you haven’t truly tasted everything if you didn’t go to the most famous shop.
A Certain Vegan Restaurant
I’m not trying to shame restaurants or discourage people from going places, but I have to talk about this place. The restaurant Veganapati was NOT worth it.
My friend and I went to this vegan restaurant in hopes of having some amazing food, given its high rating on Google.
Maybe we didn’t try the best dishes, or we didn’t go at a great time, but both the food and drinks were not great.
I got the Tacos Al Pastor (as pictured below) and a mango margarita. Both were very subpar. The mango margarita was not mango flavoured, and when I asked to change it, they said they were out of mango. Why not tell me that when I ordered?
The tacos were very dry, and the filling was not very tasty. Not what I expected in the least!
My friend got the Brownie Burger and fries, which were very oily. The burger was disappointing overall.
I’m only including this restaurant because I’m a big advocate for great vegan food, and this should not have been so highly rated. You can try much better places, including Restaurant AO 26 Vegan Food Project, Da Terra, and Honest Greens.
Some of the Best People I Met and Lessons I’ve Learned in Lisbon
You guys know I love getting a little bit personal in my blog posts, as I love to share the realness of what it’s like to travel solo.
As I mentioned before, I met some truly amazing people in Lisbon who changed my perspective on many things. I also learned some great life lessons on this trip.
Here are some of the best people I met and what they taught me:
I met a guy in his mid-twenties from the United States who had recently moved to Lisbon while traveling there and completely fell in love with it.
He found his community and felt that he belonged there, so much so that after his travel visa ran out, he ended up packing up his life in the US and moving to Lisbon permanently.
We met the last night I was in Lisbon. We stayed up until the sun rose, talking about anything and everything.
From him, I learned that your community and where you find peace are often outside the place where you grew up. He’s also a great example of found family and that you can put roots down anywhere.
I also met a 30-year-old Australian who had been traveling solo for the past eight months. He had been in Bali for a month and told me it was very different from what it seems on social media.
After that, he backpacked through Europe for a few months while working remotely as a photographer.
The most memorable thing about him was that he had a digital camera. That night, we went on a pub crawl, and he took photos of everyone, each in their own element. In the photo he took of me, I have the biggest smile on my face while dancing in the bar.
He gave me the idea to get a disposable camera and use it while traveling to capture memories in a very interesting way.
I also briefly met a girl named Lauren, also from Australia, who mentioned that she was going to Porto the same day I was. We got separated, and I thought we would never see each other again until something very coincidental (or not?) happened.
In Porto, I was in my hostel room, and guess what? In she walks. She was not only staying in the same hostel that I chose out of 55+ other hostels in that city, but she was in the same room and in the bed right beside mine. There’s no way that could’ve been purely coincidence.
We got to talking and found out we were very similar and were there for the same amount of time. We ended up spending two whole days together, exploring the city and getting to know each other.
I haven’t spoken to her since we left, but I have a feeling our paths may cross again.
What I learned from her is the value of opening yourself up to someone. Even though I barely knew her, I told her some intimate details of my life, including my very recent friendship breakup which happened while I was in Lisbon just a few days earlier.
Talking to someone about what’s going on in your life can be very helpful. Sometimes it’s good to open up and let people in, as they can offer support, insights, and advice. The same goes for you lending a listening ear to them.
You never know what can happen on solo trips. But what’s guaranteed is that you’ll never be alone.
Tips on Navigating Lisbon
Here are some of my best tips and tricks for getting around Lisbon:
Google Maps List
I make a Google Maps List for almost every trip I take, unless I’m traveling with someone who knows their way around or I just want to explore and get lost in the city.
Before I travel, I’ll do some research and add monuments, restaurants, and shops I want to visit to a list on Google Maps. All of these places will appear on the map as a blue dot.
You can then use Google Maps and walk around the city, visiting all the places you’ve saved.
Here’s my list of the best places I visited – with notes – so you can check them out.
Get an eSIM Card
If you don’t have data roaming for Europe, I’d highly recommend installing an eSIM so you can have data for navigation, staying connected, and more.
I rely on Google Maps with my life, so I’d hate to be stuck without data on a trip.
The best eSIM I’ve found and used multiple times throughout Europe and Central America is Airalo. They have data packs for over 200 countries worldwide, keeping you connected as soon as you land.
Click here to check out Airalo for your next trip.
Take a Bolt
If you need to get across the city fast and don’t want to walk or take public transport, take a Bolt. It’s much cheaper than an Uber or a taxi.
I took two Bolts across Lisbon, each costing 4-5 Euros each. Across the entire city – that’s an amazing price!
Navigante Card
Get a Navigante Card for public transport in Lisbon. You can buy and reload this card at any metro station or the airport.
It’s very worth it, especially if you plan to take more than one bus or metro trip. You can add travel cards or pay-as-you-go credit, which is what I did.
Look At All Transport Options
This isn’t specific to just Lisbon, but all of Portugal. If you’re traveling to other cities in Portugal, look at ALL transport options.
I went to Porto after Lisbon, and while I could’ve taken the train, I opted for the coach. It cost about 5 Euros, while the train cost between 30-40 Euros.
The train was a little bit faster, but it was worth taking the coach and saving tons of money – especially if you’re on a budget like me.
I booked my coach on Trainline, the best place to book train and coach travel throughout Europe.
Is Portugal Safe for Solo Female Travelers?
This one’s easy to answer – it’s a resounding YES! I went to both Lisbon and Porto solo and thoroughly enjoyed both cities without feeling unsafe at any point.
Portugal is one of the safest countries in Europe, and this is backed by the Global Peace Index.
Of course, as with any place you visit solo, you need to have a general awareness of your surroundings and be safe.
So, there you have it! This is my entire review of Lisbon, Portugal. I had a great time there, and if I have the chance, I will visit again.
The atmosphere, the things I did, and the people I met all made this trip one to remember for a lifetime.
The one main takeaway I had from this trip is that even though you travel solo, you’ll never be truly alone. I met so many amazing people from my hostel just by participating in activities like a bar crawl and walking tour.
If you’re thinking of going to Lisbon solo, DO IT! I could not recommend it enough.
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