4-hour stopover in Lisbon
Arriving at the Lisbon airport at 12, I didn’t see why I should spend this 7-hour layover pondering over a cup of Starbucks coffee and not go see what’s up in the capital of Portugal. All the stress about European immigration was for nothing. Immigration officials there were the most efficient I have ever seen. They finished paperwork for at least 50 people in 30 minutes. I’m not sure if they are good or they just want tourists to have as much time as possible to spend money in their country. Anyhow, by 1 pm, I was at Praca de Comercio, the heart of Lisbon.
Lisbon is a quaint and quiet city looking outward to the Atlantic ocean. It is built on a hilly terrain, which meant beautiful view and a lot of cardio exercises during the 4 hours I was there. Taking the 100-year-old Santa Justa Elevator to the 10th floor, I thought the gorgeous view was worth the minor heart attack I experienced climbing up the most twisted, 1-meter-wide set of stairs at the top of the building.
After contemplating the city view, I followed the path towards an abandoned castle that has been restored into the Museum of Archaeology and ran into a secluded plaza with an overly intricate water fountain (in my opinion!).
A waiter welcomed me with a warm smile, asking if I would like to have lunch in his restaurant and I couldn’t resist the hospitality but mostly the grumbling sounds from my stomach. Listening to his advice, I ordered Bacalhau à Brás, a traditional dish of Lisbon made from codfish, potatoes and scrambled eggs. If you have a chance to come to Lisbon, this is something that you cannot leave without trying.
Having recharged some energy, I continued roaming from corners to corners, shops to shops that line up the old commercial center of the city. Lisbon is famous for its cute houses painted in happy colors such as light pink and yellow and unified in their commitment to the traditional red-brick roof. The main attractions of Lisbon are its pastries and ceramics. If you can get your hands on some Portuguese custard, please do so. They are not too sweet and you will be impressed with the buttery crusts and silky texture of the custard. If you are into decoration and obsessed with bright colors like I am, visit one of the ceramics shops in Lisbon. You will be slightly blinded by all the colors when you first enter but you will leave with cute little silverware plates or jewelry boxes decorated with traditional drawings that reflect the daily life and nature of Portugal.
It is funny how I always wanted to travel alone to a city that I had never been to and the first city I did was Lisbon. Lisbon is not a city that you want to travel alone to, not because it is dangerous but because it is too romantic. Here and there you can see couples walking hand in hand on the beach, stopping by a bakery to buy freshly baked bread for Sunday brunch or simply sitting down and enjoy the sunset. It is a city where you can truly be together.
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