I have been to many countries in Europe since I was a kid, but somehow I did not think about visiting Portugal. The closest thing I have done that links me to this beautiful country is a book titled “Cork Boat”, which I bought during my time in the grad school.

Fast forward to last year, I was watching Eugene Levy’s TV show “The Reluctant Traveler”. In the show, Lisbon has a relaxed lifestyle with an artist vibe. In addition, I love the Pastel de Nata a lot. So I decided to see Lisbon as my first city after my last trip to Europe 12 years ago.

The photo above is the commercial square during the Christmas season. I took it from a sailboat ride on Tagus River. It was a completely different viewing angle and you will have the chance to take nice photos of the city along the river.

Lisbon is a nice city for street photography. Every corner of the city has its unique aesthetic look. Before I visit Lisbon, I found a nice photography blog that introduces Lisbon as an amazing place to do street photography. Reading this article gave me some hints on how to observe and appreciate the scenes in the city.

The buildings of Lisbon consist of red clay roofs and different hue of yellow walls. It is very easy on the eyes. Lisbon Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa) is on the background.

Lisbon Cathedral is in Alfama, a busy coastal area with cute shops and a nice view overlooking the ocean.

Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos), looking from the Tagus River.

From the Monument to the Discoveries, I rode an electric scooter to Belém Tower. It was my first time renting and riding a electric bike. I had to download the app on the spot and set up payment - and it was really easy. Still not a big fan of the electric scooter considering some traffic accidents I have seen in person.

I visited Castelo de São Jorge near dust when it is about to be closed. With very limited time, I was able to take some nice sunset pictures and the shiny lights of Lisbon under the beautiful sky.

Conserveira de Lisboa has a classic vibe. It was less touristy than other canned seafood shops. The gentleman at the counter was very kind. He explained to me how to answer the questions when using a international credit card payment. In general, you will be asked to select which currency to be used for the payment (US dollars or Euros? - select US dollars). In Portugal, it will ask you the same question again using in a contrary way (You are not using local currency, are you sure? - Yes). It is kind of confusing and I only realize this after he told me about it. Big thanks man!

O Corrido - Casa de Fado The Fado show was split into a few sessions during the dinner. There were 4 singers and the two guitar players. The dinner lasted for hours into midnight. The melodies of Fado songs are a bit sad but it is also a very good experience to listen to the traditional music of this country.

One of the coolest locations on Earth - the westernmost point of Eurasia. Love the light piercing through the cloud.

Coffee highlight

• Fábrica Coffee Roasters - industrial decor with specialty pour over options
• The Coffee - a very chic, stylish minimalist decor and great quality
• The Folks Sé - Specialty Coffee, Breakfast & Brunch

Food highlight

• Tasca Lisboeta
• Manteigaria
• Uma Marisqueira