Why Lisbon Stole My Heart: A First-Timer's Travel Guide

There is so much to love about Lisboa.

I haven’t been back to Europe since 2017 when I visited Italy, so this trip was a long, long time coming. Lisbon sat on my travel list for more than a year, but as soon as I landed, it honestly felt like a breath of fresh air.

Colorful, bright, and effervescent, there is something refreshing about this place. The city hugs the banks of the Tagus River, promising beautiful views at the top of every miradouro. Keep that in mind when you’re climbing all those hills. ;)

I visited in late June during Festas dos Santos Populares (Festival of the Popular Saints), which kicks off June 12th and ends June 29th. If you’re looking to experience authentic local nightlife, this is a great time to visit. Each neighborhood comes alive with festivals and concerts every night. People spilled into the streets, drinking, smoking, dancing to everything from Pimba music to house to reggaeton. When I landed, I grabbed a quick bite to eat at Timeout Market and joined one of the parties.

At night, Lisbon buzzed with excitement, but during the days, it simmered with a delightful languid slowness. On my first official day, I went on a food and cultural tour with Oh My Cod. If you’re ever in Lisbon, I highly recommend this tour. My group and I ambled through the streets, taking in the beautiful tiles and learning about the many communities that call Lisbon home, while tasting the city’s culinary signatures from bacalhau to port wines. We stopped at local spots where our guide, Marina, knew each of the owners from childhood. I sampled Mozambican cuisine, Indian staples, and classic Portuguese dishes. Both Mozambique and parts of India were colonized by Portugal and their cuisines have become part of Lisbon’s food story. As a Cape Verdean, I’m already very familiar with the Portuguese influence in our cuisine, but it was really unique to see how those influences came to be. This tour was also a fun way to get to know Lisbon and learn the country’s unique food history.

I’ve traveled to a few different cities in the last few years, and each one carries a different energy. Some cities make you rush, but Lisbon I savored— from its food, its culture, and its art. When I travel, I like to experience a balance of tourist and local activities. One of the to-dos on my tourist bucket list was the famous yellow Tram 28 that takes you through the Alfama, Graça, Baixa, and Estrela neighborhoods. The tram rattles through tight streets, and it’s a great option if you want to see Lisbon without the climb.

Of course, no trip of mine is really complete without stopping at an art museum. This is one of my favorite ways to stay inspired while I travel. Unfortunately, the Tile Museum was closed during my trip, but I went to the National Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. There was a really cool exhibit at the MNAC by Alice Geirinhas about the European witch hunt in the 1500s and its attempt to control women’s reproductive health. Making time to see art helps my writing practice; it provokes new ideas, challenges my comfort zone, and always teaches me something new. That’s also what I love about travel.

I came to Lisbon for the culture and the food (hello octopus), but surprisingly, the best part of my trip was the World Cup. Football is obviously huge in Portugal, but with my Cape Verdean roots, it took on special importance. Cabo Verde made it to the World Cup for the first time, and the energy from our community was electric. Walking around with the Cape Verdean flag draped across my shoulders while screaming fans cheered me on, I’ve never felt more deeply connected to my roots.

Haiti also qualified for the first time in 52 years, so this was a momentous time to celebrate on both sides of my family. For most of my life, I’ve had to explain what and where Cabo Verde is. We’re a tiny nation, often forgotten, but after the World Cup, we know we’ll be remembered.

Part of why I travel is to learn something new about myself. I’ve been thinking a lot about taste lately — how we develop it and what it says about us. Scent is just as singular as style. It tells us so much about a person. It’s one of those subtle signals that draws us in or repels us. At the Nose Lab, I got to translate my tastes into a custom scent.

The owner, Wilian studied as a sommelier and prepared a personalized experience from the very beginning. My intake form asked about my coffee or tea preference, my favorite music and fragrances, including which ones I dislike. When I came in, there was coffee waiting and my favorite artists playing softly in the background. Wilian takes you on a journey through the scent ingredients you like, and I even came away with a few surprises.

Perfumes have 3 layers. Top notes make up your first impression of a perfume and dry off after a few minutes. This is usually citrus or light, refreshing scents. The heart notes come through as the top notes fade and make up the body of the fragrance, and finally the base notes, are the anchor that give richness and depth long after the notes have worn off. As Wilian unbottled each essence, we talked about what I liked or disliked in each of them.

I learned that I like resins for their deep lasting impact, and floral notes like desert lily of the valley and magnolia. On their own, I probably wouldn’t gravitate to the individual scents, but together their bouquet was overwhelming. At one point, with the fragrance of the unstoppered bottles wafting in the air, I felt my chest grow warm with emotion. I understood then how deeply scent can carry you to a memory or a feeling we’ve forgotten. In the end, I couldn’t decide between my creations and chose two perfumes. This was such a unique experience; I’d say it was genuinely 10/10. And if you’re able, I’d highly recommend booking your experience.

I’ve been thinking about Lisbon since coming home, its hills and winding roads, the architecture, the briny, salty flavors that brought to mind the Cape Verdean dishes I grew up eating. Perhaps because the city sits on my Sun line, I’ve never felt quite so alive and exhausted at once. Now that I’ve left, I finally understand how the Portuguese came up with saudade.