Oh Lisbon, I don’t even know where to begin. While I didn’t totally know what I was signing up for (read: I blindly followed my parents across the ocean and hoped it was cool…) I was blown away with how incredible the city really was. From gorgeous tiled buildings, colorful neighborhoods, delicious food and some of the kindest people I’ve met while traveling – it was the perfect getaway during a time where I very much needed to escape (we’ve all been there, right?!)

People described the city in a few different ways – the San Francisco of Europe (since it has a giant Golden Gate-esque Bridge and is quite possibly even more hilly) to the affordable Paris, but regardless, it was everything I was hoping for in a vacation. If you’re looking for an incredible, colorful adventure, here’s my favorite places in Lisbon that made the trip so magical.

First of all, the street art in Lisbon is pretty fantastic. Like any major city, there’s always the typical graffiti, but there are also some incredible murals like the gorgeous one above. “Fado” is the traditional Portuguese singing that is often associated with pubs, cafés and restaurants that you hear throughout the night (whether you like it or not, haha).Lisbon is also known for incredible tile work {and applying it to the sides of almost every building downtown!} It leads to the most gorgeous photo ops, and streets that are gorgeous no matter what street you wander down.No matter what street you wander down, there’s always the cutest store you’ve seen so far. I couldn’t help but take a few pictures of this barbershop a few blocks down the street from where we stayed in Rue dos Romédios in Alfama.

 Portugal is also known for being the #1 place in the world for Sardines (ehhh, I know, not amazing – but just check out that packaging!) And I swung by Conserveira de Lisboa, an 80 year old shop completely dedicated to the art of the sardine. Even if you’re not a fan (like me!) it’s worth stopping by to see all the variations in the area, and how cute the packaging is – even if sardine’s aren’t. As a foodie lover, I was a little nervous to spend 10 days in the land of the sardine, but the food in Lisbon was incredible. One of my favorite spots (that I went back to 4 times…whoops!) was the Time Out Mercado da Ribiera, full of the city’s best food shops, restaurants and fresh food stands. From sushi to traditional Portuguese food, there’s always something delicious, including cocktails and beers on tap galore. it’s definitely worth a trip for a late night snack, or breakfast/lunch or dinner 😉 Lisbon is known for their increidble coffee, and there were so many coffee shops I could have gone to again and again and again. I loved Dona Amelia’s cafe and pastry shop and this cute cafe (Fabrica Lisboa) with the most eclectic decor – how cute are those shelves?

Lisbon is also known for being a city full of trolleys, and they serve as the best way to get around the city. If you’re looking to kick off your travels in the city, take the 28 around the whole city to get a sense of the different neighborhood, places to see and chat with locals. I also took an obscene amount of photos of them because how fun are they? Sorry…

When you’re exploring Baria Alta (one of the highest and most scenic neighborhoods in Lisbon, swing by the (TBD) Lunches are an affordable 10 Euro, and the food and ambiance are perfect for a mid-day break after walking up quite a steep hill!

Whatever neighborhood you stay in, there’s always a gorgeous view of the city to take in. The bonus of climbing up a crazy amount of cobble stone hills is that there’s always a photo op at the top! I firmly believe that the best way to enjoy a city is to walk around and see what you find – so if you find yourself in Lisbon for a few days, take a little time to explore to see what you discover.

 A little outside the downtown area is the neighborhood of Belém, known as the home of the tastiest “pastel de nata”, or a Portuguese egg tart pastry (which I promise is way more delicious than it sounds!) The iconic Pastéis de Belém is known as the home of the pastry, and still serves up the best version I had in the city. It’s crispy, custardy and seriously one of the most delicious treats I’ve ever tried. I’ll be craving them for many, many months… Also in Belém is the famous Jerónimos Monastery, one of the prominent buildings made in the Portuguese Gothic Manueline style of architecture in Lisbon (basically, it’s crazy beautiful – especially the cloisters of the church – see above!) (Ps. how cute are my parents? #SquadGoals for sure.) Around Belém there are some adorable food carts, shops and places to see by the marinas. I stopped at this ridiculously cute frozen yogurt stand for an afternoon treat and I couldn’t help but snag a photo. I’d like to trade in my car for that ride please!