Lisbon

Lisbon rewards slowness. The city is built on seven hills, which means every walk involves either a steep climb or a tram that moves at bicycle pace, and both force you to look at things properly. The result is a place that reveals itself gradually and benefits from a few extra days.

When to go

April through October covers the reliable warm weather window. June through September is peak season and the city gets busy, particularly the Alfama. May and October are the better months: warm, quieter, and better light for walking. December through February is mild by northern European standards but occasionally rainy.

What it's actually like

The pastéis de nata at Pastéis de Belém are worth the queue. Tram 28 is slow and packed but goes through the best parts of the city. The Alfama district on a Tuesday or Saturday morning, before the cruise ship passengers arrive, is genuinely one of the nicest walks in Europe. Fado in a small restaurant in the evening is the right call; the tourist fado shows are mostly not.

The city is cheaper than Paris or Amsterdam, though that gap has narrowed considerably in the last five years.

The neighbourhood you want

Stay in Mouraria or Santos. Both are central, walkable to the Alfama and the waterfront, and far enough from Bairro Alto's nightlife that you can sleep past 3am.

Don't miss

Get the ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas on the south bank of the Tagus. Twelve minutes, costs almost nothing, and gives you the best view of Lisbon's skyline that exists.