Welcome to part two of my travel experience in Portugal! Like I mentioned in my previous post, my time in Lisbon was spent alone. Carlie had to go back to Ireland but I had a bit more flexibility in my schedule so I thought, why not keep exploring?

When my bus arrived in Lisbon, I was a bit nervous to start my solo adventure. Despite the fact that I moved to a brand new country two months ago without knowing anyone in Galway, this felt like a completely different challenge.

I stepped off the bus pretending I was very confident in where I was going and searched for a taxi. My first stop in Lisbon was my hostel. I stayed at Bluesock Hostel Lisboa. In comparison to my hostel in Lagos, it was less friendly and interactive but the facilities were still very clean, modern, and safe. I selected an all female dorm for this hostel just for a little extra peace of mind while I was traveling alone. Another thing that gave me peace of mind when I arrived at the hostel was the location. The hostel was just off of avenida de liberdade which is walking distance from the city center and the street with all of the high end shops. While it might not be fully accurate assumption, as a first time solo traveler, it gave me comfort that I was neighbors with Louis Vuitton.

Once I dropped off my bag, I began to wander the city. I had no organized plans so I just walked around to familiarize myself with my surroundings. I had pinned a few places on the Google Maps (which I highly recommend doing for anyone traveling to a new place) so I knew I wanted to head in the general direction of a specific cafe. A block down from my hostel, I came across my first pasteleria in Lisbon so I obviously had to stop in and try their pastel de natas. I got two because one is just not enough.

As I continued to walk through the city, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across many of the sites that I had wanted to see during my trip. I walked by the Elevador de Santa Justa, Tram 28, and the Pink Street. Just walking around and seeing these sights on my own made me very excited about being in Lisbon. For dinner, I went to the Time Out Market. This place was recommended to me because of the cool atmosphere and all of the different food options. It was a great way to sample different Portuguese dishes. I ended my first night eating gelato by the river and feeling enthusiastic and eager to explore.

The next day was the first full day of my trip. In the morning, I joined a free walking tour with Discover Lisbon. My tour guide, Ninetta, took us through the Alfama neighborhood. We walked the small cobblestone streets and learned about the culture and people who lived here. We got to try ginjinha and see Lisbon from some beautiful miradouros (viewpoints). On my tour, there ended up being other solo travelers which was interesting to talk to them about their travel experience and to see what recommendations they had for the city.

Also this day, I went to the Praça do Comercio, went to Manteigaria for more pastel de natas , and enjoyed the sunshine along the Tagus River. Can you tell that I have an obsession with Portuguese tarts yet?

I’ve realized that traveling is much more efficient when you’re alone. I was able to see all of the main sites and really get a feeling for Lisbon in just a few days and I did not feel rushed.

The evening of this night was a pleasant surprise because I got to meet up with some friends! I met up with Megan, who was also a student athlete at BU, and her boyfriend who also happened to be traveling in Portugal! We had drinks at a rooftop patio with a beautiful view of city. It was such a nice way to break up my loneliness and see a familiar face from home!

For my second full day in Lisbon, I took a guided tour to Sintra, Cascais and Cabo da Roca. It was great to go with a local guide to these places and learn about the history of Pena Palace and these small coastal towns. Also, the guide knew how to navigate the tricky roads and could skip the lines at the palace which made the visiting experience efficient and stress free.

I spent my third full day in Belém, which is a short drive from the city center of Lisbon. There I saw the Jeronimos Monastery, Belem Tower, Discoveries Monument, and the Belém Cultural Center where I went in the Modern Art Museum. Most importantly, during my day in Belem, I went to the famous Pastais de Belem. I ordered two Portuguese tarts and they were still warm and fresh when I got them. They were definitely my favorite ones of the trip. Also, I went to the LX Factory that was nearby which was a warehouse area that had been transformed into trendy cafes and shops.

The next morning I said a loving goodbye to the city of Lisbon and flew back to Dublin. I think the sign of a good vacation is when your are relaxed, tired and ready to go home but feeling content with your time spent away.

In this post, I would like to mention that all throughout my time in Lisbon I felt very safe being alone. During the day, I was able to wander around freely and I was very lucky to not have any uncomfortable encounters. The one night that I was out late for drinks with friends, I carried my personal security alarm (thank you grandpa) but never felt uneasy or inclined to use it. Also, in most places the signs are in multiple languages and people spoke English if I ever needed to ask for help.

Lisbon has become one of my favorite cities I’ve ever been to. It now holds a special place in my heart. I hope to make it back there again someday!

Obrigado, Lisbon ❤

As always, thank you for reading!

-McKenna