If you haven’t yet caught what happened on day one, I recommend you start there for the opener to my current travel tales.
I resume-
Ahh, the morning after a night well-lived. Tragic, really, that my first FULL day in Lisbon had to begin with my catching up on lost sleep, but what’s a (hungover) jetlagged gal in a new country to do? I slept from 4 a.m. until nearly 10 (oops), then pulled myself together, threw on my attempt at a cool girl in Portugal outfit (because feeling disheveled is one thing, but looking like it is another), and headed back out to the streets.
Allow me to pause and just say- the way in which the universe places us where we need to be at the moments when we need to be there never fails to blow my mind. I caught Rosie and Jade walking back into the hostel as I headed out just before Jade had to leave for the airport and make her way back to the UK. After a sad goodbye, I took a moment to assess my current state: a wee bit dehydrated, potentially starving, and in dire need of Vitamin D. Naturally I beelined straight for Lisbon’s infamous TimeOut Market that was bound to have everything and more that I could dream of wanting. The aforementioned space is essentially a massive food hall filled with an array of cuisine options and a whirlwind of humans in motion. To me, it replicated the Hogwarts dining hall in the best way, just with more wine and fewer robes.
Feeling not quite ready to dive into any wild culinary adventures, I went for a classic comfort meal—chicken pad thai from an Asian fusion stand- and I claim this as one of the best decisions I’ve made in a while. I found an open seat next to a couple of big groups and while enjoying my meal, two lovely ladies from London (both named Kate) sat down with me. The Kate duo was on a well-deserved girls’ trip after what they described as having been a rough year. They explained how the kiddos stayed at home this time so they could take some time to reconnect with themselves and just embrace a new city together. Their kindness to me despite their need for girl time just with each other will continue to stick with me. “You’re doing it right” and “I wish I had solo-traveled and learned about the world before life caught up with me” are words they, and so many others, continue to express to me. Talk about existential fuel and gratitude for where I am.
After they left to catch their flight, I found myself a cozy patch of grass where strangers were sunbathing, picnicking, and just existing in the warm Lisbon sun outside of the market. Sleep deprivation was bound to catch up to me, and so it did. Cue that occurring: I laid down for what I thought would be a few minutes and woke up nearly an hour later, the sun still kissing my face with all valuable items at my side.
Post-nap, I played with a cocker spaniel for a bit and made a new friend, Jason from Ireland AKA the pup’s dad, before stumbling upon the most aesthetic café on a side street called Comobå. Something about it felt familiar—perhaps from TikTok, or maybe a dream- hard to say. I spoke with a couple of staff members about Portuguese fado music and they felt like the epitome of warmth and welcoming while answering my questions and offering recommendations. In typical Sarah fashion, I ordered a latte and what turned out to be a giant peanut butter brownie, which, satiated my sweet tooth and appetite until hostel dinnertime came around.
On that note I should explain- at my wonderful Lisbon home (the renowned GoodMorning Solo Traveller Hostel), fresh breakfast and dinner are included in the cost of your room with the “Not-So-Solo (*All-Inclusive) Special”. So long as you put your name on a list by 6 p.m. every night, you’re guaranteed a full plate of delicious, fresh food at 8 p.m. served family style with all your new friends.
Back to storytime-
I made the most of my afternoon wandering into new areas of the city I hadn’t yet touched such as the infamous “Pink Street” which was as overhyped as one could expect. There was a neat little library-style bar situation on the street that was worth stopping into, though, and that I found to be the showstopper rather than the strip itself.
All day, I was in touch with my girl Rosie (who you’ll recall if you read about my day one) as we pursued our separate endeavors through the early afternoon. At this point, it was nearly time to reunite after we got what we needed from our days separately. While she stopped at a wine bar that her brother recommended, I decided to make one last solo pitstop and venture up to one of Lisbon’s famous miradouros, or lookout points. After conquering what felt like a million stairs *yes, I’m dramatic*, I was rewarded with the most breathtaking cityscape that was well worth every step.
The São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint is one of the largest and most iconic observation points in Lisbon. It’s located right next to the top of the Glória funicular (more commonly known as one of the iconic bright yellow trams that climb Lisbon’s hills and city streets for you) and offers a special panorama of the city. Elevador da Glória- the funicular- links the popular Baixa neighborhood to the lively and hip neighborhood known as Bairro Alto (where I go on to spend multiple evenings here in Lisbon hopping from spot to spot). At the top, near the overlook, there is an assortment of booths where you can purchase tasty sangria and cocktails, trinkets, and simple foods like dried fruits and meats. Playing photographer for a group of Irish gals led to my own personal photoshoot, and once again, I was reminded of how simple connecting with humans while traveling solo can be.
I took a steep walk back down after the sun set, quite literally next to the Glória funicular as it was running with dozens of people riding. I arrived back at the hostel and was reunited with Rosie at last. We sipped on the ever-flowing free hostel sangria while enjoying a Mediterranean vegetarian dinner and meeting some new characters—including Grace. Oh, Grace. A true travel wildcard and an incredible friend. She’s actually from Virginia, so the American in us led to the obvious conversational bonding. Grace is fully embracing the “figure life out as you go” thing and inspires me to be even more spontaneous and open to how the world may open up if we let it. She’s on a multi-month travel journey popping from place to place and collecting stories and foreign friends along the way.
Instead of hitting the town, Rosie, Grace, and I opted for a late-night wander, which led us straight to—you guessed it—more pastel de nata. What’s a night in Lisbon without enjoying the city’s most famous sweet treat? I think we were collectively delirious and it was one of those nights where the new inside jokes couldn’t not be hysterically funny every single time they were mentioned. Hostel humor is just unmatched because of the craziness that happens within- I can’t believe little Sarah once believed we were supposed to stop having fun once we were technically adults.
We bathed in the nighttime energy and admired a bit more of the city after dark before finally crashing back at the hostel to rest up and actually get some sleep in preparation for a fun day trip to a new little town outside of Lisbon.
Stay tuned—more on that day trip next!
Sincerely,
SB
