Views of Lisbon

About three weeks ago now, myself and my boyfriend set off from Gatwick to Portugal's capital, Lisbon, for four nights. We had both never visited Lisbon before, so we weren't sure what to expect of the city famous for its steep hillsides, tiled buildings and vintage tramways. The more time I spent here, the more I loved Lisbon and if you are thinking of a city break, I would recommend spending some time here. We stayed in the Portugal Ways Culture Guest House, about 15 minutes walk from Martim Moniz Square, which was a great location and amazing value (perfect if you're inter-railing or travelling with friends).  The city itself is extremely photogenic with scenic squares and interesting monuments (old and new) all over the place. Also, the hilly terrain of Lisbon means there are so many viewpoints over the city, it is hard to refrain from taking the same picture over and over again (In hindsight, the majority of my pictures appear to either be of the buildings or views of the city..). 

On our first day, we wandered over to the Old Town called Alfama that is often recommended as a place to visit when you're in Lisbon. It is full of winding streets and photogenic buildings that lead up to some beautiful viewpoints, which proved quite strenuous to reach. There is also a lot of really interesting street art that is worth having a look at. Be prepared for a steep walk down..! 

The view from the Guesthouse's terrace, where we ate traditional Portuguese custard tarts for breakfast each morning.

The next day, we went into full tourist mode and visited the Castelo de S. Jorge (5 euro entrance fee with a student card). It was a lot bigger than I expected and you could literally spend hours walking around the old castle walls. 

A view of Lisbon from the castle walls.

During one of our days in Lisbon, in search of a break from walking and some relaxation, we visited the coastal fisherman's town of Cascais, which has a direct link from Lisbon's train station. It was pretty cheap to travel to and the beaches were lovely. It is a perfect way to spend a day if you want to get out of the city.

We also spent one of our days in the breathtaking town of Sintra, which I will share soon.