Destination… Lisbon, Portugal
Travel dates… January 11 to 14, 2025
Where we stayed… An Ando Living apartment at Santa Justa 77, with the most glorious wraparound balcony imaginable. The central location made it easy for us to get everywhere we wanted go, but it was that balcony that really made the place.
What we did… Mostly just enjoyed the beautiful weather - because for a couple who live in Winnipeg, there is nothing better than twenty degrees with sun in January, even if it doesn’t last. (It should be noted that the Portuguese found the weather cold - everything is relative.) But we also took an early morning drive to Belem to see the Torre de Belem at sunrise, which was magical. We wandered the hilly, cobbled streets, seeing what there was to see along the way between major tourist sites like like the Santa Justa elevator, the Arco da Rua Augusta and the Bica Funicular.
What I wore… Coats in the morning, bare legs in the afternoon. It was still winter, after all, but winter is Lisbon is delightful, especially compared to the Canadian variety. Since we were only in the city for three days, I packed (reasonably) light, but found no shortage of things to wear. And didn’t miss an opportunity to wear dangerously impractical heels at least once, because I’m me. My carry-on suitcase was full of cozy jumpers, my go-to Sezane jeans and my beloved Chanel ballet flats.
What we loved… Just taking in the views from our balcony. That never got old. But also all the opportunities to try different pasteis de nata - the original version at Pasteis de Belem remain my favourite, but the experimental flavours from Nat’elier were wonderful, too. Lunch at Taberna Sal Grosso was a highlight, as was dinner at A Taberna da Rua das Flores - they only take cash, but trust me, it’s worth visiting the nearby ATM if you don’t have any on you. Early morning in Belem made us feel like we had the whole town to ourselves, an experience that we won’t forget anytime soon. Watching the sunrise over the Torre de Belem, and then again over the Le Padrao dos Descobrimentos, was a pleasure that defies conventional description.
