We only scheduled two full days in Lisbon, which was just enough to get a good taste yet definitely make us want to come back for more!!!

Lisbon strikes me as the San Francisco of Europe. It even has a Golden Gate Bridge designed by the same architects and the trolley streetcars climbing the steep hills. The only difference, Lisbon is very clean, and seems to have very few homeless or drug attics we had to dodge not to mention the things they leave behind on the streets……

The architecture is fantastic with a lot of it constructed after the great earthquake of 1755. So much variety and I absolutely love their use of color – as opposed to our boxy all grey and white world I see being creating everywhere at home. We need to be brave expressive and celebrate color – its magnificent. Not to mention all the wonderful stone detailing that I just love.

We started our first full day with a nice 20-minute walk all downhill ;-) to the Livraria Bertrand – Chiado, the oldest continuing operating book store in the world as confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records. What a cool place and how wonderful to enjoy that smell and energy of a bookstore – not to mention the oldest in the world! Isabel purchased a few books which all received the official stamp that these books were purchased at the Oldest Book Store.

Next stop virtually across the street was a pastry shop which are everywhere in Lisbon and of course I had to try the world famous nata pastry. A nata pastry is made with crisp, flaky layers of pastry shaped in a little cup then filled with a delicious, creamy, egg-custard filling and a dusting of cinnamon. It’s as if a croissant and créme brúle had a baby!  In 2009, The Guardian listed Pastéis de Nata as one of the 50 “best things to eat” in the world. I would have to agree.

From there we wondered around town enjoying the sites and of course looking for a spot to have seafood and boy did we find it. Isabel was craving lobster and me seafood and we hit the jackpot at the Restaurante Portas and their mixed seafood platter….. yes we went a bit extreme, but man was this good. We finished dinner with our first Ginja, a Portuguese liquer made by infusing ginja berries in alcohol and adding sugar together with ingredients like cloves and cinnamon sticks. So good!!!

We enjoyed more time in the city but then it was time to do some shopping. We grabbed our first ride in a Tuk Tuk to a large shopping mall and Isabel found her favorite line Twin Set and she stocked up! Talk about the variety of amazing garments to choose from and add the amazing service that the staff provided down to accompanying Isabel to the waiting rooms, carefully folding each item purchased, to just being attentive in general, what a difference from the way our stores in the States have demised to. I think this was Isabel’s favorite stop on the trip so far!

Dusk was approaching along with our 7pm dinner reservations at Via Graça. A bit out of the way but what an amazing view from this venue and what stellar cuisine and service. I love when we guess right! We started with the popular cod cake and Isabel had the Sea Bass and I had the roasted lamb. Perfect combo to share. I saved room for dessert and had the flan with currents and an espresso, Again, a wonderful way to finish off our first full day in Lisbon.