1. Staying in Alfama, especially in June
Alfama, the Old Town of Lisbon, is one of our favorite places to take friends and family when they come to visit. We absolutely love getting lost in the maze of tiny streets, searching for grannies selling ginjinha (famous Portuguese cherry liqueur) from their windows, and eating traditional Portuguese food at one of the countless tascas. It's an incredible place to explore for a few hours, but we absolutely do NOT recommend staying here. Why's that you ask? Well, it's insanely touristy for starters - you'll be packed in like sardines in the warmer months and when cruise ships arrive. And in June, forget about it! During the entire month of June, Alfama transforms into the ultimate street party to celebrate Sardine Festival (known as Festas dos Santos Populares or Festa de Santo Antonio) with music and crowds swarming the area at all hours of the day and night.
What to do instead: Stay in Principe Real or Santa Catarina on the western side of the city. Both of these neighborhoods are well located to walk the entire city while also being a bit away from the main touristy areas. You'll find beautiful quiet streets lined with pastel buildings, adorable sidewalk restaurants and cafes, and an overall more relaxed vibe.
2. Bairro Alto & Pink Street
Bairro Alto and Pink Street are known as the two main party areas of the city - they're filled with cheap bars offering free shots, swarms of drunk young people, and the lingering stench of old beer wafting through the streets. If that's what you're into, then live it up!
Now not everything in Bairro Alto and Pink Street is bad, and there are a few exceptions. On Mondays at 8pm, you'll find a super fun pub trivia night (in English) at Pub Português in Bairro Alto. And if for some reason you find yourself out drinking close to Pink Street in the wee hours of the morning and are just dying to see what it's all about, we recommend you go to Pensão Amor.
What to do instead: Head over to Rua da Boavista - they say once you graduate from Bairro Alto, you go to Rua da Boavista. The crowd here is typically 30+, and you'll find some great cocktail bars, trendy restaurants, cool concept stores, and an overall good time. A few of our favorites in the area are Copa, Ressaca Tropical, A Tabacaria, Musa da Bica, The Monarch, and Boavista Social Club. And if you need a quick bite to eat to absorb the alcohol, make a pitstop at La Malquerida for the best al pastor tacos and frozen margaritas!
3. Taking Tram 28 from Martim Moniz
Tram 28 is an iconic symbol of Lisbon, beloved by both locals and tourists - it follows the most picturesque route through some of Lisbon's most beautiful historic neighborhoods, passing through narrow winding streets and providing passengers with endless photo ops. Not to mention, it's by far the most affordable way to get an overview of the city. And we're no exception - we love Tram 28 too! What we don't love though, it waiting in long lines to board Tram 28 at Martim Moniz only to be packed in like sardines without anywhere to sit.
What to do instead: Take the Tram 28 the opposite direction, starting from the top of Estrela Garden. You'll see all the same sites without having to wait in line, and if you're lucky, you'll even get a window seat on a much less crowded tram!
4. Eating sardines in months with an "R"
So you came to Lisbon and now you want to try the famous sardines? Besides cod, sardines are probably the most loved dish in the country - I mean c'mon, there's an entire Sardine Festival celebrated in Lisbon every June! If you're looking for canned sardines, eat your heart out - you can enjoy those any time of the year and you'll find them available in every supermarket. However, if you're looking for grilled sardines, we've got news for you - you should really only order grilled sardines during months that DO NOT have an "R" in them (May, June, July, and August). Outside of that timeframe, most restaurants won't serve them, and if they do, the sardines will be frozen (not the most appetizing).
What to do instead: Sardine season is from May to August (maybe pushing into September), and during that time the entire city of Lisbon is filled with the scent of grilled sardines! You'll find people grilling them at food stalls in public squares and nearly every restaurant will serve them. If you're in Lisbon outside of sardine season, then we recommend you order grilled seabass ("robalo" in Portuguese) instead.
5. Waiting in line for the Santa Justa Lift
Going up the Santa Justa Lift is on almost every Lisbon travel guide and we just don't understand why! Sure, it's a very pretty elevator, but let us tell you a secret, it's absolutely not worth waiting in line for it (or paying for a ticket), and you can actually walk directly out to the top of the elevator for free.
What to do instead: Instead of waiting in line a the bottom of the elevator, just walk up to the Carmo Convent in Chiado, take the alley to the right and you'll find yourself at the top of the Santa Justa Elevator (for free!).
6. Going inside the monuments
Lisbon has several famous historic monuments dispersed throughout the city that are beautiful and we totally recommend you take the time to see them. However, after exploring several of them, we found that the interiors are a bit, well, underwhelming (and definitely not worth paying for a ticket). The exteriors are the impressive part!
What to do instead: Simply view the monuments from the outside (Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon Cathedral, Belém Tower, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, to name a few). Take that money you saved from not buying a ticket, and enjoy a coffee or glass of wine at a nearby kiosk.
7. Eating dinner on the pedestrian streets in Baixa
This is a general rule we follow when visiting any city, and Lisbon is no exception - do not go to the restaurants that have people outside trying to convince you to eat there, they're almost always tourist traps with overpriced, poor quality food. This encompasses the majority of restaurants on our near Rua Augusta in Baixa.
What to do instead: There are so many great restaurants in Lisbon - check out our list of the best restaurants in Lisbon.
8. Buying expensive ceramics from touristy souvenir shops
Portugal is known for its beautiful ceramics and it's one of the best souvenirs to purchase while on a trip to Lisbon. Literally every souvenir shop you go into will have a wall of beautiful ceramics, but don't get tricked into buying these overpriced, questionable quality ceramics.
What to do instead: Head over to Cerâmicas na Linha in Chiado for the best ceramics in Lisbon (at incredibly affordable prices). I have a terrible obsession with buying ceramics, and Cerâmicas na Linha has never let me down! Another good option is A Loja Azul - these are a bit more expensive than Cerâmicas na Linha but still make for great gifts.
9. Going to expensive rooftop bars
Over the past few years, more and more expensive rooftop bars have been popping up throughout Lisbon. These bars boast lovely views of the city, but at a very expensive cost! And honestly, we don't think the views or the drinks are worth the price.
What to do instead: Head to one of the many kiosks dispersed throughout the city. Lisbon's kiosk culture is one of our favorite aspects of the city - nearly every square and park has a kiosk serving wine, cocktails, and small bites. Many of them even come with incredible views for a fraction of the price of the rooftop bars. Check out our list of the 10 Best Outdoor Hangout Spots in Lisbon.
10. TimeOut Market
This may be an unpopular opinion, but we don't like TimeOut Market (there it is, we said it). It's not that the food isn't good - we actually like quite a few of the restaurants that have food stalls here. The issue is that the ambiance and cultural aspect of trying all these different foods is completely lost in the food court concept. Add to it the overwhelming crowds of tourists and it just makes for a chaotic and unpleasant experience.
What to do instead: There are so many great restaurants in Lisbon - check out our list of the best restaurants in Lisbon.
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