Lisbon – Love at First Sight
Have you ever been somewhere that just grabbed hold of you right from the start? Lisbon was that place for me. Andy and I flew to Lisbon in order to make it to Porto in time for a conference, and even though we knew we would have limited time there, we decided to spend the night instead of immediately hopping on a train north. I read some blog posts about what to see in Lisbon, and a friend of mine here gave me some suggestions. But the city had other plans for us.
After our early evening flight landed, we took the metro into the city, dropped off our stuff, and started wandering around the neighborhood in search of dinner. There was just enough going on to feel lively without feeling overly noisy. We opted for an easy buffet so we could spend more time exploring rather than sitting in a restaurant.
Night had completely taken over the sky by the time we finished eating, and the lights on the buildings added to the atmosphere. In the distance we could see a castle, and even though we love visiting castles, we never did have time to check it out. Instead we walked through big plazas with fountains and monuments, and took pictures. Something about those big open plazas makes me happy.
We wandered a little farther down the street, no real destination in mind, just towards the sea. So many cafes had outdoor seating that we decided to sit and have a drink, rum and Coke for me, gin and tonic for Andy. When the waiter came back out with our drinks, he set down two glasses, personal sized bottles of our mixers, and the entire bottle of each kind of liquor. As he started pouring the liquor, he said, “tell me when to stop.” Now that’s service!
As we sipped our strong drinks and admired the view, we talked about our future and how we want it to look. We talked about the various places we want to travel to and things we want to do. Music played in the distance, people laughed a few tables over, a light breeze blew through the air. It was as night filled with optimism and hope, paired with the perfect setting in Lisbon’s streets.
After paying for our drinks, we walked a little more towards the sea and into an even bigger square. I could smell the salt in the air as we watched the old fashioned tram go by. It might sound silly, but I felt free and alive, like our visions of the future were becoming more clear, more attainable.
The next day was hectic. The ticket seller at the train station warned us against using their lockers to store our bags because often they won’t unlock, and people end up missing their trains while waiting for maintenance. So with our backpacks on our backs, we went back into town. We only had time to see Belem Tower and grab sandwiches to go before hopping on the train to Porto.
It probably had nothing to do with Lisbon, but I still wished we had more time there. Somehow having to leave in the morning felt like breaking the spell.
The next few days were spent in a whirlwind of networking and info sessions at the conference, and a group trip through northern Portugal. Luckily being at these blogging conferences, while exhausting in some ways, is also energizing in other ways. The spell wasn’t broken. Andy and I still think about that night in Lisbon, our hopes for the future, and how we’re going to get there.
Funny how some places just make something spark inside in just a few short hours.
You might also enjoy:
- Berlin International Restaurant Project: Portugal
- Photo Tour of Northern Portugal
- Hidden Towns in Andalucia, Spain
- How Much We Spent Traveling in Europe for Two Months
November 1, 2012 @ 12:03 PM
Beautiful words and pictures! Lisbon is a magical city 🙂
November 1, 2012 @ 1:12 PM
Thanks Julika!
November 1, 2012 @ 12:29 PM
I think Lisbon is a great city. Lisbon has lots of great sites, but what I really loved s walking around the windy little back lanes of the city.
November 1, 2012 @ 1:13 PM
Thanks Nico! I agree, great city to wander around in.
November 1, 2012 @ 3:05 PM
I’m DYING to visit Lisbon. I have a feeling I will fall head over heels in love. I keep reading all of these blog posts lately though about people hating it. 🙁
November 1, 2012 @ 5:30 PM
I think you’ll like it. And actually, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts from people loving Lisbon, so no worries!
November 6, 2012 @ 6:16 AM
What crazy person hates Lisbon???? The city is AMAZING!!!
November 6, 2012 @ 3:28 PM
Exactly! I’m glad you enjoyed Lisbon too, thanks Jennifer!
November 1, 2012 @ 3:42 PM
Going to Lisbon (and some other places in Lisbon) next summer.
Looking forward to it!
November 1, 2012 @ 5:30 PM
Have fun! Such a great city, and there are so many places to visit nearby too.
November 1, 2012 @ 6:58 PM
We loved Lisbon. Thanks for the great pics, they brought back good memories.
November 1, 2012 @ 11:28 PM
Thanks Colette! Wonderful city, I’m glad you enjoyed it too!
November 1, 2012 @ 9:30 PM
Ali, you have sold Lisbon to me. Hopefully I can find room for it in 2013.
November 1, 2012 @ 11:30 PM
Thanks Steve! I hope you do get to Lisbon, such a great city.
November 1, 2012 @ 11:00 PM
Oh, it does sound magically perfect…just what I expect and evening in Europe to be. Lucky you!
November 1, 2012 @ 11:31 PM
Thanks Gillian! We really loved it, and now that you mention it, it is sort of that typical European feel.
November 2, 2012 @ 9:46 AM
Glorious photos, Ali. I think the method of arrival and the brief time spent there is a contributory factor, but I do agree it’s an enchanting city. Our first visit there we’d driven up from the Algarve (pre-Sat Navs) and spent forever driving around the city trying to reach our hotel, which we could see but never quite get to. It’s certainly one for you to return to as there is so much to see.
I had a similar response to Porto, so I’ll be interested to see what you made of that.
November 2, 2012 @ 2:37 PM
Thank you Johanna! The brief time we had in Lisbon definitely added to my feelings for the city, but some of it I’m sure had nothing to do with the city at all. But I’m really looking forward to a return visit at some point. Porto was great too, I still need to write about our time there.
November 2, 2012 @ 5:43 PM
Beautiful photos – Lisbon is terribly romantic – we have conversations about the future a lot when we’re travelling too =)
November 2, 2012 @ 11:28 PM
Thanks Andrea! I guess travel is such an important part of our lives, it’s easy to end up having those conversations while on the road.
November 3, 2012 @ 2:29 PM
I never been to Lisbon but after reading your post I can’t for vacation in Lisbon. After Athens, it is the oldest city in the European Union and it is 400 years older than Rome. Thanks for sharing these wonderful images which shows the beauty of Lisbon.
November 3, 2012 @ 4:53 PM
Thanks Peter! I had no idea Lisbon is older than Rome, crazy!
November 3, 2012 @ 7:38 PM
I so want to visit Portugal. I’m sure I would love it as much as you. Congrats on the Go Abroad nomination!
November 4, 2012 @ 3:02 PM
I think you’d like it there, such a gorgeous country! Thanks Christy!
November 4, 2012 @ 5:23 PM
Nice to hear about your short but fruitful time in Lisbon! And thanks for the lovely photos! My wife and I are thinking that Lisbon might be our next trip, in early spring of 2013.
November 4, 2012 @ 11:23 PM
Thanks Karl! I hope you enjoy Lisbon, and there are so many places to visit nearby.
November 5, 2012 @ 1:51 AM
Great job on the night time photos – I struggle with night photography
November 5, 2012 @ 4:07 PM
Thanks Jade! I have so many more that don’t look so good though, night photography is tricky.
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November 8, 2012 @ 9:01 PM
[…] Well, this makes us want to add Portugal to our itinerary in December. Lisbon- Love at First Sight […]
November 8, 2012 @ 9:38 PM
Great photos!
November 8, 2012 @ 10:19 PM
Thanks Mary!
November 13, 2012 @ 1:03 AM
No doubt! Lisbon is an amazing place. One of the world’s most underrated cities.
November 13, 2012 @ 3:18 PM
Totally agree! If only we had been able to spend more time there!
November 24, 2012 @ 5:03 PM
I liked all the light despite the nighttime. Even the polished streets helped reflect rather than absorb the light. It made it feel more alive and Mediterranean.
November 25, 2012 @ 2:13 PM
I totally agree. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much was because of how alive it felt. Looking forward to going back!