5 Tips for Experiencing Lisbon Without the Crowds

I couldn't resist popping up on the walls to  check out this amazing view I think we might   have over ordered but we definitely wanted to try  everything here I thought it was a bookstore but   it's actually a sardine shop when you wake up  in this room you definitely know that you are   waking up in Portugal that was the spot where  most people go to appreciate kabod dooka but we   found somewhere that's just a little more special  apparently this is what lison is like in the off   seon we're here in the middle of November and  this is what the crowds are like so usually   our top recommendation for visiting a popular city  like Lisbon is to go in the shoulder season or the   offseason I mean really anytime other than summer  but apparently a few others have clued into this   as well because we can't believe what the crowds  are like here I can only imagine what July is like   I do think it's still worth it to plan your trip  anytime between November to March you're probably   going to run into some rainy weather but it is  truly your best opportunity to see the city with   fewer crowds unfortunately we've got even more  tips for you guys we've had a whole month here   in Lisbon and we've come up with a few ways to  enjoy this place without feeling totally overrun   by all the other tourists we're going to share all  of that plus we've got a little bonus for you at   the end how much we spent for a month in Lisbon  but let's get started with our first tip which   is getting up extra early in the morning to have  the whole city mostly to [Music] yourself we're   here at 7:30 in the morning the sun is just coming  up I mean it's a beautiful time of day and we're   about to do a self-guided tour of the city our  free walking tour today is courtesy of the Rick   Steves app so we love this app Rick Steves does  amazing free audio tours of a number of cities   but it's really just a small handful of cities  so when you find one he has one for Lisbon then   definitely give it a listen because these tours  are absolute gold and the first stop on our tour   is actually right here in the prad do commercio  so that's the commercial Square now you saw us   walking through here kind of stumbling through  on our very first day in Lisbon but today we're   actually getting the historic download and we're  getting the download of the square and also that   wonderful statue right over there of King Jose  the first and apparently he is the one who was   credited for pulling Lisbon back together after  the earthquake and the tsunami of 1755 so the   Lisbon that we're going to be walking through this  morning is the one that was created after that   time since so much of the city was devastated by  the way if you're new to our Channel I'm Jillian   this is Stephanie and of course everywhere we go  we bring with us are these little guys Jasper and   Huxley so the four of us are traveling the world  full time and sharing it with all of you guys as   we go I have to say I just love coming out to  see a city in these early mornings before any   of the other tourists come out I think it's just  so lovely to see the city when it's just starting   to wake up for the day and without any of the  crowds we finally get to see these gorgeous   Mosaic sidewalks that Lisbon is so famous for  so apparently it takes quite a bit of skill to   put these together and they are truly throughout  the entire city I've honestly never seen a city   that is so thoroughly cobblestoned as Lisbon and  even though they're very beautiful they're also a   little bit treacherous we have seen so many people  slip and fall so especially with the wet weather   so it's definitely a city that's not as easy to  get around if you're less mobile but definitely   worth the effort I can see why there are a lot  of these Tuk tucks that drive people around the   city and I think that's a really good alternative  if you have any concerns about making your way on   these slightly treacherous but very beautiful  sidewalks so of course there are no shortage   of churches in Lisbon and so this one behind me  is the next stop on our tour the Church of St   Nicholas now as you can see the facade on this one  is on the more simple side because it's an example   from the post- earthquake period when there was  more of an emphasis on building infrastructure and   apparently there are actually shops and apartments  that are part of the same building too which I   think is something quite unusual perfect thank you  well the best part about doing a self-guided tour   of the city is that we can stop anytime we want  to have a beautiful latte [Music] first coffee   of the day always goes down well and apparently  we found the perfect spot where we could admire   these gorgeous tiles on the building that lison is  so famous for and what I found really interesting   from our Rick tour that we've been doing this  morning is that tiles were added to buildings   about a generation after the earthquake and this  is because lison was finally moving away from   its austerity phase of building an infrastructure  and the city could finally afford a few luxuries again the next place that Rick wants us to check  out is this Cod shop that is just behind me now   of course salted cod is a very important part of  Portuguese Cuisine and he's talking about a dish   a very famous dish called bakala abrash which is  a very funny coincidence because just last night   I tried my hand at that dish and it turned out  fantastic it's made of course with salted pod   match potatoes mix in some egg topped with olives  and it was absolutely wonderful and now I find   myself carrying two dogs suddenly the mornings are  a little chilly right now in Lisbon it is November   the afternoons are super sunny and hot but the  mornings are chilly so the dogs needed a bit of a carry we've reached the midpoint of our tour so  we're here now at Rosio square and it is such   a wonderful scene here today so I think we' kind  of picked the best time of year to come to Lisbon   because they've got all the Christmas markets set  up right here in the Square so it really is very   festive looking and of course this is also the  cultural heart of Lisbon we have the National   Theater which is such an impressive building in  the background we've got some wonderful statuary   happening it really is gorgeous now there's still  a lot more of the city that we're going to see   today but I think we're going to end our video  tour right here so that we're leaving something   amazing and some fun surprises for you guys when  you come to Lisbon and do your own tour normally   we'd say that if you're looking to avoid the  crowds to try some of those off the beaten   path types of attractions but here in Lisbon I  don't think there's really much that's truly off   the beaten path I mean there are tourists just  about everywhere so instead we'd suggest looking   for alternative sites these are the places  that don't usually get visited if you're in   lisban for just one day and that's what we're up  to today we've come to LX Factory just behind me   which is this historic Warehouse District that's  being revitalized so now it's really interesting   environment for arts and little shops and  Galleries and cafes just a super creative Vibe there's just like art pieces everywhere so my understanding is that  these were just derelict warehouses until   a few years ago but now it's just a  really lively place and it's really   nice to see this different side of  Lisbon a more modern side of the city I thought it was a bookstore but it's  actually a sardine shop okay I think this   time this is the bookstore that is so famous  I was reading about it on Google so why don't   we go inside and see what all the fuss is  [Music] about W this place is really neat   and there's even a cafe inside so you can  have a drink while you read your book so   it is Lively here but it's definitely not  crowded so I would really recommend if you   want to take a break from the main  SES to come here for a few hours to relax so when the crowds in Lisbon are just way  too much you can always hop on a train or   a bus to visit some of the beautiful  little towns that are just outside the city today we took the bus for about an hour  and our first stop is Kash Dara this place   became famous for its Hot Springs but we're just  here to wander around and soak in the small City   Vibes so we were just making our way down The  Pedestrian area area of the town and I have to   say it's really Charming so not only is this town  very famous for its Hot Springs but also for the   ceramic art and I am seeing it everywhere  I think the architecture is just so lovely here so I think I'm ready to move to This  Town based on this Market alone this is an   amazing Fresh Market they really have  everything you'd want and it's really   high quality and apparently this Market  is open 3 64 days a year so they're only   closed over Christmas so these vendors are  out here all the time and I can't think   of anything more wonderful than being able  to come to a market like this every single [Music] day well I really love it when a  city has some nice green space and I have   to say that this is a very nice example of a  park honestly as we have been in Lisbon we've   been pretty hard pressed to find even a tree  in downtown elizth so it's such a refreshing   change to come to this little city and just  get a chance to be amongst the trees and nature this is just incredible the city has black  swans what a majestic birth we used to see black   swans in Singapore so it's really special  to be seeing them all the way over here in Portugal how incredible to have this right in  the middle of the city it's like a beautiful   little Pond we've got a beautiful old building  behind it and then all the wonderful birds all around we've reached the second destination of  our big trip out of town so we're now at the   little town of obido and what this is famous for  is being an absolutely beautiful medieval town   and it's surrounded by fortified walls that  are still in TCT after all of these centuries   so I'm really looking forward to taking a look  inside we're just going to head on through to   the city Gates oh wow you really do feel like  you're entering a fortified [Music] City we   are just a few steps inside the gates and  already I can see this town is absolutely magical as you guys know Stephanie's not much for   Heights but I couldn't resist popping up  on the walls to check out this amazing [Music] view this town is really special so  after four years of travel we spent a lot   of time in Europe we've seen a lot of old towns  but I do think this one is really worth a visit   I haven't seen that many towns that are so well  preserved I mean these fortified walls are just   wonder wonderful and then to get a vantage  point like this it really is quite memorable   we're also pretty Keen to avoid the tourist  masses during meal times but we're finding   that can be a little challenging in Lisbon so at  first glance it feels like all of the restaurants   in the center of the city really do cater to  tourists and it's really hard to find those   hidden gems that still feel somehow authentic so  this Square in Al is really a perfect example so   you can see right away that it seems really  touristy but we did find a little restaurant   right around the corner it has very good reviews  on Google Maps and the menu is in Portuguese   so these are very good signs so I do feel that  the gems are there you just need to do a little digging so one uh dur mhm well I didn't quite  manage any Portuguese but I got the order in   we are starting things off right with the glass  of the house youo ver day so this is the green   wine that I've come to appreciate in Portugal  it's a young wine and this one is a very Hefty   por I'm liking this restaurant already okay I'm  not a wine expert it seems very fresh and light   and I think it's going to go really well with  all the fish that we just ordered oh nice wow   OB got a looks amazing our food has arrived  and it is an absolute Feast I think we might   have over ordered but we definitely wanted to  try everything here so what we have come to   expect from Portuguese food it's a very simple  rustic Cuisine there's a real emphasis on Fresh   flavors and the raw ingredients and that's  exactly what we're seeing here so we have a   beautiful grilled datat fish with some lovely  rice and little carrots mixed in and then we   have grilled calamari here and we absolutely  had to order these fries so these fries are   definitely homemade they're irregular cuts and  they look really really delicious and then it   is a lot of you know starch and fish so of  course we had to add in this lovely looking   salad which just looks so fresh and so good and  it'll be a good Counterpoint to everything else   so I'm going to employ my very best fish carving  skills just to get a nice morsel to try and look   at all the Char from the grilling it looks so  good and then compliment it with this lovely   rice that is some crispy skin there this  looks really good it's a nice solid firm fish oh my goodness you really tastes a Char and  it is so good it just takes a fish and elevates it   to the next level and then this rice just looks  like a really nice accompaniment mhm oh it's   almost a little it's it's a little bit creamy and  I'm thinking oh my goodness look at this calamari   I'm thinking this is going to be just as good I  mean it really it really got a good grilling so   I'll try to carve off a piece from over here so  they put some onions and parsley in the center   and let me give it a try so delicious definitely  has a bit of chew to it but really really good   and of course I have to cap it with one of these  amazing fries really good so simple but such a   great meal and so perfect on a sunny afternoon  in Lisbon and I'm thinking that we made the   right choice with the restaurant because this  place seems to be very popular with the locals   because we're slow Travelers we always choose  to stay in an apartment instead of in a hotel   I mean we're usually in a destination for a full  month so we want to be able to cook our own meals   and feel like we're part of a neighborhood  for our stay here in Lisbon we ended up in   an apartment in Al now this is obviously one  of Lisbon's very touristy neighborhoods it's   the oldest neighborhood in the city and this is  where you want to come if you want to hear a late   night photo performance but right now we're in the  off season and we're finding it to be relatively   quiet here I mean there are a lot of tourists  but it's actually still a place where locals live this is our building right here and  like everything else in the neighborhood   it was built in the 1700s which means  it's super Charming but also there's   no elevator so you have to imagine us  lugging our luggage all the way up those stairs as far as technically I wasn't  the one carrying our luggage Jillian   did the heavy lifting but I was  cheering her [Music] on come on Jasper [Music] here we are and we actually did a  very full and complete tour of this place in our   earlier video so I'm just going to give you  guys the highlights as you can see this is   a lovely Charming old apartment so we're really  enjoying these big windows with wooden shutters   and then we've got these tall ceilings more wood  on the ceiling and then all the antique touches   everywhere we've got the bedroom over here and  this room is really just lovely I think that   the host did an amazing job with this space  we've got these lovely blue and white tiles   everywhere and apparently they are original to the  building so that makes them around 250 years old   something like that so when you wake up in this  room you definitely know that you are waking up   in Portugal so the kitchen over here it was  totally fine very functional we did a whole   lot of cooking in there and then of course the  view of the windows over here is just classic   lizbon it's so gorgeous so even though Lisbon  is so popular and even though there's a lot of   inflation we were able to get this place  for a fairly decent price yeah and we're   going to get into what we spent on this place  and what we spent on everything else this past   month but first let's get into our thoughts on  Lisbon so I would say that in many ways Lisbon   is everything we hope for it's a beautiful city  there's loads of history and charm I mean really   there's so much to see just walking around  from neighborhood to Neighborhood that said   it was even more crowded than we expected and  we were here in the off season for example the   lineup to take that very very famous [ __ ] 28  on a tour of the city it was just ridiculous we   thought we had to get a little creative with  our sightseeing look for ways to enjoy our   time without the crowds yeah so we rented a car  for the day to drive through cintra but we made   the executive decision not to line up for hours  to see p on Palace no we weren't interested in [Music] that well we just finished hiking about  half an hour up to the Mish castle and it was   such a beautiful hike through the woods and  from here we have an amazing view of panap   Palace actually that's it right there just behind  me so instead we explored a little of the coast we   saw some quiet Villages and we made our way to  Caboda which is Europe's most westerly [Music] point so that was the spot where most people go   to appreciate Caboda but we found  some wear this just a little more [Music] special and that's actually a very good  segue into our cost because we ended up spending   0 on entertainment and that's basically because  we didn't pay any entry fees instead we spent on   our transport a we took the bus to the silver  Coast we used public transit to explore other   parts of the city really our entertainment costs  were kind of wrapped up in our transportation cost   which totaled just over 100 us and our other  form of entertainment was of course dining out   and I would say that's the very best kind of  entertainment although generally there weren't   really many Bargains to be found for dining out  at least not here in the center of the city not   really so a lunch for two with wine was actually  maybe around 30 to 45 us in our total so we had   restaurant meals every few days and then a  lot of snacks in between that came to almost   $400 but the part of our spending that really  surprised us in a good way in a good way yes   it was the groceries they were just so cheap  it seemed like everything I looked at in the   grocery store was one to2 we ended up spending  just 280 on our groceries and we honestly we   haven't paid such a small amount since we were  in a place like Colombia now for our Airbnb like   we said this lovely apartment right in the heart  of Alama came in at a surprisingly low price of   course it's way more than what a local would  pay for rental and we're quite aware of that   but it was still for an Airbnb it wasn't bad  at all we paid just over $1,600 which we had   negotiated down from the listed price and the  host very kindly threw in complimentary weekly   cleanings which is that's my favorite type of  added value from a host so with the Airbnb and   all our other expenses our total came out to  just over 2400 which I feel is a very good   deal considering how much inflation we've been  seeing in Europe recently yeah I would definitely   agree now if you're looking for the full tour of  our Airbnb and a closer look at this incredible   neighborhood we've been staying in it really  is very special in this neighborhood you can   check out the next video right over here well we  have almost made it to the top and we're leaving   quiet Alama and I see the tourists are really  starting to gather at this point oh my gosh   wow it is super busy it was so quiet before it's  like where did all these people come [Music] from

Channel: Our Freedom Years

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Length: 22min 12sec (1332 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 03 2023