This city is divine.

That was the first thought that popped into my head as I climbed the steps from the metro out onto the street, having just arrived in Lisbon. Deep blue sky, pristine white buildings with pops of yellow and colourful, patterned tiles.

This month has been really exciting for me. For the first time since the pandemic started, I got to fly home to England and see my family and friends. I had imagined the moment of hugging my parents after almost two years countless times, thinking how surreal the whole situation has been. I also had the chance to see my lovely friend Hannah, who I travelled to Lisbon with over five years ago. It’s bizarre to think how much our lives have changed since that trip – I emigrated to Canada, Hannah married her partner and has since had two daughters. To celebrate our reunion, I thought to share some photos from that same trip, which (admittedly) I only just made the time to edit during lockdown.

We stayed very close to the bustling plaza of Praça do Comércio, which has the immaculate Arco da Rua Augusta along the north edge. It’s here that we fell for a patio restaurant that served pesto ravioli and honey, goats cheese pizza – so tasty that we ate there (sharing the same meals) twice in our four day trip.

A short train ride west of Lisbon, lies the town of Sintra, a must-see UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s home to several stunningly kept historical palaces and castles.

The Castelo dos Mouros offers views of both the Palácio Nacional de Sintra (pictured above) and the Palácio Nacional da Pena (pictured below).

Palaces aside, the panoramic views from Castelo dos Mouros (pictured below) were worth the uphill climb alone.

Between gorgeous scenery, we spent a lot of time trying yummy sweet treats like the famous pastéis de nata or custard tarts from Belém or fresh mini doughnuts filled with chocolate hazelnut cream or dulce de leche. None of which lasted long enough to take photographic evidence of!

The beaches, quaint streets and casual pace led me to easily forget Lisbon is a capital city. Truly, a capital city like no other – I definitely recommend visiting for a relaxing break!