Breakfast at Hygge – Starting the Day Right
Scott and I had a long day scheduled exploring the Belem district on day two. There’s nothing better than starting your day with a really good breakfast, and Hygge did not disappoint. I ordered the croissant sandwich, which was buttery, flaky, and just messy enough to be delicious. Scott went with their breakfast sandwich, and we shared a cinnamon roll that was so good it probably should’ve come with a warning label. Coffee, pastries, sunshine—yes, Lisbon, you had us hooked already.
The Lisboa Card Hiccup
Here’s where our “efficient traveler” plan kind of fell apart. We needed to grab our Lisboa Card, which gives you access to trams, trains (perfect for our upcoming trips to Sintra and Cascais), and tons of museums. Easy, right? Well, no. Turns out you have to order it online and then pick it up at one of six locations. Rookie move: we didn’t grab ours at the airport. Instead, we found ourselves waiting outside the Codfish Museum in the city center until it opened at 10:00 AM. Lesson learned! Once we finally had the 72-hour card in hand, we hopped on Tram 15 and were officially Belem-bound.
Belem: Monuments, Missed Opportunities & Sardines Everywhere
First stop: the Monument of Discoveries. It’s an impressive tribute to Portugal’s seafaring history, and the views of the Tagus River are gorgeous. Along our way, we passed by a fairly new shipyard and marina. Scott and I were impressed that the shipyard had flower planter boxes! Looking at the ramp and haul out, we’re not sure what they use this for as there was no mobile lift?
The Monument of Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos) in Lisbon was originally built in 1940 as a temporary structure for the Portuguese World Exhibition to celebrate the nation’s Age of Exploration. It was later rebuilt in 1960 in stone and concrete, marking the 500th anniversary of Prince Henry the Navigator’s death, who played a key role in Portugal’s maritime discoveries. The monument stands prominently along the Tagus River in Belém, shaped like a ship’s prow, with statues of Henry at the front and other famous explorers, cartographers, and patrons of Portugal’s voyages of discovery behind him. It remains a symbol of Portugal’s golden era of exploration and maritime heritage.
What was crazy at the Monument of Discoveries was how the ground or floor was laid out. They laid the tile in a way that the ground looked like it had hills, but it was in fact flat.
Belem Central District
From there, we walked through an underground tunnel over to the Jerónimos Monastery. Unfortunately, we hadn’t made reservations online (pro tip: you should!), and the line looked like it belonged to a sold-out rock concert. No way were we standing in that heat with 300 other people.
Next mission: the legendary Pastéis de Belém bakery. Except… the line was literally wrapped around the block. At this point, Scott and I just laughed. Lisbon clearly wanted us to practice patience (or skip lines altogether). So instead, we decided to grab a cold beer when we found this pop up stand offering “Free Beer”. LOL.
The beers were so cold and refreshing on this unbelievable hot day! They reminded us of when we hiked to the top of the Fort on the island of Dominica and enjoyed freezer cold beers!
Next Scott and I wandered the Belem district, popped into the “original” sardine shop (spoiler alert: there are MANY “original” sardine shops). These sardines were not cheap and we paid about 15 Euro for each can. We bought boneless/skinless sardines in olive oil and then a tin of grilled octopus. We enjoyed these on our last night in Porto. They were delicious!
Finding Lunch
As we wandered through Lisbon, we noticed how the streets were lined with outdoor cafés and restaurants—most of them extensions of the buildings behind them. Each spot had a waiter stationed out front, menu in hand, ready to entice you to sit down. Choosing where to eat became part of the adventure, as we compared offerings and atmospheres while strolling along. Eventually, we settled on a casual place at Cais de Belém for a quick lunch. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was exactly what we needed to recharge. And no, we didn’t end up at McDonald’s—though we were amused to see one tucked among the more traditional eateries.
Since we didn’t get a chance to try a Pasteis de Nata at the original bakery, we were now on the hunt for an alternative. Luckily, redemption came in the form of Manteigaria, where we scored fresh-out-of-the-oven pastéis de nata. They were everything I had hoped for—crispy, creamy, sweet perfection. Honestly, worth every calorie.
Museum Shuffle & A Much-Needed Spa Break
Feeling re-energized, we set off for the Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology (MAAT). Except… joke was on us again. Our Lisboa Card didn’t cover entry, and the staff wasn’t about to let us slide in. Oops. Plan B: the National Coach Museum, which ended up being a total hidden gem. I had no idea ornate golden carriages could be so fascinating!
We spent a couple of hours wandering through history before heading back toward the waterfront.
As we worked our way back to the Aurea Museum hotel, we stopped in the Commercio Square to grab a bottle of wine for the room. We were shocked to see how crowded it was at 4pm! This photo does not do it justice.
By late afternoon, our feet were screaming at us, so the spa at our hotel became the next “museum stop.” The Turkish bath was exactly what we needed after miles of walking. Honestly, I could’ve stayed in there all night, but we had dinner reservations at a highly reviewed restaurant, Casa Tradicao.
Dinner at Casa Tradição – A Perfect Ending
Dinner that night was at Casa Tradição, and let me just say: WOW. I had booked it ahead through The Fork app, and we walked in at 7:30 PM to an empty restaurant. For a second, I thought I had messed up. But within the hour, it was buzzing, and we realized why—it’s that good. One note about most restaurants we ate at is that the menu is most often written in Portuguese, not English.
As soon as we sat down, the waiter brough out a couvert of olives and bread. This custom includes items like bread, olives, cheese, and pâté, which are not complimentary and are added to your bill if you eat them.
The menu looked amazing and we wanted to try everything. Our appetizers included chicken liver dusted in hazel nuts and a type of bruschetta with cured meat on top.
Next we ordered Shrimp Acorda that was amazing. The broth is actually “brain juice”. The term “brain juice” is an evocative way to describe the flavorful liquid that is squeezed from the shrimp heads, which adds a deep umami taste to the dish.
For dinner I ordered cod topped with crunchy straw potatoes that was gorgeous, and Scott had slow-roasted beef on the bone that melted in your mouth. Lastly for dessert Scott ordered a different version of a pasteis de nata with icecream and Port.
The service was five-star, the wine was fabulous, and it was easily one of the best meals we had in Lisbon. While there is no official 5-star rating listed for it, the restaurant’s reputation for outstanding culinary experiences and value for money makes it a top choice for many visitors to Lisbon.
We wrapped up the night wandering little alleys, sipping cocktails, and soaking in Lisbon’s evening glow. Then it was off to bed early—because Cascais was waiting for us the next morning, and we needed all the energy we could get.
As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our boating blog and our YouTube channel (link below). Follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.
Cheers, Scott and Ally
