What is ‘Lisbon Under Stars’?

Lisbon Under Stars is called an “immersive and multidisciplinary spectacle” which aims to tell the story of Lisbon’s history through a mesmerizing visual performance. The entire show takes place inside the ruins of the Carmo Convent. But it doesn’t just happen inside the ruins, but the show is actually projected onto them! The multimedia projections are cast onto the remains of the convent walls and arches. Covering them like a painting, but one which moves bends and turns the space from a two-dimensional surface into a three dimensional trip back in time.

The 600 years of history steeped within the city of Lisbon is brought to life through these projections and told through the eyes of the convent itself. The convent is given a personality and embodied by a single female dancer. All the dancers were also filmed, and their performances have been woven into the multimedia projections. The dancer’s expressions and movements set against the powerful historical events help convey to the audience, wordlessly, the feelings and emotions the city was thrown into during those times. The visuals help us see through their eyes what it must have looked like during that time to be here in Lisbon. Parts of the show are narrated, and the spoken words are in both Portuguese and English, but the images are so compelling that words are almost unnecessary.

All the dancers featured in the show are from Clara Andermatt‘s Company and National Ballet. Despite the dancers not being there in real life, still interact with the space around you, even as the walls are transformed throughout the show. They react to this shifting world and truly bring another level of dynamism to the show.

Another critical aspect of making the viewer feel like they’re really embedded into the performance is the music. The entire show is set to a beautiful soundtrack performed by famous Portuguese names such as Rão Kyao, Teresa Salgueiro and accompanied by the Symphonic Chorus Lisboa Cantat, Symphonic Orchestra of GNR and Tocá Rufer. There are also a few iconic Fado songs performed by the Queen of Fado, Mariza.

Where to Find ‘Lisbon Under the Stars’

The Carmo Convent plays host to ‘Lisbon Under Stars‘. You can find the Carmo Convent in one of my favourite little town squares, aptly named ‘Carmo Square’. The Carmo Convent is located in the Chiado neighbourhood, just up the hill from Rossio station. Right outside the convent are one of those iconic drink kiosks, the perfect place to grab a ginja under the Jacaranda trees before or after the show.

About the Carmo Convent

Instead of a stage or a traditional venue, this show takes place inside the ruins of the Carmo Convent. The ruins were once the site of the Catholic Convent of ‘Our Lady of Mount Carmel’. The convent was built in 1389 in the traditional, yet restrained, Gothic style which was synonymous with religious orders of the time. The great rose window over the portal was one of the most awe-inspiring parts of the church before it’s destruction. The great earthquake, fire and flood of 1755 caused immense damage to the building, collapsing the entire roof, leaving the interior open to the sky above.

Due to a multitude of reasons (most of which you’ll discover throughout the show), the convent was left in disrepair. The rest of Lisbon was restored to its former glory or rebuilt in a newer style, so the stark ruins of Carmo were one of the only reminders, to this day, of that great earthquake. Eventually, the convent found a new life and was transformed into the Carmo Archaeological Museum. Despite its new modern role, the structure was left untouched, a living example of Gothic architecture. Some parts of the building were given some structural reinforcements, but for the most part, the building looks as it would have hundreds of years ago, albeit without a room. Inside you can see all different archaeological discoveries which tell the story of Portugal’s history.

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Times & Tickets

There are two shows per evening, at 9:30 pm and 10:45 pm. Tickets cost €15 for adults, children from 6 to 11 years, 65+ and students cost €12.50 and children under 5 are free! Tickets are available at the booth next to the Carmo Convent. We quickly were able to grab tickets right before the show and didn’t need to purchase them online or in advance. The space inside is so vast that there really isn’t a bad seat in the house, so no need to arrive super early either. There are stools available for senior or people with disabilities. Don’t be shy asking for one if needed but don’t take one if you don’t require it.

The best place to sit is right in the middle since you have the best view of the walls around you as well as the front portion of the church where some of the main scenes take place. During the show, you are free to move around the convent instead of having to stay in one place. In my experience at other immersive multimedia performances, I found that walking around actually translated into seeing the show in a new perspective. But here I found that sitting in once spot and turning your head was sufficient enough. I think that creating more spaces to explore would really enhance the experience, something they can focus on for next year!

My Experience at ‘Lisbon Under the Stars’

I have seen a few different examples of these types of projections throughout my travels, and I find that they’re always so inventive and astounding. They transform spaces and turn a dull wall into a work of art. Other multimedia shows I’ve seen were only projected onto a flat surface. At ‘Lisbon Under Stars’ the visuals interacted with the three-dimensional church making it an entirely more complex installation. It really brought the entire place to life. And being outdoors, literally under the stars, just made the show feel more raw and authentic.

While some parts of this show are a little cheesy (the cheap wigs were my biggest complaint), all-in-all the show is fun and wildly creative. If you don’t know anything about Lisbon’s history, it’s such a great introduction to the city’s past. And the cost, I think, is perfectly lined up with the experience you’ll get. It’s a fun little thing to do in the evening, and it would be awesome if you’re travelling with kids.

The show begins with the introduction of the women we will come to know represents the spirit of the Carmo Convent. She will be our guide throughout the show and is truly the best of the dancers. She manages to give a cold and unmoving building emotion and a fierce personality which we can relate to. We can see and feel the effects of history on her face, and by the end of the entire show, it feels like she is an old friend.

The first scene from history we see depicts the great Battle of Aljubarrota. The Battle of Aljubarrota is represented by two men dance-fighting to illustrate the great war between the Kingdom of Portugal and the Crown of Castile. This battle was so significant since it was the moment in which Portugal showed it’s dominance over the country and asserted itself as a force to be reckoned with across Europe. I will say, I wish they had skipped this part or at least re-did the choreography. I think authentic fighting from 1385 is a little strange to watch from a 21st-century perspective and it does seem to drag on a bit. It’s one of the cheesiest parts of the show which doesn’t make excellent use of the fantastic projections. So it kind of felt like instead of starting with a bang, they began with a dud.

After that initial introduction, I was a bit concerned about what the rest of the show would be like. The following scene depicts the construction of the Carmo Convent in 1389. Musicians playing medieval instrument pop up all around you, playing a rhythmic tune as the walls of the convent begin to manifest in front of your eyes. The darkened walls appear to be magically being restored, bricks stack one upon the other and suddenly the true glory of the entire convent, as it once would have appeared when it was first built, reveals itself to you. So many parts of this show really feel like getting into a time machine, and this is perhaps the most impressive one. From this point forward, I had no more doubt and was entirely enraptured.

The convent and the church played a hugely important role in the collection of books and spreading knowledge to the people. The first Portuguese writers and their manuscripts are shown across the walls and books fly around the space, opening their secrets up like doves wings as the scatter.

The walls begin to appear to bob and weave, and before you know it, you are stepping onto a huge ship, setting sail for the new world. This is the great maritime voyage of Vasco da Gama in 1497 which departed Lisbon in search of the sea route to India.

Vasco da Gama succeeded in his attempt to find it, and once there he brought back spices, textiles, animals and more home to Portugal. Trade is where a vast majority of Lisbon’s wealth came from, and the richness of that voyage comes to life here before you. We are transported through the projections, to the ports of India. We can hear and see all the brightly coloured fabrics and foods which would have stunned Portuguese importers at the time as they stepped off the boats into this strange and beautiful new land.

The years past and Portugal was thriving. It seemed like this city was unstoppable. And yet, on November 1st, 1755, an earthquake shook the town and brought destruction, unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. This scene throws us right into the action, the earthquake shakes the interior of the convent and beams, archways and bricks begin to fall. So lifelike you feel like you need to duck to avoid getting hit! The music booms and it feels like you’re right there! A fire breaks out and destroys what the earthquake left behind, the convent is in ruins with fires burning all around, but it’s not over yet…

The fires begin to burn away and just when you think the worst is behind you, a great rush of water swells over the convent walls. This was the tsunami which followed the earthquake and literally swallowed most of the city. The dancers are now submerged underwater and swim like fishes across the empty blue expanse. This part was so lifelike, you could almost feel the weight of the waves crashing down on you. It was like magic.

After the earthquake, there were many attempts to reconstructed the convent, but they all were in vain, for lack of funding, commitment or even just manpower. In 1835 Joaquim António de Aguiar, the prime minister of Portugal and minister of justice, was hell-bent on the extinction of religious orders. On May 39th, 1834 he created a law which extinguished “all convents, monasteries, colleges, hospices and any other houses of the regular religious orders”. This resulted in his famous nickname “O Mata-Frades” (the Friar-Killer). With the dissolution of the monks, the convent’s reconstruction was halted for good, and the church once more fell into ruins, left for the sands of time. The words of Joaquim António de Aguiar are spread across the walls of the convent like he was writing its death warrant.

Time goes one, and all-around Lisbon things were changing…all except for the convent itself. Carmo remained a ruined memory of the earthquake’s destruction. Everywhere you looked, there were new modern inventions and exquisite architecture being constructed, and yet the convent sat untouched. The iconic tiled walls which Lisbon is famous for begin to be plastered all across the convent walls, almost like they represented the modern era overshadowing the past.

In the 1820’s we saw the emergence of Fado music into the mainstream. Fado music played in the background as the walls were covered in the traditional floral, tasselled shawls which the singers usually wear during performances. Fado music can best be described as mournful music. The Portuguese word ‘saudade’ which means ‘longing’ perfectly encapsulates the feelings which Fado attempts to explain. The lyrics in Fado songs often revolve around the life of the poor. The songs are filled with resignation and melancholia, and yet they are so beautiful it’s hard to imagine they’re about something so dark.

In this portion of the show, we are entertained by the music of famed Fado singer, Mariza. She performs a stunning ballad, surrounded by stars projected against the walls of the convent. If you take this chance to look up, on a perfect night, you’ll also see the stars shining above you as well.

The sad Fado music seemed to be the ideal soundtrack for the soul of the convent at this time. She was alone, abandoned and lonely. She performs a last melancholic dance, her swan song, as a last attempt to have the world see her once more. Although things seem lost for her in 1864, something happens to pull her out of the darkness of the past. In 1864 convent was converted into the Archaeological Museum of Lisbon. In here, thousands of treasures from antiquity were collected and displayed for the viewing pleasure of the public. Now the convent is filled with people all the time, and the woman is no longer lonely anymore.

The modern era comes in with a bang! Contemporary art explodes all over the walls. The colours so bright and vibrant they come to life even without the animations. The most impressive works of art were from Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, one of the most famous Portuguese modern artists. Amadeo de Souza Cardoso was influenced both by cubism and by futurism. His colours are so vivid they seem almost aggressive, and yet there is always a nuanced balance to his paintings, which ensure they don’t feel chaotic or confused.

Images frame in the tiled archways around the church, and we see black and white pictures from the fall of the dictatorship of 25 April 1974. This event was called the ‘carnation revolution’. The coup was organized by the Armed Forces and military offers who opposed the regime. As they gathered, the civilians of the city joined them since they knew finally there was no army to resist them, and this was their moment to overthrow the autocratic regime.

What is surprising about this revolution is that not a single shot was fired. An unsuspecting hero in the revolution was a simple restaurant worker, Celeste Caeiro who came out to give red carnations to the soldiers to celebrate their freeing of the Portuguese people from the dictator. Other women followed her lead, placing carnation into the muzzles of guns and onto the soldier’s uniforms. Projected onto all the walls of the convent are falling carnations, stacking up as high as the walls themselves until everyone is buried under a bed of red flowers. The convent spirit is dressed in red in these scenes and performs a dance of freedom as the carnations fall around her. This was one of my favourite visuals of the entire performance.

To end the show, the projections featured urban artists, graffiti and street art were sprayed across the convent walls. The visuals featured images from artists such as Add Fuel, Daniel Eime, the Super Van by Vanessa Teodoro and Alexandre Farto aka Vhils. These aren’t like paintings you’ll always see hanging in fancy art galleries. Instead, these are examples of art which everyone in Lisbon can view every day on their walk to work or passing by on the streetcar. There is no cost of admission, only a sense of discovery which will help you find these beautiful works of art. There is something extraordinary about elevating this kind of artwork, giving it credence in the show featuring mostly “high” art, which I found refreshing and inspiring.

The show ends with one last beautiful Fado song. As the lights go down, all you’re left with is the most incredible view up to the stars, framed by those iconic Gothic columns and archways. The music continues to play as you exit, and we literally danced our way out the door!

If you happen to be in Lisbon while this show takes place next year, it is really worth checking out. I thought it was incredibly fun, funky and the perfect way to spend a warm, summer evening. If you don’t know anything about Lisbon’s past, it’s a fantastic history lesson! What you’ll learn will help contextualize so much of what you’ll see around Lisbon during the rest of your stay. Don’t miss it if you get the chance!

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Table Of Contents

1. 1. Thinking Portuguese is Spanish
2. 2. Rushing Through the City
3. 3. Waiting for the Santa Justa Elevator or Torre de Belem Elevator
4. 4. Not Exploring with a Local
5. 5. Not Bringing Shoes with Grip
6. 6. Thinking that Bread is Free in Restaurants
7. 7. Not Jumping in an Uber
8. 8. Forgetting to a Buy a Transport Card
9. 9. Paying for Overpriced Fado Shows
10. 10. Not Tasting Ginjinha on the Street
11. 11. Not Being Aware of your Surroundings
12. 12. Not Remembering to Reapply Sunscreen in the Afternoon
13. 13. Only Sampling the Belém Pastéis de Nata
14. 14. Not Learning How to Order Coffee

1. Thinking Portuguese is Spanish

While many travellers might initially assume that Portuguese is similar to Spanish, trust me, it’s NOT! I had just been to Mexico City earlier in the year, and when I started my Portuguese lessons, I thought all that Spanish would have helped – nope, that was not the case! I found Portuguese a harder language to learn than even Japanese, and I greatly respect anyone who has mastered the language.

Don’t try to speak Spanish thinking that locals will understand that more than English if you don’t know how to speak Portuguese. Most Portuguese people prefer English to Spanish. I was surprised by how many locals spoke terrific English, but don’t rely on that. Ensure you learn at least a few words; the basics are pretty easy to grasp, and it makes a big impression on those you speak to. Below are a few key phrases I found to be the most useful.

Hello – Olá
Goodbye – Adeus
Good Morning – Bom dia
Good Afternoon – Boa tarde
Good Night – Boa noite
Thank You – Obrigado (if said by a man) Obrigada (if said by a woman)
Sorry – Desculpe
Yes – Sim
No – Não
Please – Por Favor
This (good for pointing to menu or food items) – isto
How Much? – Quanto custa?

2. Rushing Through the City

One of the biggest mistakes I think people make is trying to rush through cities. And a part of me understands this, we don’t all have unlimited vacation time, and flights are expensive, especially if you’re visiting from outside of Europe. We cannot pop over from Spain or France on a long weekend. But Lisbon is such a vibrant city, and even though it appears to be very small, it’s both dense in physical form and history, steeped inside its walls. Spending a week here made us feel more like we could explore those hidden corners or get lost without worrying about losing precious time.

I know many people can see all there is to see here in a jam-packed three-day itinerary, but we adored having an entire week to relax and see the sights. Europeans, in general, but perhaps Portuguese more so, take things slow. They don’t like being rushed or on time, for that matter. So being able to adjust to their way of doing things felt more authentic than trying to rush through lunch and run out without savouring that last glass of wine. I felt like a week with one or two little outings outside the city was a perfect time!

3. Waiting for the Santa Justa Elevator or Torre de Belem Elevator

The Santa Justa Elevator is one of the city’s oddest yet most stunning sights. It was initially built in the 19th century for locals to use to get up the steep hill from the Baixa district to the Largo do Carmo. Its elegant design made in wrought-iron and covered in neo-gothic arches and striking geometric patterns is a spectacle for the eyes. But when the city of Lisbon bought the tower, they changed it from being a free mode of transportation and turned it into a touristy nightmare. Now lines run around the block, and tourists pay €6.40 for a 1-minute trip up to the top.

At the top, you do get one of the most astonishing views across the city, but this area is easily accessible without taking the lift. If you take the escalators inside Rossio Station, up to the Carmo Convent, the viewpoint is located just around the corner. To get to the viewpoint, you pass through a small restaurant but don’t worry about going inside, they are used to this, and it’s not a problem. On there, you’ll find the same view all those other tourists, who wasted hours in line, get to see. The Torre de Belem has the same kind of issue.

While the outside is a must-see in town, the interior is pretty lacking, and the view from the top of the tower is not that impressive. The lines can be hours long, and it is much better to skip it altogether and spend more time walking along the beautiful waterfront with waterside views of the tower.

4. Not Exploring with a Local

Lisbon is one of those cities which seems to have a million hidden secrets and things you can’t learn from a book. We hired a private tour guide to give us a 4-hour walking tour of the city on the first full day we arrived. This is the PERFECT way to get introduced to the town. Bruno, our historian for the day, told us many charming stories as we wandered the streets. He took us to the tremendous must-see sights and unknown little treasures.

There are plenty of free tours you can take, but Lisbon is booming with tourists, and often these tours are enormous, with over 30-40 people in one group with one guide. This makes it hard to hear the sound of streetcars and traffic and almost impossible to ask those burning questions you might be wondering. If budget allows, go for the private tour options, which can also be customized to your group’s interests.

5. Not Bringing Shoes with Grip

I realize you might think this is obvious; comfortable shoes are essential when travelling, but I’ve never had so much trouble walking as I did in Lisbon. The worn-down cobblestones sidewalks and the steep hills mean that you need comfy shoes and shoes with a great grip! I have a few excellent pairs of travel shoes which I’ve never had problems with that failed me on a few occasions when I was almost sent flying down the hill!

Thankfully, a few other party members had grippy shoes, and we would take turns holding onto each other when walking down those steep hills. I had heard that Lisbon was like Rome in that it was a town built on seven hills, but unlike Rome, these hills are incredibly steep, and climbing up and down the streets of Alfama is a workout and a half!

6. Thinking that Bread is Free in Restaurants

At many restaurants in Lisbon, not just those cheesy touristy ones, you’ll often be served bread and olives before the meal. Coming from North America, where bread before a meal is usually served without charge, I assumed it was free. It wasn’t, and although the cost wasn’t expensive, I was surprised to see a cost associated with something to me without asking for it.

Thinking that this one restaurant experience was a fluke, we had dinner the next night and experienced the same charge when we got the bill after digging into the olives and bread. I finally looked this up, wondering if this was something that just kept happening to me and found that it’s prevalent. If you aren’t interested in paying for the bread and olives, say no, before they place them down on your table, and they will take them away without incident. But sometimes you’re starving, and bread and olives sound like just the ticket to tide you over before dinner is served. If that’s the case, ask the server for the cost, so you know what to expect and make your decisions.

7. Not Jumping in an Uber

In a city as hilly as Lisbon, you can quickly get tired. Many times people might think of hailing a cab to get home after a long day but often are afraid to in case they take a long, unnecessary route to get to their destination to run up the meter. Uber, on the other hand, is all priced upfront. We loved taking Uber in Lisbon since we were a group of four, and often, taking an Uber was much, much cheaper than for each of us to pay for a ticket on the metro.

The Ubers we took were all super clean, the drivers extremely friendly, and some would even give us a little tour of the buildings we were passing by! A trip from the airport via Uber costs less than 10 euros (leaving from the departure terminal), including our luggage. Ubers make it so you can take that trip up to a miradouro (lookout point) before sunset, even if your legs are tired and there isn’t a nearby metro station. It’s a great way to make the most of your time in the city without tiring yourself going up and down those hills.

8. Forgetting to a Buy a Transport Card

You can buy these little reloaded metro cards at all the metro stations in Lisbon. They only cost 0.50 euros; you can load them up with as much money as you think you’ll need. This makes getting on and off trains a breeze, with no need to buy separate tickets or calculate the fares. Simply tap on and off, and the money will automatically be calculated and removed from the total on your card. The line-ups for train tickets can get long, especially at stations like Rossio, where the trains depart for Sintra. Having a swipe card will mean you don’t need to line up either at the ticket booth or electronic machines, savings yourself what can be a lot of time!

9. Paying for Overpriced Fado Shows

Fado is a form of Portuguese singing which originated in the 1820s in Portugal’s urban cafes and pubs. It is notable for being profoundly melancholic, and despite these sad tunes, it’s one of the most popular things for tourists to seek out when in Lisbon. There are signs all over for tickets to Fado dinners & show experiences. Most of these places are super overpriced, and the food is incredibly subpar, especially when there is SO MUCH great food for cheap you can find in this city.

There are plenty of amazing places to see real Fado around the town, which won’t cost you an arm and a leg. A Tasca do Chico puts on FREE Fado music Mondays and Wednesdays in the Bairro Alto district. The restaurant can get SUPER crowded, so get there EARLY! Fado is a late-night experience, so expect performances to start around 9 pm and go till 1 or 2 am! Unlike other places which might charge a cover fee, this restaurant doesn’t. That being said, since you need to show up so early to save yourself a table, it’s only right to order some drinks and perhaps a few bits of tapas to make your time there worth it for the servers and staff. But this cost is far and away cheaper than what you’ll find at the Prix-fix places.

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10. Not Tasting Ginjinha on the Street

Ginjinha or Ginja is a Portuguese liqueur from fermented sour cherries blended with sugar and cinnamon. You’ll see dozens of shops selling and advertising this sweet treat. And despite its prevalence in tourist hubs, you’ll be surprised to know it isn’t just a touristy thing. You’ll see old ladies sipping it outside ancient bars and men grabbing one quick glug before heading to dinner.

Ginjinha has been around since the Romans brought cherries to Lisbon in the 5th century. The same family has run many of the tiny closet-sized shops which sell shots of Ginjinha for multiple generations. Here, they serve just one thing; Ginjinha. You can order it two ways, with or without the fruit. (I found the fruit to be SUPER strong, so I preferred it without). You can also get it served in chocolate cups, but this was actually a modern-day invention by the Portuguese chocolate manufacturers who made a chocolate Ginjinha cup at one of their conventions, and it seemed to catch on from there. Still a delicious way to have Ginjinha but not as authentic.

Every different brand tastes a bit different. Some are more strong, and some are a little sweeter and wine-like. The little shots cost just 1-2 euros, so it’s easy to grab one wherever you see them sold to find your favourite.

11. Not Being Aware of your Surroundings

Locals we met with mentioned to us time and time again to beware of pickpockets. Having been to Barcelona without incident, I employed many of my same techniques, most importantly of which is to be AWARE. If you’re in a crowd, always be sure to have a hand on your bag or, at the very least, we are conscious of who gets close to you. You don’t need to be paranoid about it, but there is always an element of catching people off their guard, which is when pickpockets make their move. If someone seems too nice or if you have a bad feeling about something, go with your gut and just remove yourself from the situation.

Tourist trams are one of the worst places for pickpocketing since space is at a premium, and thieves do most of their business when you’re too busy taking pictures to notice. There are plenty of great theft-proof bags you can buy, but a solution I found was to buy a tiny lock which latches the two zippers of my back bag together, rendering it theft-proof. Always keep your bag on your lap at an outdoor restaurant or cafe, not on the floor or on an empty chair where it can quickly be snatched up. I didn’t feel like there was ever a moment when I felt unsafe or vulnerable, but I also felt that knowing these things and taking precautions would be much safer than if I had gone about my business without considering it.

12. Not Remembering to Reapply Sunscreen in the Afternoon

The sun is the strongest in Portugal between noon and 3 pm, and you’d be surprised that late in the afternoon is when you’ll actually feel the warmest. Even at 6 pm, the sun was beating down on my shoulders, hotter than it felt at 2 pm! I’m someone who puts on sunscreen in the morning and forgets to reapply, which resulted in a mighty sunburn on this trip. Painful enough to teach me a good lesson! Around when you have lunch, it’s always a good idea to grab some sunscreen out of your bag and reapply for the rest of the afternoon.

During the afternoon, when the sun is high in the sky, and the temperature is at its hottest, try to schedule some indoor fun if you find it unbearable. Bring a good hat (which won’t blow off in the high winds which Lisbon is famous for) and drink plenty of water. Obviously, this advice is moot if you’re travelling during the winter months, but even in the springtime, it can get surprisingly hot, so don’t hesitate to slather on that sun protection or you’ll be left like I was, having to get after-sun cream from a very judgmental pharmacist.

13. Only Sampling the Belém Pastéis de Nata

Portuguese custard tarts are one of the most popular things tourists come to eat while visiting Lisbon. They are a centuries-old recipe passed down from monks in monasteries, and one of the most popular places to try them is in Belém, where they originated the recipe. While the Belém tart shop is undoubtedly the most popular and historical, there are many other places to try all over Lisbon. It would be a shame only to try this one location when there are so many others you can try.

Give that diet a break while in Lisbon, and eat to your heart’s content! You can find these “pastéis de nata” in trendy cafes and tiny unknown bakeries hidden around quiet street corners. The line at the Belém location sometimes stretches for blocks, and although it might give you a good idea of the benchmark flavours of the original, modern chefs as well as enterprising home bakers, have developed their own versions, which might be even more appealing to you! They also sell these pastries at the grocery store; you never know where to find your favourite.

14. Not Learning How to Order Coffee

If you’re anything like me, no morning starts off on the right foot without a nice cup of coffee. I’ve learned from travelling worldwide that ordering coffee is never the same in one country as in the next. , I managed to order my coffee in Lisbon just fine, but all my friends who were travelling with me had great trouble ordering. Cafés function in a completely different way in Lisbon than they do in North America. In Lisbon, most coffee shops aren’t a place to have a seat, pop open your laptop, and relax with Wi-Fi. No, in Lisbon, cafés are where workers order a shot of espresso and down it at the bar before quickly heading off.

There are no signs across the counter with menu options. It’s up to you to give your order to the barista to get what you want. To get something similar to a latte, you should order “Um galão,” and for a coffee with milk, ask for “uma meia de leite,” which is half milk, half coffee. You’ll almost always be given a side of sugar since it seems like the Portuguese never drink black coffee. To order a standard espresso, ask for “uma bica,” a Portuguese word only used in Lisbon.

If you’re looking for something similar to an Americano ask for “um abatanado, “and if you want milk with it, ask for “um abatanado com um pouco de leite.” Cafes in Lisbon are places people pop in and out of all day. Instead of getting one colossal coffee in the morning, you’re more likely to be served a little coffee, which means you can visit more cafes throughout the day!

Let me know if you found anything on your last trip to Lisbon, you’d recommend travellers avoid or be aware of! Or, if you’re planning a trip, let me know anything else you’re curious about for your first time in Portugal!

Happy Travels Adventurers!

The post 14 Tourist Mistakes NOT to Make on your First Trip to Lisbon first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.