Category: Lisbon

The results are in.. 50 Top Pizza has released their list of best pizzas in the world and guess which pizzeria is representing Portugal on the list again?

More Like This: Pizza in Portugal • Lisbon Restaurants

One of our favorites - Forno d'Oro! :)

Burrata Pizza at Forno d'Oro in Lisbon, Portugal

In this post:

who owns forno d'oro?

Forno d'oro is owned by Tanka Sapkota, who was born in Nepal and brought his passion for Neapolitan pizza to Lisbon. He trained under the Gombero Rosso Master Course and his wood-fired pizzas have ranked him in the top pizzas in the world list multiple times.

Above you can see just a few of the many prestigious awards Forno d'Oro (Golden Oven) has received for their delicious pizzas. They are receiving Fiori di Latte cheese fresh from Italy multiple times per week!

Where did forno d'oro rank in the 2024 top pizza in the world list?

Forno d Oro is the ONLY pizzeria in Portugal to rank on the top pizza in the world list, so it's quite an accomplishment! For 2024 they ranked 73rd in the world and the 12th best pizzeria in Europe.

Parabéns! (congratulations in Portuguese)

What we ordered.

Are you hungry yet? Let's try a few of the best pizzas in Lisbon together!

Diavola - €13.25

San Marzano tomatoes DOP, fior di latte, spicy salami, basil, and chili

Where to stay in Lisbon:

All Lisbon Hotel Reviews

4 Formaggi - €13.95

San Marzano tomatoes DOP, fior di latte, Gorgonzola, smoked Provola cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 24 mesi.

We were with some dear friends who were moving away and we all decided that in order to mark the occasion properly there was another pizza we just had to try and we could only do it if we worked together as a team lol.

Burrata, prosciutto e Rucola - €15.50

San Marzano tomatoes DOP, burrata, Parma ham and rocket (arugula)

This pizza was so unbelievably delicious and a perfect example of how it takes just a few high quality ingredients to make a dish really shine!

Light and fresh yet highly engaging - we were surprised that this was our favorite pizza of the night! Good thing we ordered it at the last second, right?! ;)

It may even top the fig, prosciutto, and gorgonzola pizza.

We'll probably have to visit another time to know for sure, though. ;)

Pizza in Portugal

See all Pizza in Portugal

Gordon FInest Scotch Ale, Scotland - €8.95

And what's a visit to one of the top pizzerias in the world without trying a new brew?
Gordon Finest Scotch Ale Review
Gordon Finest Scotch Ale - Strong and smooth dark beer flavored with malt whiskey. 8,0% - 33cl

"Born in Scotland, Crafted in Belgium"

For those interested in the ingredients and bottling details of Gordon Scotch Ale, see the photos below!

Panna Cotta ai Frutti di Bosco - €4.95

Panna cotta flavored with Madagascan vanilla pods served with a wild berries sauce

Panna Cotta ai Frutti di Bosco | Dessert at Top Pizzeria in Europe

At the end of your meal at Forno d'Oro you always have the opportunity to enjoy the parting hospitality of limoncello or grappa. If you've never tried grappa (it's potent), maybe you should give it a try. After that you'll almost certainly always pick limoncello! haha :)

Pizza in Italy

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Pizza e Passione Naples

English Menu - forno d' oro pizzeria

Curious what the prices are like at a top pizza place in Lisbon? Here is a recent menu. You can find English descriptions beneath each menu item.

Couvert/Antipasti (appetizers) and Pizze (Pizza) Menu

Forno d'Oro Lisbon English Menu - Appetizers

Pizze (Pizza) Menu

Forno d'Oro Lisbon English Menu - Pizza

Mediterranean Cruise

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Seasonal Pizza Menu

Forno d'Oro Lisbon English Menu - Seasonal Pizza

Pasta & Dessert (Dolci) Menu

Forno d'Oro Lisbon English Menu - Pasta and Dessert

Southern Caribbean Cruise

See all Southern Caribbean Cruise Reviews

Wine Menu

Forno d'Oro Lisbon English Menu - Wine

Craft Beer Menu

Forno d'Oro Lisbon English Menu - Craft Beer

Gin Menu

Forno d'Oro Lisbon English Menu - Gin

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Forno d'Oro Review

We love Forno d'Oro! When you have such a great experience at a restaurant the first time that you want to bring your friends who are also pizza lovers you know it's the real deal.

Still, there is a smidge of apprehension that a second visit to a place won't be as good as the first, you know what I mean?

As you can tell from our photo review, forno d'oro is living up to our expectations and we won't hesitate to come back and bring more friends the next time we are in Lisbon!

Highly recommend you stop in for some amazing Neapolitan pizza in Lisbon!

Best Places To eat in Lisbon:

Lisbon Foodie Blog - See all Lisbon Restaurant Reviews

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Bandalho Meat & Wine Carnaxide

9/9/2024

Bandalho Meat & Wine is a new restaurant in Carnaxide (Lisbon, Portugal) in walking distance of Holiday Inn Express Alfragide.

In this post:

About Bandalho Meat & Wine Carnaxide:

Band'alho meat & wine vibe

This restaurant was new to the neighborhood on our visit and we arrived just as they opened so we had the place pretty much to ourselves.

Inside the restaurant is nicely finished and is somewhat T shaped, making the back area where we were sitting a nice semi-secluded area to reserve for a large party.

As you can see there were multiple large TVs in the restaurant and I have never been a big fan of this. The bright screens really detract from the aesthetic of the space and they distract from the two most important elements - your dining companions and the food!

This is quite a common occurrence in restaurants in Portugal. Unless it's a sports bar type of establishment and you are watching a sports match while eating pizza and wings, I just don't understand the need for TVs in restaurants, especially when featuring depressing news and disturbing images. </rant> :)

Lisbon Restaurant Reviews.

what we ordered.

With that out of the way, let's move on to the good stuff... what we ordered at Bandalho!

Sangria Tinta 12€

Red Wine Sangria - 12 euros for the pitcher. Sangria in Portugal is almost always excellent. The access to quality wines here is outstanding, not to mention locally grown citrus. Add a sprig of mint and you have a refreshing beverage on a summer evening in Lisbon!

They did have a special house sangria which seemed to be a white wine sangria fortified with blue curaçao among other liquors, if that sort of thing is your jam.

Hamburguer a Band'alho 10€

The hamburger was really tasty with quality meat and came with a side of fries and garlicky dipping mayonnaise which is also quite popular in Portugal.

Do you see that little rocket (arugula) leaf peeking out on the right? Slide your gaze to the left and notice the caramelized onion chutney which was the show stopper, taking this burger up a notch!

Picanha Sul Americana 15€

Since we were at a meat place, it seemed only proper to get a steak. We ordered the South American Picanha.

What is Picanha? (pronounced peek-ahn-yah) Picanha is a prized cut of meat in Brazil cut from the rump area. It has a thick band of fat and is served thinly sliced. Although originating in Brazil, Picanha has certainly gained popularity in Portugal.

The presentation was beautiful and upscale. A pile of finishing salt and whole peppercorns were evidence that the meat was to be the star, not overwhelmed by complex flavors. It's incredible what a pinch of salt and black peppercorn can do to a steak!

The steak was slightly under my cook preference. I wish the fat had been able to render a bit more. The roasted cherry/grape tomatoes added some nice acidity. For the sides we had an adorable dish of black beans. The black beans were nice, with bits of meat inside, also slightly underdone and bite-y. The rice was lovely and fluffy, really well done!

Supremo de Chocolate 5€

We were quite full, but thought it necessary to try one dessert (for your benefit). A little corner of our tummies could sample the Supremo de Chocolate. Wow did we underestimate this dessert!

This dessert is a chocolate lover's dream! Imagine the thickest, fudgiest (is that word?) brownie you've ever seen, topped with chocolate ganache, and some red berries. For Americans, desserts in Portugal are a bit different and a good fudgy brownie is not easy to come by, making this an unexpected delight!

My advice: Get the Supremo de Chocolate. Share it. Enjoy with coffee.

Algarve Travel Blog.

Band'alho Meat & Wine Menu with Prices

Here are some photos of the Bandalho Meat & Wine Menu with prices. 3 pages of drink menus and 1 page of curated food menu. Tap an image to see more detail!

You'll notice they have an executive menu "disponível 2 a 6 feira" That means the special is available on the second through 6th days of the week. Monday is the second day of the week. So, as is common, this lunch special/prato do dia special is available Monday through Friday.

For 12€ you can have soup, the dish of the day, and any 33cl beverage they carry, water, or imperial.
Do you remember what an Imperial is?

Band'alho Meat & Wine Review

Band'alho is a welcome addition to the Carnaxide neighborhood in Lisbon. They're off to a great start and I'm confident they will continue to hone their product and deliver great meals for years to come. Staff was very friendly, patient, and attentive with a good sense of humor and patience to answer questions. The location is great for anyone staying at Holiday Inn Express Alfragide as it's just a short walk over.

If I worked in the area I would definitely be taking advantage of their executive menu deal during the week!

REceipt.

How much does it cost to eat out in Portugal?

At this restaurant it cost 43.30€ for:

Steak with rice and beans
Hamburger with fries
Pitcher of Sangria
Small bottle of sparkling water
Large slice of chocolate brownie dessert

Travel Deals.

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Bubble Time Expo - Lisbon Bubble Tea

9/8/2024

It had been such a long time since we had a bubble tea, probably since Ohayu in Quarteira. What better way to kill time than sippin' boba? Let's rewind..

We were meeting friends for dinner after at Han Table Barbecue in the Expo neighborhood (Parque das Nações) of Lisbon and guess what?

We were early! ;)

Right after the uber dropped us off we got the message that they were running behind.

In this post:

Bubble Time Expo - Lisbon Bubble Tea

Conveniently for us, a cute Boba shop was located directly next door to the Korean bbq restaurant! What better way to kill time than sippin' boba?

Bubble Time Menu with prices

The electronic menu at Bubble Time Expo is trilingual, which I thought was pretty fixe ("cool" in portuguese).

Tap the photos below to enlarge and get a detailed view of the menu and prices of this Bubble tea cafe.

Gifts for bubble tea lovers

how to order bubble tea

Welcome to today's portuguese lesson!

The bottom right hand side of the menu has ordering instructions for your Bubble tea. I'll translate the Portuguese into English for you, although I'm sure you could work it out on your own. ;)

Como pedir um Bubble Tea (How to order a Bubble Tea)
1. Tamanho do copo (cup size)
2. Sabor (flavor)
3. Temperatura (temperature)
4. Nivel de Açucar (level of sugar)
5. Boba

For Level of sugar you have 3 options:
1. Normal
2. Pouco (a little sugar)
3. Sem (without sugar)

Bubble Waffle Menu at Bubble Time

By the way, Bubble Time also sells bubble waffles which you can have filled with Chantilly (whipped cream) or Gelado (Ice cream)

You can also get a Waffle Simples c/ Nutella (plain waffle with Nutella) As we've mentioned before, Nutella is very popular here.

The vibe inside Bubble time

Bubble Time has a nice atmosphere and a variety of seating options. If you aren't in a rush, you can enjoy your boba on the terrace outside with a view of the telecabine. Maybe you like to feel part of the bustle. You can sit inside the shop and watch the ebb and flow of the line at the counter. On the other hand, if you want some solitude, you're working remotely, or having a meeting you may prefer to head upstairs to the second floor!

They are also rewarding loyalty here, which is a vibe we like! For every 9 purchases you'll get the 10th Bubble Tea or Waffle Grátis (free). I haven't seen a card like this for too long and it made me happy. :)

Get a free Bubble Tea or Waffle at Bubble Time in Lisbon!

Bubble Time Lisbon Review

We ordered a large original milk tea, cold, with normal ice level and plain tapioca boba. We ordered the Margherita pizza of bubble tea for a baseline.

Original Milk Tea with Boba

This was not necessarily the best boba tea we have ever had, but to be fair we normally have something like a Thai tea with boba, harkening back to our Thailand days, whereas here we ordered an original milk tea. Therefore the flavor was light in comparison, but appropriate for what we ordered. :)

The boba were perfectly prepared with just the right texture. The location could not have been more convenient for our plans.

Large Bubble Tea at the Tejo Riverfront

We enjoyed our boba tea and while I wouldn't traverse the city on my next visit specifically to come here, I could see myself returning if I was in the Parque das Nações neighborhood of Lisbon and had a hankering for boba.

The second floor seems an ideal location for travel writing with views of the Tagus while noshing on a bubble waffle stuffed with whipped cream... or Nutella ... or ice cream... Hmm. Tough call, isn't it!

Maybe we will have to try one of each just to let you know which is best. ;)

You can follow this shop on instagram @bubble.time.portugal

Follow Bubble Time on Instagram!

Lisbon Foodies:

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Is The The Best Korean Barbecue in Lisbon? Han Table Barbecue Expo Review

9/8/2024

Korean Barbecue in Lisbon offers a fun and interactive dining experience for you and your friends.

We made a trip to the Expo location of Han Table Barbecue and here is our review with photos!

Han Table Barbecue Lisbon

In this post:

Where is han table bbq?

While there are multiple locations of this Korean bbq restaurant in Lisbon, on this occasion we visited the Expo location. You will dine along the Tagus river not far from the Lisbon International Airport and the Vasco da Gama Bridge.

The address is: R. da Pimenta 5, 1990-280 Lisboa, Portugal

Gifts for korean barbecue lovers:

what is korean barbecue?

At a Korean bbq restaurant, you can expect to receive a platter of raw meat of your choice along with a variety of side dishes (called banchan). Your table will have a grill for your party to use to cook the meat.

Yes, you're paying to cook your food... Maybe Kramer's pizza idea wasn't so crazy after all ;)

The proteins cook very quickly and you can enjoy them in a piece of lettuce along with banchan of your choice! Maybe you put in some kimchi or little bean sprouts for example along with the meat.

Scissors are provided to cut the meat as well as tongs to flip the meat on the grill. Your waitstaff will change out the grill plates as needed to ensure an enjoyable cooking experience.

If you're nervous or not sure what to do, just ask! They'll be happy to explain how it works or assist you. Once when we ate Korean BBQ at Tomato in Tokyo they regularly came back to lend a hand and keep things moving smoothly so we always had the next bite ready! :)

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What we ordered:

copo de sangria tinta - 2.5

I ordered a copo de sangria tinta (a glass of red sangria). The sangria at Han Table Barbecue cost 2.5€. It was refreshing and I appreciated the way the citrus brightened the otherwise meat-heavy meal.

If your friends also want sangria you can share a liter of sangria for 12.95€.

Cass Beer - 3.6

Trying international beers is always novel when visiting a restaurant like this. Here we tried Cass beer and below you can see the ingredients and label details.

Jinro Plum Soju - 7.95

Some say that it is an absolute must to drink Soju with Korean barbecue. One of our friends enjoyed this imported Jinro Plum Soju alcoholic drink.

Han table bbq Drink menu with Prices

Here is the drink menu with prices, including water, soft drinks, coffee, tea, beer, wine, and specialty Korean beverages.

Han Table BBQ Drink Menu With Prices

555 Combinado de Han; Han tudo platter - 38€

When in doubt, order the combo option, that's our motto. With that in mind, we went for menu item 555 the combination platter. It looks pretty beautiful for a platter of raw meat, doesn't it?!

What is in the Han combination platter?

A bit of everything! Bulgogi, YanBian traditional beef, seasoned pork belly, seasoned beef belly, spicy shrimp, squid, marinated chicken, lamb meat, and iberico black pork.

More Foodie ReviewS:

Dining Experience:

The weather in Lisbon was beautiful so we opted to sit outside on the terrace. Is there anything better than dining al fresco in Europe!?

Here you can see the grill covered and then in action. We were enjoying the company with our friends so much that we really didn't get any more pictures of the cooking process after this. Don't regret it at all. :)

our han table barbecue expo review:

We had a great time at Han Table in Expo! This is our second experience at a Han Table restaurant in Lisbon and we think it's really fun. It's something different and grilling together adds an activity element to the dining experience. The ingredient quality was high and the staff was kind. We would come back!

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What's Nearby?

Directly next door to Han is Bubble Time, a Boba Tea shop!

Bubble Time, a bubble tea and waffle cone shop located next to Han Table Barbecue in Lisbon

You're also right by the Tejo (Tagus) River. So you can enjoy walking along the Riverfront and why not take in some aerial views of the city by cable car/ gondola while you're here?

Fun fact: Did you know the Tagus is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula!?

Lisbon Cable Cars offer a unique view of the city

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Buy Lisbon Card Here

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Lisbon Food Tour!

han table barbecue menu with prices

Curious about the rest of the menu and prices for Han Table bbq in Lisbon?

These prices are accurate as of August 2024. They should at least give you an idea of what to expect! :)

More Portugal Travel:

Americans Try Korean Food:

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A Spring weekend in Lisbon, Portugal

8/7/2024

Read our review of TURIM SALDANHA Hotel

In June we made a quick weekend trip to Lisbon for an assembly. We arrived at Sete Rios Bus Station in Lisbon around 3pm after a 3-ish hour bus ride.

The Uber ride from the bus station in Lisbon to our hotel in the Saldanha neighborhood was 3.88€

Turim Saldanha Hotel

Turim Saldanha Lobby | Lisbon Portugal Travel Blog

We were absolutely famished after the bus ride when I remembered we had a few snacks left in our bag. A lovely family from Hawaii had been visiting Odemira when we happened to visit for a talk one day. They were sharing these little tastes of Hawaii with everyone we meet! Edible gifts are the best - such a fun way to share a piece of your homeland!

Diamond bakery hawaiian shortbread macadamia nut guava cookies

A tasty little treat, I'm always in favor of a shortbread. :)

Try hawaiian shortbread cookies

Mauna Loa Dry Roasted Macadamias - Maui onion and garlic

These macadamia nuts were delicious and addictive. The Maui onion & garlic flavor was sooo good - highly recommend!!

Try Maui Onion & Garlic Macadamia Nuts

We were eating these macadamia nuts when there was a knock on our hotel room door - an employee stopping by to help resolve an issue.

Once everything was sorted and we had done a room tour for you, we unpacked and were ready to walk to dinner - trying to find the best pizza in Lisbon!

On our walk to Forno d oro, we discovered the Lisbon Book Fair was taking place. (Feira do Livro Lisboa 2024)

94th Feira do Livro Lisboa 2024 | Lisbon Book Fair

If you're wondering how people dress in Portugal, I'd say this family is a good example!

Cute and comfy dresses paired with trainers or other supportive footwear are popular outfits among women and girls in Lisbon.

People on a whole tend to dress nicely in Portugal.

What to wear in Lisbon

Spring time is one of the best times to visit Portugal because of mild weather, fewer tourists, better prices, and spring flowers, of course!

Jacaranda Trees in Bloom in June | Spring in Lisbon

These beautiful lilac/blue/purplish flowering trees in this Lisbon park are called Jacaranda Mimosifolia.
Aren't they lovely?

A red tourist sight-seeing bus in Lisbon behind a row of blooming Jacaranda trees

If you look to the right hand corner of the photo above, you can see the red hop-on-hop-off bus. Perhaps you'd like to rest your feet and let someone drive you around Lisbon sights for a day or two!

Lilac blooms of jacaranda trees line this Lisboa street in June

It's just so hard not to keep taking pictures of the jacaranda trees in bloom in Lisbon during spring time, but alas! finding the best pizza in Portugal is a mission that requires sacrifice, so onward we go on our journey to the pizzeria.

A pomegranate tree shades the ecoponto

Portugal Travel Tip: public Recycling and Trash

As you walk around Lisbon and Portugal in general, you will notice public recycling areas (ecoponto). The bins in this photo are actually on the small side. Here are some things to know about recycling in Portugal.

The bins are color coded and when you look at the packaging you want to recycle, it will indicate which color bin you need to place it in. Green (verde) is for glass, Blue (Azul) is for paper and cardboard, Yellow (amarelo) is for metal and plastic. Lixo means trash, as in regular garbage.

By the way, do you see the tree behind those recycling and garbage bins? Do you know what it is?
It's a pomegranate tree! So cool that in a few months, right on the side of a Lisbon sidewalk will be fresh pomegranate fruits!

Lisbon is a city of hills. You will get your steps in, with ease!

It's really hard to get a sense of it, but this was quite an uphill walk. When you travel to Lisbon you need to pack good walking shoes. The best travel shoes or sandals would not only be comfortable and provide anatomical support, but also have no-slip soles because the beautiful little tiled sidewalks can be quite slick!

My mom just did a multi-brand side-by-side try on of the most popular comfortable footwear for women and this brand is her hands down favorite to date.

Finally we made it to the popular Forno d'Oro pizza restaurant in Lisbon!!

Outside Forno d'Oro, a popular Lisbon Pizzeria

You can read our dedicated post about our experience at this pizzeria to get our full restaurant review!

Forno d Oro Review

With bellies full of delicious Neapolitan pizza and tiramisu, we started the walk back to our Saldanha hotel.

A motorbike parked in the weeds of a Lisbon sidewalk | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

Remember earlier when I was trying to capture how steep the hill was? Maybe this picture gives you a better idea.

Walk carefully on the calçadas, tiled sidewalks, of Lisboa

I happened to look into a store window we were passing by and see this little bear t shirt and it reminded me of my Abuelita. ❤

And have you ever seen pearl hangers like this before?

A kitsch bear shirt hangs in the window display of a Lisbon shop

As we were enjoying the walk and the Lisboa book fair was still open, we decided to take a stroll through it.

At the entrance of the book fair you can go along the right side or left side. There were sooo many publishers here.

Entering the Lisbon Book Fair 2024 | Lisbon Travel Blog

As this is a travel blog with a food focus, I have to show you a few of the fair foods in Portugal and their respective prices.

This food truck called Capricciosa sold Rolotini's (pizza rolls) for 7.5€. If you get the "Menu" it's a combo including a pizza roll and a drink for 8€.

Farturas are a popular fair food in summer in Portugal and you will see little stalls pop up along the beach boardwalks as well as events like this book fair.

What are farturas?
Some describe farturas as a Portuguese dessert which combines everything you love about a funnel cake with a churro and as I type that out I'm wondering how it is that we still haven't tried these for ourselves?!

Farturas, a popular Portuguese fair food | Portugal Food Blog

Growing up in an area where summer sweet corn is abundant, you don't realize how good an ear of corn is and how many people don't have access to such a simple summer time pleasure. That makes it a real novelty item.

Here at corn club you can order some gourmet corn for 5€

Corn for sale at a Portuguese fair

Of course this classic moment came immediately to mind.

There was a large seating area set up at the Lisbon book fair where you could enjoy your fair foods while looking out over Parque Eduardo VII.

Lisboa's Parque Eduardo VII at night

As we left the book fair, I had to stop and take a picture of this incredible mural at the espaço Porto Editora | Bertrand Editora. What a detailed piece of artwork! I couldn't help but think of my talented Italian friend and illustrator Miriam who at times creates works in this style!

An incredible mural at Lisbon Book Fair

Apparently there were various scheduled talks and discussions during the Lisbon book fair. I was surprised to stumble upon live music. We stopped and listened for a few minutes.

Live Music at Lisbon's Book Fair

Portugal really has a lot of family friendly events like this and most of them are free or very affordable!

You're never far from something interesting to see whether it's the sticker collection on the back of a street sign or beautiful tiles adding character to a building.

On day two of this weekend in Lisbon we had our scheduled assembly program all day. The hotel had little chocolate umbrellas at the reception the night before and I saved mine for a hearty breakfast. ;)

A milk chocolate umbrella candy compliments of Turim Hotels

We Uber-ed to the program and I have to remind you that while your default mode may be to pull out your phone to pass the time in the car ... YOU'RE IN LISBON! Look around! =) There are lots of interesting things to see, beautiful architecture etc.

Intricate details in the architectural style of this Lisbon building

After a day of learning and socializing we were ready to eat! We discovered a unique restaurant in walking distance from our hotel - an Armenian Restaurant!

Ararate Armenian Restaurant in Lisbon

At this restaurant I ate something that I consider to be a perfect food. :) Check out all the Armenian and Georgian foods we tried in our Ararate Restaurant Review.

Ararate Restaurant Review

It was now day 3 and we had a 12pm hotel checkout with a 12:30pm bus scheduled. We had plenty of time so we decided to check out the popular and very cute brunch spot Hygge Kaffe.

Hygge Kaffe - a cute and instagrammable brunch spot

If you love aesthetic food pics and trendy brunch dishes, check out our review of Hygge which my dad described as "honest and sincere". =)

An Instagrammable Brunch in Lisbon

We nearly missed our bus, our uber drop off time was 12:28 for a bus that leaves at 12:30. So we ran as fast as we could and just barely made it on in time.

We spent the bus ride catching our breath, filled with gratitude for everything that made this such a special weekend.

Crossing Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon | Bus Window View

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Instagram vs. Reality hygge kaffe lisbon Trendy brunch review

8/6/2024

It was the final day of our weekend in Lisbon and instead of paying for breakfast at our hotel in Saldanha, we decided to walk to a nearby spot that is highly recommended for brunch in Lisbon - Hygge Kafe.

Lisbon Hotel Deals

In this post:

Looking for something specific? Jump ahead:

Hygge Kaffe Vibe

Immediately loved the vibe of this place from the green and white awning...

Hygge Kaffe Lisbon | Traveling Through Food Lisbon Restaurant Review Blog

.... To the artsy, floral table ....

Cute painted tables | Hygge Kaffe Review

... to the thoughtfully designed napkins ...

The napkins read:

At Hygge, we thrive on the scent of cinnamon, we gather around waffles and/or cakes with mugs of hot coffee, sharing stories, the simple pleasures, a hot cocoa, board games, books and laughter. A haven of joy, the spirit of coziness weaving through, making it a warm and inviting home for all."

Love.

Even the napkins are heartwarming at hygge cafe in lisbon

... to the charming tiled buildings within your gaze....

Lisbon tiled buildings add to the charm of outdoor dining at Hygge Cafe

Hygge cafe had cute down to a science. Would you like to take a peek inside?

Lisbon's Hygge Cafe Menu At The Entrance

Portugal Travel Tip:

Many restaurants will post the menu outside (usually there's someone sitting right by it so it's a bit awkward) but many menus will also have a QR code on them. If you open your phone's camera you can scan the QR code to open the menu on your phone. It is also common to see the menu QR code on the restaurant's tables or the back of the chairs. It's kind of funny, but handy!

Inside the trendy Lisboa brunch spot | Hygge Cafe Review

Inside Hygge Cafe is also very cute! But is the food as cute? Let's see what's on the menu..

See Full Hygge Lisboa Menu Here!

Lisbon Hygge Cafe Menu

Paper menu for the cafe at hygge house. Tap the photo for the full menu!

We ended up ordering 1 cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting topped with pistachios, a savory waffle with bacon, an espresso, a bottle of agua com gás (sparkling water) and a menu de almoço (weekday lunch deal which included a smorrebrod (an open face sandwich/toast), a bowl of soup, a fresh squeezed juice, and a coffee for just 12€!)

Our entire order was under 26€

Feeling very happy to have all of this coming our way, we sat back and enjoyed the outdoor cafe seating and watched life go by on a Lisbon street.

Sparkling water arrived in a branded glass bottle. You see this in many restaurants in Portugal as well as hotels. One cafe (espresso) arrived as well. Remember, we ordered two.. =)

The coffee.

Wondering about prices at Hygge Cafe? The sparkling water was 1.60€ while espresso was 1€

Não faz mal, no problem, I didn't mind waiting a bit longer for a coffee. I had already had some of the instant at the hotel and while it in no way compares to a fresh espresso like this, it did at least provide me with a bit of caffeine on this morning.

An espresso, simply ordered as cafe in Portuguese, at hygge cafe.

The price of an espresso at Hygge cafe Lisboa was one euro.

The espresso was nice and 1€ is a reasonable price for an espresso in a trendy cafe in Lisbon! They even have their own branded sugar packets. :)

The waffles.

The waffle Salgado (salty/savory waffle) was 8€ and featured turkey bacon flakes in between and on top of two waffles, a sunny side up egg, and some micro greens for garnish. Oh, and "maple" syrup. lol.

Real Maple Syrup

The Avocado Toast.

I opted for the Florentine Smørrebrød which consisted of avocado cream, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, and smoked paprika over a slice of Gleba bread. It was nestled beside a colorful salad (which was a pleasant surprise as I wasn't expecting it!) with a few radish slices and pomegranate seeds. Stunning visuals!

Let's see how the egg looks inside:

Inside the poached eggs of the Florentine Smørrebrød at Lisboa's trendy brunch spot Hygge

The Cinnamon Roll.

It had been quite some time since we had an iced cinnamon roll and they seemed to be a specialty here at Hygge Kafe so we couldn't resist ordering one. I wanted to give it a try before getting too full from the smørrebrød.

Once again, the aesthetics are on point. Doesn't this cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting and crushed pistachios look amazing?! You know what would go great with it? A cafezinho (a little coffee). But mine still hasn't arrived.

And wait a minute, neither has my soup or my fresh squeezed juice. There was quite a bit of confusion, and our server seemed puzzled. We don't know who dropped the ball, but in the end all of our food showed up and that's what matters!

The food we almost did not receive

The soup of the day was a nice creamy vegetable soup and the fresh squeezed juice was abacaxi (pineapple) and it was delicious. By the way, another word for pineapple in portuguese is ananás.

Lisbon hygge cafe reviews

For us, our personal experience at Hygge Kafe was a bit of an "instagram vs reality" type of deal. The aesthetic of this Lisbon cafe is on point and the food is so visually appealing, few could deny that.

The reality is that it was a bit of a miss for us.

With the exception of the soup, the hot foods were not hot by the time they reached us, unfortunately. Cold eggs and hollandaise sauce, anyone? I didn't think so...

The waffles were a bit on the dry side and I always think it's a gamble to order something with "maple" syrup, iykyk.

Similarly, the cinnamon roll was on the dense and dry side. Now this could be the style of a Scandinavian cinnamon roll for all I know. It's just not our preference.

Hygge gift ideas.

Hygge Roll-on • Cozy Socks Vintage Gift Basket • Skal Drinking Mug Hygge Gift Set • Fika All Day Poster •Hygge Gift Basket w/ Journal

The coffee, soup, little salad, and fresh squeezed pineapple juices were all great though!

In the end our dining experience was a bit stressful as it took so long to get all of our food, most of it was not received at it's prime, and all of this took our morning from a leisurely brunch and hotel check out to catch a 12:30 bus to arriving at the bus station with literally moments to spare as we were the last to board the bus and had been bracing ourselves that the uber would not make it to the bus station in time.

I would like to chalk this experience up as a fluke since the place has so many amazing reviews, but we can only share what our direct experiences are.

If you decide to try Hygge Kaffe out, you will love the atmosphere and get great foodie pics, if that's your thing. Let us know how the actual food tastes on your visit!

Lisbon Hotel Review - Turim Saldanha

More from this weekend trip to lisbon in june

Cool Lisbon Restaurant - Ararate Armenian Restaurant

Best Pizza in Lisbon?

Coming soon:

A weekend trip to Lisbon in June

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A day trip from lisbon to the algarve

8/4/2024

If you're staying in Lisboa (oh, hi! did you know the Portuguese version of Lisbon is Lisboa?) and wondering if it's possible to make a day trip to the Algarve from Lisbon, let me tell you it is absolutely possible!

Chances are high you will wish you had more time in the southern coast of Portugal and a one-day visit is going to make for a long day, but it IS definitely possible and oh so worth it.

A seagull soars over the cliffs of Carvoeiro | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

In this post:

Looking for something specific? Jump ahead:

Benagil Cave Boat Tour
- By Speedboat
- By Pirate Ship
- By Kayak
Mel & Canela Review
Sorbetto Gelateria Review
Algarve Beaches
- Praia dos Tres Castelos
- Praia Grande Ferragudo
- Praia de Carvoeiro
Forno do Fraser Carvoeiro Pizzeria Review
How to get to Algarve From Lisbon
Best Travel Credit Cards

Benagil Cave Boat Tour

A top activity when you come to the southern coast of Portugal is to a Benagil Cave tour by boat. I really do recommend this as you get spectacular views of the unique cliffs all along the Algarvian coastline. The guides are great and intertwine facts with humor and explain all the little beach towns and secret beaches you see along the way. On occasion you may even see wild dolphins, though this is not guaranteed.

Benagil Cave by speedboat

A Benagil Cave Speedboat Tour | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

The most popular way to see the caves is by speedboat. There are tons of companies offering these tours from all over Algarve. This is the boat tour we did recently and we had a good experience! It's likely that your boat will be pretty full in-season and you really are packed like sardinhas (sardines). On our boat each row sat 3 people. If you're in the middle seat you will find it a bit more difficult to see at times. You really want to be on the ends if you're the photographer/videographer of the group.

Tips: Try to get in the front of the boat and a seat on either end for the best views.

The boats can only pull so far into the caves so the people toward the front will have the best view. As the boats are usually traveling roundtrip from the same town if you start out on the side of the boat facing the ocean, on the way back you will face the shore. Typically the return trip is faster, though. You've already seen what they want to show you and now you are turning back. So if you really want the best photo ops go for the left side of the boat (when inside the boat) if you are departing from Portimao Marina Boat Tours.

Book a Speedboat Tour

Benagil Cave by Pirate Ship

See the Algarvian Coast from a Pirate Ship | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

Another option is to take the pirate ship cave cruise. As you can see right away this is a much larger vessel. You may find this more comfortable if your body structure is not compatible with the sardine situation, if you have bad knees and it would be hard to sit in a low seat, or if you're nervous about feeling the waves too much in a speedboat.

The pirate ship is equipped with a bar selling beverages and snacks, but many bring their own snacks on board. The ship has two smaller boats at the back that you can board to actually get a closer look at the caves as the main pirate ship is too large.

Book the pirate ship

Benagil cave by Kayak Tour

The most immersive Benagil Cave experience is by Kayak | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

If you are more adventurous and truly want to get inside the caves, in the water and on the beaches, you must do a Benagil caves kayak tour.

Book a Kayak Tour

Ocean Kayakers touring Benagil Caves in Portugal | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

Pre-cruise snack at mel & Canela

If you've taken an early morning bus from Lisbon to Algarve you are probably going to be pretty hungry. I recommend grabbing a little something to eat.

As our boat trip was leaving from Portimao Marina, we stopped at this spacious cafe called Mel & Canela, meaning Honey & Cinnamon in Portuguese. We just got some classics like a bifana com ovo (pork sandwich with an egg) and a pork bitoque which came with a side of French fries, a simple salad, and an egg on top.

Post-cruise snack at Sorbetto Gelateria

It only feels like vacation when you have an ice cream, right? A Gelato was a perfect treat after the benagil cave speedboat tour and we opted for a place called Sorbetto Gelateria at Praia Da Rocha in Portimao.

The gelato was unbelievably delicious and we got two very European flavors - Améndoa e Figo (Almond and Fig) and Pistachio. Prices here ranged from 2.50-6 euros for small, medium, large, or extra large cones. And do note that even if you get a small (pequeno) you can have two flavors ;)

The girls working in this Gelateria were especially simpatico (friendly) and actually made this sweet treat an even sweeter experience!

We definitely recommend this gelato in Portugal - Sorbetto Gelateria. They use fresh, natural ingredients and make everything in small batches and that is totally our style.

Algarve Beaches

Of course while you are on your day trip to the Algarve you should see the beaches. Maybe you already did a boat tour or maybe you aren't into water activities. Either way you should see the beaches, whether you sunbathe and eat Bolas de Berlim (a portuguese pastry that's sort of like a sugared donut cut in half and filled with cream that is traditionally egg and sugar based, although plain and other flavors like Nutella can be had) or you enjoy a sangria at a beach cafe or you walk some cliff trails - you really cannot go wrong!

Praia dos Três Castelos

This is from the miradouro dos Três Castlos (Viewpoint of the 3 Castles) an observation deck in Portimao, Portugal. You can walk down to the beach from here if you'd like!

By the way praia is the Portuguese word for beach. =)

Praia dos Trés Castelos as seen from the Miradouro | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

Praia Grande Ferragudo

Praia Grande in Ferragudo is just across the river from Portimão. It's another beautiful and spacious Portuguese beach on which you can find a medieval castle, the Forte de São João do Arade, which I think is so cool. The initial watchtower is thought to have been built around 1520, while the actual castle was constructed around 1640, after the Portuguese Restoration War. Forte de São João is privately owned, so do be respectful when you are near the property. =)

Medieval Castle on Praia Grande, a beach in Ferragudo Portugal | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

The fishing village of Ferragudo is also not to be missed. It's a great village to walk around in as it is filled with cute and funky shops, great restaurants, and quaint cafes.

Charming street in the Fishing Village Ferragudo Portugal | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

If you're into unique, artsy souvenirs check out deja vu art shop in Ferragudo.

Praia de Carvoeiro

Heading a short distance to the east of Ferragudo you will find Praia de Carvoeiro.

Famous Praia de Carvoeiro | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

It is a small sandy beach with a hilly, but walkable and lively town. While you are here you should try and walk along the Carvoeiro Boardwalk, Algar Seco, for stunning views and you can climb down into some of the cliffs which is very cool.

Algar Seco Cliffs and Beautiful Views in Algarve Portugal | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

You can go decently far where there are stairs built in to the rock, and wooden posts with rope hand rails. For the adventurous and well coordinated you can safely continue to explore further if you wish.

Before you catch a bus home, if you're around long enough, I can't recommend highly enough getting a pizza at Forno do Fraser. This is the best pizza place in Carvoeiro we've had to date and it's a short walk up the hill from the beach.

Fig Pizza on Carvoeiro Beach from Forno do Fraser | Traveling Through Food Portugal Travel Blog

Current hours at time of this article are Monday - Saturday 17:30-22:00 (5:30pm - 10pm)

If you want to dine in, I recommend you make a reservation. Depending on the day the dining room may be packed and unable to accommodate walk-ins. Although we have picked pizza up to eat at the beach as seen above.

Forno do Fraser deserves a full review for our Pizza in Portugal series, so stay tuned for that.

one day in the algarve is simply not enough

There are so many ways to spend one day in Algarve. Boat trips, beach days, shopping for local handicrafts, day trips to monchique or Silves castle, trying the many Portuguese Pastries, hiking, summer concerts, waterparks, spas, golfing... there is so much to do here I'm sure you will be convinced after one day that you simply must come back again soon! ;)

How to get to algarve from lisbon

Of course you can rent a car and drive (check car rental prices), but if you're not interested in messing with that I can recommend the train or the bus.

BuyPortugal train tickets at the Comboios de Portugal (Trains of Portugal) website: cp.pt
Buy Portugal bus tickets through the Rede Expressos website rede-expressos.pt/pt
Buy Portugal bus tickets through FlixBus website flixbus.com/bus/portugal

While it depends where exactly you get on and off, the bus takes around 3 hours between Lisbon and Algarve.

Which stop should you get off at?

Albufeira is popular with tourists, but you can also take the bus to Armação de Pêra, Portimão, or Lagoa if you'd like to visit Carvoeiro beach town.

How much is the bus from Lisbon to Algarve?
The bus is incredibly affordable with seats starting at $5 euros. An incredible value!

Do note that the cheapest seats will be at the back of the bus and the ticket price increases as the travel date nears. My best tip for you is that as soon as you know when you want to make your trip from Lisbon to Algarve, if the dates are available for purchase, buy your tickets! This way you get the best price and you're guaranteed to see some of the amazing this shared in this post! ;)

FYI: In some cases the tickets will only be available approximately 1 month before a travel date.

You'll also like:

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Forno d'Oro Pizzeria di Tanka Sapkota Lisbon Pizzeria Review

7/23/2024

More Like This:Pizza in Portugal • Lisbon Restaurants

We are on a very serious mission to find the best Pizza in Portugal.

We know your time in Portugal is probably short and you want to make the most of it. We also know you're almost guaranteed to want Pizza at some point on your trip because .... pizza. ;)

So once again, we are doing the responsible and kind thing - trying as many pizza restaurants as our wallet and waistlines can afford so you know where to go!

In this post:

Looking for something specific? Jump ahead:

Forno D'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

On a summer weekend in Lisbon we walked from our hotel to a really great pizza place about one mile away - Forno d'oreo. haha okay no, it's not called that, but autocorrect made it the Oreo Oven instead of Gold Oven and I'm leaving it because just imagine the possibilities of a place called Oreo Oven....

Okay. Back to Pizza.

Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

It was a bold move to show up to a popular Lisbon restaurant like Forno d'Oro on a Saturday night without a reservation. We acknowledged right away that we had no reservation, hoping to curry favor, and wondered if they might acquiesce to letting us have a table. It didn't seem super promising, but I guess the fact that this post exists is a spoiler, isn't it? :p

The guy let us know that we could have a table if we would be done by 21:15 (9:15pm) when they presumably had a reservation. It was about 19:45 (7:45pm). So we had an hour and a half - that seemed reasonable!

Travel Tip Related to Time (Not a Time Travel Tip, that's different): Get used to the 24h clock here. Medical people - you'll be fine, you're already used to it. Everyone else, you'll probably be doing small math in your head to work out the times. hehe

Inside Forno d'oro

As you would expect, there is a literal glistening, golden oven. Our table was quite near to it. Don't you love getting to see the pizzas being slid off the peel into the oven and pulled out a few minutes later?

Dinner and a show!

Be sure not to miss the industrial sized mixer in the corner - can you imagine how much glorious pizza dough that makes at one time?!

The Golden Oven at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

The golden oven branding is thorough, even adorning the napkin rings!

Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

Forno d'oro Seasonal Pizza Menu

It's great to see a Pizze Stagionali (Seasonal Pizza in Italian) menu because it means the pizzeria is taking advantage of local ingredients that are currently in season like Portugal's incredible figs.

Seasonal Pizza Menu Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

How much are speciality Pizza's in Lisbon?
The seasonal Pizzas at Forno d'Oro are 16.95 euro - June 2024 pricing. That's about $18.40 for a premium pizza at a top restaurant.

Forno d'oro Menu

If you're looking at a more classic pizza like a Margherita, it will run you 11.95 euro or about $13.
For those not interested in Pizza there are appetizers you may like as well as a selection of pastas.

Forno d'Oro Pizzeria Menu in Lisbon

Forno D'oro Beverage Menu

Wines by the glass and bottle are available at Forno d'Oro, as well as craft beers.

Beverage Menu at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

The bevvies

Beer is always a perfect match for pizza so we ordered one Benediktner Dunkel from Germany (2.95)

German Beer at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

And one Portuguese craft beer called Letra D. I have a hard time passing up a red ale. It was a splash out at 5.50, but I had no idea what a fancy experience I was in for..

The waiter opened the bottle, poured a little splash into the glass and had me taste it as if it was some sort of expensive wine. I hate the attention and feel incredibly awkward so I give it the fastest sip and thumbs up ever so we could move on.

Letra D Red Ale Portuguese Beer at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

And move on we did... to this single bottle of beer chilling in a table-side ice bucket like it was champagne or something. Que fancy. This had me cracking up the whole time. I was also like.. does he come back to top off my glass or do I do it? lol. Yeah, he didn't come back for that. I did it. :p

Letra D from Portuguese Microbrewery Served at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

Letra Brewery in Portugal

Side Note: Cerveja Letra is a microbrewery from Vila Verde in northern Portugal. They also have locations in Braga and Porto. If you're in the area, stop by one of their taprooms. High recommendation.

Margherita DOP

As you know, we almost always get a margherita pizza at a new pizzeria as a baseline. You can obviously tell from the pic below that it was not a bad decision. ;)

Margherita Pizza at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

A simple pizza with tomato, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil. What more can you ask for?
A drizzle of olive oil you say? It's on the table for you :)

Bottom of Margherita Pizza at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

Take a peek at the bottom of the crust. We're looking for texture and some nice coloring from the Gold Oven.

Fichi, Prosciutto e gorgonzola pizza

We have developed another condition where when we see a pizza with fig, prosciutto, and gorgonzola on a menu, we almost cannot pass it up. We have had an incredible fig pizza in Lisbon before and it's just such a journey you go on that you want to keep coming back to experience again and again.

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

I mean just look at this! Quite generous with the prosciutto ham, wouldn't you agree?

A Pizza with Fig, Prosciutto, and Gorgonzola at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

Can you see the slices of sweet figs under the prosciutto blanket?

A well baked pizza at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

And of course, a peek underneath!

This is a delicious seasonal pizza. You get the texture and chew of the prosciutto as well as its saltiness, added to the sweet figs, and the savory flavor of gorgonzola cheese - it's soo yummy! The only thing we missed was a touch of heat! (hot honey drizzle anyone!?)

A Delicious Seasonal Pizza at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

With two solid pizzas devoured we still had some time left on the clock before we had to vacate our table so we opted for coffee and dessert!

Espresso & Tiramisu

Forno d'Oro in Lisbon serves a lovely Italian Espresso by Illy (1.40). You can order Illy Italian Coffee in the US anytime, by the way, if you'd like to try it.

Illy Espresso at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

They serve a beautiful tiramisu as well. We just shared the one (5.50) and it was a perfect finishing touch to this outstanding meal in Lisbon!

In a traditional show of hospitality a complimentary shot of liquor was offered at the end of the meal, grappa or limoncello.

Grappa at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

This gave us a moment to look around the restaurant and reflect on what we had experienced.
Forno d'Oro, glistening in the corner, churning out fresh and delicious pizzas to a restaurant full of patrons - there were couples on dates, young families with children, larger groups celebrating the high moments of life, and solo diners enjoying every delicious bite. Pizza really brings people together. ❤

Glistening Golden Pizza Oven at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

It's true what they say.

The best things are made from the best things - natural, fresh ingredients.

The simplest elements often make the most delicious foods. :)

Simplicity often makes for the most lasting memories.

A message from Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

With that, we left our table at 21:06, phew, 9 minutes to spare.

A Momentarily Empty Table at Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

I wonder who sat at this table and ate at the Golden Oreo next?

Outside Forno d'Oro Pizzeria in Lisbon

Until Next time Forno d'Oro! Because there definitely will be a next time ;)

TURIM SALDANHA LISBON PORTUGAL HOTEL REVIEW

More from this weekend in lisbon:

ARARATE ARMENIAN RESTAURANT IN LISBON REVIEW

AN INSTAGRAMMABLE BRUNCH JOINT IN LISBON - HYGGE REVIEW

Coming soon..

A JUNE WEEKEND IN LISBON

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Turim Saldanha Lisbon Portugal Hotel Review

7/23/2024

See More: Lisbon Hotel Reviews • Lisbon Restaurant Reviews

When we go to Lisbon for a conference we try to stay in a different hotel each time, where possible.

This allows us the opportunity to explore different neighborhoods in Lisbon, experience a variety of restaurants, and ultimately enables us to share more information with you to help you plan your trip to Lisbon.

For this weekend in Lisbon we stayed in the Saldanha (Sal-don-yah) neighborhood at the Turim Saldanha Hotel.

In this post:

Looking for something specific? Jump ahead:

Turim Saldanha Hotel

We grabbed an Uber from the Sete Rios Bus Station to Turim Saldanha Hotel.
The main entrance is to the left of the man standing in the photo below, sort of tucked in from the street.

Turim Saldanha Hotel in Lisbon Portugal

Upon entering the hotel lobby you'll see some seating and the bar area. To the right you can see the elevators and just out of view is the reception desk. Checking in was smooth.

Lobby of Turim Saldanha Hotel

About checking in to hotels in Lisbon

Language - Throughout Lisbon if you are staying in a traditional Hotel there is almost certainly going to be someone at the front desk who can speak English. Nevertheless, we do like to use these opportunities to practice our Portuguese and if we don't understand then staff is gracious enough to switch to English.

Identification - It is common for all guests to be asked for their IDs whether that be a local residence card or a passport from your country.

City Tax - A city tax of 2 euros per person per night may be due upon check in. This is capped out at 14 euros per person. So if you stay at one hotel for longer than 7 nights at 2 euros per night, you will not have any further city tax charges.

Lisbon City Tax Increase - An increase to the Lisbon tourist tax has been approved and is to be in effect beginning September 1, 2024. The tax will go from 2 euros per person per night to 4 euros - doubling. source

standard room turim saldanha

Here is a view of the standard room from the entry way, just passed the bathroom door.

Standard Room at Turim Saldanha Hotel in Lisboa

It's very common in Europe to have two smaller beds next to each other instead of one Queen or King like Americans may be used to.

Room for 2 at Turim Saldanha Portugal Hotel

To the right of the bed a sliding full length mirror (see photo above) opened to the closet which housed a small safe, and a few hangers (see photo below). A phone was available at the side of the bed.

Closet Space Turim Saldanha Hotel

Have a look at the room from the head of the bed. A TV is mounted to the wall and below it is a floating shelf perfect for your keys, sunglasses, and whatever bits and bobs are in your pockets.

To the right is a desk area with mini fridge and hot beverage set up.

Turim Saldanha Television

For some reason the garbage can is right beneath the chair. It's always good to have a little garbage can in your hotel room outside of the bathroom.

Space to work and eat at Turim Saldanha

Some hotels we have stayed at recently do not have space to really eat a meal or work on your computer or even charge your devices. While not a ton of space, you do definitely have some options in this room between this desk and the small round table in the corner of the room.

Turim Saldanha Work Space

Shop European Plug Adapters

Free beverages at Turim Saldanha

Taking a look at the beverage set up above the desk, you can see there is a glass bottle labeled "Courtesy Water". It was great to have this free water in the hotel room! The housekeeping staff will replace it.

As you can see, the outlets are European style. So you will need to bring an adapter.

In-room Complimentary Beverages Turim Saldanha

The coffee situation, on the other hand was rather sad. The coffee was instant, to be used with the electric kettle, and upon arrival there was one package of black tea, one package of caffeinated coffee and one of decaf. I found it really strange that there wouldn't be two of each given that there were two guests booked into this room.

1 each - instant coffee, decaf, black tea

Each day of our stay I had to ask the front desk for more coffee packets. The staff down there was great and it was no trouble at all, but it would certainly be better for the guests if they just put a couple more in the room.

And let's be clear - no one is trying to take this coffee as a "freebie". It's not good. Like... at all. You only drink it out of pure necessity to fuel you until you can get a proper cafezinho. ❤

That's coming from a girlie who is not a fan of an instant coffee, though. Nothing personal. :)

Mini fridge prices in lisbon

Taking a peek into the mini fridge we found water, juice, coca-cola, sagres beer, a Toblerone Swiss candy bar, mixed nuts, some liquor and a tiny can of Pringles.

Mini Fridge Turim Saldanha Hotel

Curious how much mini fridge items cost in Lisbon?

Mini Fridge Price List in Portugal, stains not ours

This grubby little price list was in the room and no, we were not the ones who soiled it. lol. Kind of gross, but still informative. I never use stuff out of a mini fridge, and here's a great example why. One can of Coke 4.50 euro? that's almost $5. come on... I always bring my own snackies and this weekend was no exception.

Would you like to see the view from our room?

View from Hotel Room Turim Saldanha

Turim Saldanha Restaurant Menu and Prices

At the small round table near the window we found a menu for the room service from the restaurant in the hotel.

Turim Saldanha Standard Bathroom

Now let's check out the bathroom.

Turim Saldanha Bathroom Sink Area

You've got your standard toiletries along with wall-mounted tissues, hair dryer, and mirror.

Turim Saldanha Bathroom Toilet Area

Shower with bathtub with a glass door that doesn't slide enough to keep water from splashing out...

Turim Saldanha Bathroom Shower Area

Overall a nice bathroom! Until I washed my hands and realized there was a design flaw - where do you put the bar of hand soap when you're done?!

The sink ledge is curved, so you can't set it on the sink.
The toiletry stand has openings cut out to fit each toiletry in packaging. No where to set the soap.

Until I realized... that roll of toilet paper in the corner. It's not just the back up... it doubles as a soap rest! 8)

Turim Saldanha Bathroom Design Missing One Thing...

Let's get a close up of this design genius... It's like a little crown for the TP! :)

Makeshift Soap Holder :p

Oh wait.. our door lock doesn't work

It's about this time when we came to the realization that our door did not lock properly. You know how when you turn a deadbolt lock the deadbolt comes out of the door? Well in this case, the part you turn just turned 360 degrees and the deadbolt didn't ever emerge.

After a quick ring to the front desk, someone from housekeeping came by. The dear lady did not speak any English at all. While front desk staff will often speak English, as noted above, other staff may not as you can see here. Another great opportunity to practice Portuguese presents itself!

We explained and demonstrated the issue and while she didn't seem too fussed about it, she did get on the walkie talkie to her colleague. Her colleague laughed and said in Portuguese "Oh room # _____. It's just like that." And then the lady parroted that back to us as though it was a solution. So we asked if we could just switch rooms. She had to walkie talkie her colleague again, but conveniently turned the volume down this time. And a few minutes later someone from reception came up to meet us with a new room key and escort us to the new room - next door. The lock functioned normally there. :) He said he would put a maintenance request in for the other room.

So after all, these pictures are of the room we did not stay in. The room next door was almost identical though, don't worry. :)

Overall Review of turim saldanha

Turim Saldanha Hotel is a nice place to stay in a great area of Lisbon. The rooms were nice, simple and clean with modern touches and had everything you would need. You're in close walking distance to a lot of great restaurants and you're a quick uber away from anything you'd want to see. This hotel does not offer free breakfast and we did not try their paid offering. The staff was very nice and I would not hesitate to stay here again.

Lobby of Turim Saldanha Hotel

There are lots of other hotels for us to review, though. ;)