Lisben

With only one weekend in Portugal, my friends and I made the most of our time and didn’t sleep for 3 days while we blitzed our way through Lisbon and Sintra. Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal right on the water and has a lively nightlife. The bars and clubs turnover frequently so I won’t provide a food guide here, but almost anywhere you eat has fresh, delicious Portuguese food. Take a ride on the yellow 28 Tram to get acquainted with the city and stop in the Bairro Alto district for the trendiest bars and live music venues. If you love Fado music, Lisbon is your city! This is pretty much all they listen to and on the weekends the streets turn into one big party. Get a panoramic view of Lisbon’s orange tiled rooftops from the Miradouro do Monte view point, where you can also see the Senhora do Monte castle. Finally, a walk through eh Alfama district is a great place for shopping and small cafes.

Sintra

We took a day trip to the Palacio Nacional da Pena which is a real-life Disney Castle! The architecture is a random mix of different colors and styles. Way up on the top of a hill, the castle also has the best views in Portugal.