Three Days in Lisbon

Our first morning in Lisbon began with a coffee at the traditional Martinho da Arcada, a café dating back to 1782, tucked under the portico on the grand Praça do Comércio. After a quick freshen‑up at the hotel, we wandered up into the Alfama, hoping to slip into a fado show at the tiny, timeless tavern A Baiuca.

Luck was on our side. We met a local angel named Madelena, accompanied by two English friends who turned out to be London celebrity singers, the Broadway‑musical variety. They had reservations and invited us to join their table, tucked into a small room holding maybe 25 people, two musicians, a soulful senhora, and the staff. It was magical.

We got to know the guitarist, Angelo Freire, one of the finest fado guitarists in the world. He began playing young, winning a televised competition in Italy, and has toured internationally ever since. He’s performed at the Savannah Music Festival and the Jazz Festival multiple times. Who would believe his favorite city in America is Savannah, Georgia, as he told me a few days later! Naturally, I invited him to visit the Hostess City again as my guest.

At the end of the evening, I thanked Madelena and told her it was no accident we met. Before I left home, I had drawn a goddess card, Mary Magdalene. On the way to the fado show, we happened to walk along Madalena Street. And once we arrived, we met her. She hosted us on our very first night in Portugal.

That lucky beginning led to more: the next night we were invited to see Angelo perform at the oldest fado house in the Alfama, and a few days later we attended a private house‑concert dinner party outside Sintra. More on that later…

Day Two: Belém & the Reality of Modern Tourism

We started early, taking the trolley to Belém to visit the famous Pastéis de Belém, the pastry house founded in 1837. Their little custard pies originally made to feed the monks down the street, are now produced by the tens of thousands each day and eaten everywhere in Lisbon. After this nostalgic breakfast, we strolled along the waterfront before our scheduled entry into the monastery.

Lisbon is chaotic and full of international visitors, so reservations and long lines are simply part of the experience. Patience is required. We are visitors too, just like everyone else trying to get in.

Over lunch we found ourselves discussing over‑tourism — what it means, and what solutions might exist. Everyone wants to see the iconic places, the Instagram‑able viewpoints, the postcard monuments. This is the modern world of travel, unless you come in the off‑season or choose destinations off the grid. Cruise ships carrying 3,500 passengers block the harbor views below. And we are part of this Disneyland of tourism; all we can do is try to be respectful travelers while we swim along.

Gianni noted there are now more tuk‑tuks in Lisbon than in Thailand. Someone later told us there are over 1,000 tuk‑tuks in the city. When I was last here in 1997, I don’t remember seeing a single one. People walked the hills the old‑fashioned way - on their feet, or by tram or elevator. Now the decorated tuk‑tuks buzz around like wasps, carrying visitors everywhere. We opted for an old‑school stroll, which rewarded us with better views and helped walk off the many treats we were enjoying.

The Best Part: The People

What I loved most is that each day in Lisbon we met new friends, some locals, some fellow travelers.

On our second evening we joined a food tour and met Rhonda, an adventurous solo traveler and flight attendant from Texas. We ended up at a great bar with live music, talking late into the night.

On our final day, wandering through the Bairro Alto, we stepped into the small church of São Jorge. There we met Eileen, a retired Berkeley psychology professor who stumbled and fell in the pew in front of us. We helped her up and sat with her for half an hour while she recovered, leaving the church together as new friends. Spending time with her wasn’t an interruption to our sightseeing, it was the best part. ❤️Read more