Paola & Pedro · Lisbon
Kept updated
Travel guide
Inside the guide
- 01Restaurants
- 02Neighborhoods
- 03Day trips
- 04Bars
- 05Skip list
Open in Notion
Field guide
Where we eat, drink, and send everyone
The pastel de nata we send everyone to. The beach worth the drive. The rooftop bar worth the wait, and the ones that aren't. Years of notes, kept open and updated.
Itinerary
Five days in Lisbon
Hover or tap a day to see the location on the map. Arrive whenever suits you — the wedding is on Thursday and the after-party is Friday by the sea.
For the mood
Lisbon, on shuffle
A playlist we keep adding to — fado, Brazilian bossa, Portuguese house, things we've heard at sunsets along the Tagus.
Now playing▶
Where · Alenquer
Solar de Pancas
A 15th-century Portuguese manor house
1498est.Portugal
Pancas has stood at the edge of Alenquer since 1498 — a stone solar surrounded by gardens, courtyards, and the kind of slow, golden light Portugal does so well. We can't think of a better place to begin.
The ceremony will be held in the gardens, with dinner and dancing under the arches of the courtyard. Sunset is around 19:45 in mid-September — the light around then is the reason we chose this place.
Photos: Solar de Pancas
Costa da Caparica · Friday, 6 PM
The beach party is here
Pé Nú, on the ocean beach 30 minutes south of Lisbon. Friday evening at six, sand under the tables, sunset on the Atlantic. Dress code: white, top to toe, with a layer for when it cools.
the after
Caparica · Beach club
Pé Nú Beach Club
Twenty-plus years on the Caparica sand — restaurant, beach bar, sunset cocktails. Where to land on Friday.
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
Questions
Things you might be wondering
the small print
Elegant formal. Men: formal suit (no tuxedo required). Women: long or elegant midi dress. Bring a layer for the evening.
Travel guide
Getting here, staying here
01
~1 hour · €25–€100 one-way
Fly Madrid → Lisbon
Iberia, Vueling, TAP, and Ryanair all fly direct several times a day. Vueling is often cheapest; Iberia/TAP most frequent.
Best for · Simplicity and speed
02
~9 hours overnight · €35–€120 one-way
Lusitânia night train
Departs Madrid Chamartín ~21:45, arrives Lisboa Oriente ~07:20. Sleep your way to Lisbon.
Best for · A romantic Iberian rail experience
03
~6 hours · €50–€75 fuel + ~€10–€15 tolls
Drive via A-5
Madrid → Badajoz → Lisbon. Stop in Évora or the Alentejo wine region en route. Helps with Alenquer logistics on wedding day.
Best for · Maximum flexibility and a road-trip feel
04
~5.5–7 hours · ~€45–€100 total
AVE to Badajoz + connection
Madrid Atocha → Badajoz on AVE/Iryo, then bus/train to Lisbon. More complicated than flying or the night train.
Best for · Train fans who can't make the night train work
Day trips
Two easy escapes
Both are short train rides from central Lisbon. Worth a day each.
0130–40 min by train from Cais do Sodré
Cascais
Sea, marina, slow lunch
A small coastal town with old cobblestone streets, a working marina, and some of the best seafood near Lisbon. Easy half-day or full day.
What to do
- Walk the old town and marina
- Cliffs at Boca do Inferno
- Praia da Rainha (central) or Praia do Guincho (wild)
- Drink with a view at Hotel Albatroz
Where to eat
- O Pescador — seafood classic
- Mar do Inferno — fish with sea views
- Bougain — relaxed dinner in town
- Santini — the gelato to end on
TipReserve restaurants ahead in high season. Bar do Guincho is worth the detour for sunset.
Open in Maps ↗
0245 min by train from Rossio
Sintra
Palaces, gardens, a fairy-tale day
UNESCO heritage town tucked into a green hillside — palaces, mossy gardens, and a cooler microclimate. Our personal favorite day trip.
What to do
- Palácio da Pena — the colorful one
- Quinta da Regaleira — gardens, tunnels, hidden corners
- Castelo dos Mouros — views over everything
- Cabo da Roca — the westernmost point of continental Europe
Where to eat
- Casa Piriquita — travesseiros, mandatory
- Tasca do Strauss — quiet, local
- Incomum — modern bistro
- Café Saudade — café & sweets
TipGo early. Use Uber or tuk-tuk inside Sintra — the hills are no joke. Stay a night if you can.
Open in Maps ↗Food
How to eat in Portugal
Portuguese food is honest and direct — good ingredients, simple preparations. Don't overthink it.
01
Savoury
- Caldo verdepotato & kale soup
- Bacalhau à lagareirosalt cod, olive oil, slow oven
- Polvo à lagareirooctopus, same treatment
- Arroz de tamborilmonkfish rice, often soupy
- Leitão à Bairradasuckling pig, outside Lisbon
- Bifanathe Portuguese pork sandwich
02
Sweet
- Pastel de natabest eaten warm
- Travesseiros de Sintraalmond pillow pastry
- Queijadas de Sintrasmall cheese tarts
- Baba de camelocondensed milk dessert
- Santini gelatoan institution
What to drink
Vinho verde
young, light, slightly fizzy
Ginjinha
cherry liqueur — order it as a shot
Vinho do Porto
after dinner, served chilled
Where we'd go
A short list, organized by mood. Reserve ahead at the popular spots; the rest reward walking in.
Specialty coffee & breakfast
- Manteigaria
- Fábrica Coffee Roasters
- The Folks
- Hello Kristof
- Comoba
- Dear Breakfast
Portuguese classics
- Cervejaria Ramiro
- Solar dos Presuntos
- O Velho Eurico
- Zé da Mouraria
- Taberna Sal Grosso
- Time Out Market
Modern & foodie
- Prado
- Canalha
- Tapisco
- Sea Me
- Bar Alimentar
- Magnolia Bistrot
Drinks & rooftops
- Park
- Red Frog
- TOPO Rooftop
- Toca da Raposa
- Sud Lisboa
- Café da Garagem
Sweets
- Pastéis de Belém
- Manteigaria
- Landeau Chocolate
- L'Éclair
- Gelato Davvero
Registry & RSVP
with gratitude
Your presence is the gift
If you'd like to contribute to our honeymoon, our registry lives on Zola, along with the RSVP form. One link for both. If you'd rather send a direct transfer, we've also listed options by currency below.
Prefer a direct transfer?