Live It Up in Lisbon

For winter break 2008, my parents, sister, and I went on a trip through Europe; one stop of particular note was Lisbon. I had been to Spain before, but never its Iberian neighbor, so I was excited, to say the least.

The first thing to note is: wear walking shoes. The roads in Lisbon were slippery from a lot of rain and I fell more than once down its damp cobblestone streets. The roads are also steep, so it takes some effort if you’re doing a walking tour or hiking up to see the sights.

Also, you can get by with some Spanish. I found that Portuguese sounds a lot different than Spanish to my ears, but, now and then, I could pick up a word or two. It helps that the Portuguese themselves usually understand Spanish.

The nightlife there is remarkable. For one, there is no drinking age, so you can imbibe as much as you please. Even though I don’t drink, it’s still a fun atmosphere. Two, there are bars everywhere you look, filled to the brim with friendly people and cute guys. Three, don’t be afraid if a complete stranger asks you to dance. And four, always try the reggae bars: those have a fun Jamaican flavor that, surprisingly, doesn’t clash with the Portuguese sensibility of the town.