Short rant before the actual report: I downloaded an Orange esim before leaving, and all seemed okay, but when I turned it on at the Lisbon airport there were bars but it said 'No service.' What the what? Since I did not want to hassle with trying to get it working, I wrote the $20 off and stood in line to get a Vodafone esim which worked perfectly from the get-go.
Okay, real trip begins:
Lisbon (5 nights) Once we had online connection at the airport, I ordered a Bolt, but where were we to pick up? After fumbling and following signs, we finally ended up with a crowd of people just outside the parking garage. It seemed that once your driver arrived, he parked in one of the nearby spaces, sent you a message, and you tried to find the car. Since you do have a description, it wasn't impossible, but unnerving when you're jetlagged and in a strange city. But we found him, and were soon on our way into Lisbon.
Accomodation
1-bedroom apartment in the Alfama. Arturo, the host, was great; met us (since only residential cars could enter the area) and walked us into the apartment. It was compact, but very comfortable and nicely decorated. The Alfama has lots of stairs and alleyways. Google Maps(my husband's) was better about showing shortcuts than Apple Maps (mine)
Favorite Things We Did:
Food Tour - Culinary Backstreets looked the most interesting to us. We did 'Post-Colonial Feast,' and Ines, our guide took us to several different neighborhoods, trying Brazilian, Cape Verdean, Goan (East Indian). Almost more interesting than the food was our guide, who was proudly Portuguese, yet upfront about its colonial past and present. Go hungry because it is a LOT of food.
Lisboa em Fado - We don't go to concerts often, so though we wanted to try fado, we didn't want to be stuck for two hours if the music wasn't to our taste. This show was perfect; just under an hour long, with a couple of different styles of music, two performers, and two guitarist (one classical, one Portuguese). The performance space was small (I think there were less than 50 chairs), the acoustics were good, and no amplification needed. There are short video segments that explain the history. If you are a fado purist, it is not for you, but if you just want to see if fado is to your taste, this is a great introduction. You also get a glass of port. Buy tickets online, they are not available at the door.
Fado Museum - Ironically, though I just said I'm not into music, I enjoyed the museum (I am a big fan of good museums). I thought the exhibits were imaginative, and appreciated the English translations. I really enjoyed the comfy chairs where you could put on headphones and listen to different artists I even bought a CD of Ann Moura, one of the contemporary stars (love her poppy "Dia de Folga")
Carmo Archeological Museum -This is the remains of the church that partially survived the 1755 earthquake. It is like an piece of art itself, with the gray arches against the blue sky, the pillars holding up nothing, and pieces of other buildings put on pedestals in the space. Quite stunning. The museum is in the back, and a nice size, informative, but not overwhelming. Do visit the little museum store; which has a nice selection of books and I stocked up on merch featuring the museum cat, Carlota.
Igreja da Graca Viewpoint - The banner promised the best view in Lisbon for 5 euros. I don't know if it was the best, but it was a fabulous view and certainly a lot less crowded than the miradouro. You also got a free drink with your ticket (orange juice, soda, or wine). Did not view the church, but other from other pictures, it looks quite lovely and is not as popular as other churches.