Lisbon’s a Blur: Rain, Pastel Buildings, and Seriously Strong Coffee

okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and the sheer force of will. 2214846… that’s the number of espressos i’ve consumed in the last 48 hours, give or take. 1434518407 - that’s the timestamp of my brain cells officially starting to glitch. the weather here is… interesting. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. it’s like someone took a watercolor painting and decided to aggressively apply it to the entire city. 999 pressure, 54 humidity, sea level 999, ground level 998 - yeah, feels like a pressure cooker. seriously.

Lisbon. it’s a chaotic mess of cobblestones, faded tiles, and people yelling about something, probably football. i’m staying in Alfama, which is basically a giant, winding labyrinth designed to confuse tourists and make you question all your life choices. it’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but also… intense. i found this tiny little place called ‘O Trevo’ - seriously, the name alone is a vibe. they make a coffee that tastes like liquid velvet and regret. i’m not kidding.

I spent yesterday wandering around, mostly just getting lost. i stumbled upon this incredible little street art scene in Mouraria. it’s not the polished, Instagram-ready stuff; it’s raw, gritty, and tells stories you can almost feel. someone told me that the best way to see the city is to just… walk. and get lost. and eat pastel de nata until you can’t move. i’m pretty sure i’m currently operating at 70% pastel de nata.

I overheard some guys at a bar - they were clearly tourists, judging by the bewildered expressions - talking about a ‘hidden courtyard’ near the São Jorge Castle. they said it’s where the locals go to escape the crowds. i’m going to check it out tomorrow. wish me luck.

Here’s the gear list, because someone needs to keep track of this madness:
My battered Leatherman (lifesaver)
A ridiculously oversized backpack (seriously, where does all this stuff come from?)
Noise-canceling headphones (essential for surviving the city’s soundtrack)
A notebook and pen (for capturing the chaos, obviously)
And, of course, a near-empty bottle of ibuprofen.

I checked Yelp and TripAdvisor, and the general consensus is that Lisbon is amazing, but also exhausting. Someone told me that the Time Out Market Lisboa is a must-visit, but it’s always packed. I heard that the LX Factory is a cool spot for vintage shopping and craft beer. I’m adding both to the list.

Speaking of locals, if you get bored, Porto is just a short drive away. Apparently, they have even more coffee. I met this old woman selling flowers near the Praça do Comércio - she gave me a wink and said, “Enjoy the rain, menino*.” She looked like she’d seen it all.

“Don’t try to plan too much,” a guy at the hostel told me, nursing a beer. “Just wander. Get lost. You’ll find the best things that way.”

Okay, I need another coffee. Seriously. I’m starting to think I’m developing a caffeine addiction. I’m also pretty sure I saw a ghost in the Jerónimos Monastery. Just kidding… mostly. It was probably just a shadow. Or a really, really tired tourist.

I’m going to head down to the river and watch the sunset. It’s supposed to be spectacular. Hopefully, the rain will have stopped. Or at least, lessened.

“The best views come after the hardest climbs,” a street artist shouted at me as I passed his mural. Wise words. Definitely wise words.

Seriously, if you’re thinking about visiting Lisbon, do it. Just… be prepared to embrace the chaos. And the coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Here’s a link to some more local recommendations: https://www.visitlisboa.com/en/

And for the best pastel de nata: https://www.pastelde-nata.pt/

And a good place to find some cool vintage finds: https://www.lxfactory.com/

Lisbon’s a Blur: Rain, Pastel Buildings, and Seriously Strong Coffee

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About the author: Isabella Hart

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