Last month we flew to Lisbon to celebrate James turning thirty!! After an intense month of packing up our lives + moving across the Atlantic, a little down time was much needed. There were a few contenders but ultimately we chose Lisbon for its affordability (cheap wine!!), culture and guaranteed sunshine.

We stayed at The Independente Suites & Terrace located in Bairro Alto, a hip area close to loads of pubs and restaurants. I have to admit though, we didn’t venture that far from our suite in search of food. There are two restaurants in the building, The Decadente and The Insolito – both of them are incredibly delicious. I booked the Insolito for James’ birthday dinner (the octopus was seriously SO GOOD) make sure to book early as this restaurant does tend to fill up quickly. The Independente also did an amazing breakfast full of fruit, bread, meats, cheeses, espresso and all of the sorts. Anyone else guilty of choosing their accommodation based solely on the breakfast options;) ?!

We did, however, stumble across Oficina do Duque on our first day of exploring the city -easily a favourite of ours. I ordered the Mackeral (pictured above), James the calf meat and we polished off a bottle of wine between the two of us for under €30!!

Our first full day we found our way to the beach via the train along the Cascais coastline. And woke up the next morning to do the exact same thing. Both of us missed the warm summer days so lounging around in the hot heat was such a treat.

Our second evening was spent sipping cocktails on Memmo Alfama’s gorgeous terrace. The cocktails were incredible, but the view really stole the show! Loved that the hotel felt so modern in such an old city – next time I’m insisting we book a night here.

We justified all the pastries and gelato consumed by long, sweaty walks across the city. The hills in Lisbon are no joke but the secret is to stop for a cold beer and/or espresso along the way and you’ll be just fine:) The beautiful tiles throughout the city also help to forget you’ve been walking for hours. I honestly couldn’t quit dreaming of how I’ll incorporate tiles into our house one day!!

Every trip with this guy always includes an afternoon of visiting architectural gems. (And European football stadiums – it was his birthday trip, we had to.) I’d say the stunning Gare do Oriente train station designed by Santiago Calatrava is one not to be missed!! Thank you Design Milk for the feature!

Ps: If you do find yourself in Lisbon, stop by Sorbettino for the BEST vegan gelato you’ll ever eat. The chocolate is divine…yum!