18 Dec 2025
Leaving Porto felt quieter than expected.
It was another cold morning, the kind where the air feels sharp even before sunrise. We had planned to walk across Dom Luís I Bridge early to catch the sunrise over the Douro River — a last postcard moment before heading south — but by the time we stepped outside, it was already a little late. Cold too. We still saw the early morning glow hanging over the river, the city wrapped in blue-grey light, but the sun itself had already slipped past its dramatic entrance.
Still, there was something fitting about it.
Dom Luís I Bridge, completed in 1886, is one of Porto’s most iconic structures, designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel. For over a century, it has connected not just two riverbanks, but two distinct worlds: the working-class Ribeira below and the quieter heights of Vila Nova de Gaia above. Walking it early in the morning, with barely anyone around, felt like borrowing the city before it fully woke up.
This time, instead of heading down, we walked up towards the Serra do Pilar Monastery.
The monastery complex sits at one of the highest points overlooking Porto, and at that hour, it felt almost abandoned — no tourists, no noise, just the wind and the wide Douro below. Officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the monastery dates back to the 16th century and is known for its rare circular church design. Yet in that moment, stripped of crowds and context, it felt less like an attraction and more like a forgotten lookout. We lingered for a bit, took photos of the river winding through the city, then slowly made our way back down.
It felt like a quiet goodbye.
🚆 Porto → Lisboa: Southbound Across Portugal
The train itself was surprisingly modern — clean, spacious, with charging points, Wi-Fi, and plenty of room for luggage. After days of navigating cobbled streets and historic trams, this felt almost futuristic.
Outside the window, the landscape gradually flattened. Plains and more plains rolled by, a reminder that Portugal is more rural than many people expect. Then, unexpectedly, there was a stretch where the railway hugged the coastline. Strong Atlantic waves crashed against the shore, dramatic and restless, the ocean looking far less gentle than the Douro we had just left behind.
By mid-afternoon, we arrived in Lisboa.
A big city. Louder, broader, more layered.
First Meal in Lisbon: Salt, Rice, and Comfort
Hungry and tired, we went for something familiar: piri-piri chicken.
To be honest? Too salty.
But the rice — plain, warm, and simple — was exactly what we needed. It quietly soothed that creeping craving for Asian food.
I’ve noticed that most people I know start missing Asian flavours after a week or two in Europe. For us, it wasn’t unbearable — just a mild boredom with bread. Too much bread. Everywhere. They’re good, no doubt, just… too much for our taste. A bowl of rice can feel surprisingly emotional when you haven’t had one in days.
Walking Lisbon: A Slow Stroll Through Chiado
After checking in, we stepped back out and walked towards Chiado, one of Lisbon’s most historic neighbourhoods. Long associated with writers, cafés, and everyday city life, Chiado has always felt like a place for walking rather than arriving. The streets here still follow older patterns, shaped by centuries of rebuilding and adaptation, especially after the 1755 earthquake, which quietly defines much of central Lisbon today.
Walking along Chiado Street, the city moved at a human pace. Shop windows glowed softly, trams passed without urgency, and the December air carried a calm that felt distinctly local. Christmas decorations appeared without excess, woven into the streets rather than layered on top of them.
The Christmas lights were quietly beautiful. By chance, we arrived at Armazéns do Chiado, where a light projection moved slowly across the façade. The building, once badly damaged in the 1988 Chiado fire, now stands restored — not as something new, but as something carefully returned.
People stopped without being told to. No crowd, no countdown, just a brief pause in the street as the lights played out. It felt like a small reminder of how this part of the city has learned to rebuild, and then continue, without making too much noise about it.
Transport Notes (For Reference)
Porto → Lisbon
- 🚅 13:25 – 13:29
Porto São Bento → Porto Campanhã - 🚅 13:40 – 16:30
Porto Campanhã → Lisboa Santa Apolónia
Hotel → Porto Station:
- Walk, approx. 5 minutes
Lisbon Train Station → Hotel:
- Metro from Santa Apolónia to Marquês de Pombal
- Approx. 30 minutes
Metro Tip:
- Buy a Navegante card
- €0.50 for the card
- €1.50 per metro journey
- Sintra return approx. €4.90
- Recommended: load €10 to avoid reloading queues
Lisbon greeted us not with fireworks, but with soft lights, salt air, and the sense that this city would slowly reveal itself — if we let it.
Leave a Reply