In 2015, my family and I vacationed in Lisbon, Portugal. We immediately fell in love with the beautiful weather, the noise of the cable cars and the warm welcome of the locals.
Two days later, we decided to leave the United States and retire to Portugal – and it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. We spend far less on necessities in Lisbon than in Washington, DC. We’ve also found that fun recreation and dining experiences are just as affordable, if not more so.
On weekends, when I’m on the go, I spend less than $40 a day:
Start the day with coffee and breakfast
Price per person: $6.31
Lisbon is a breakfast lover’s paradise. When my wife and I are craving something light, our favorite spot is the Copenhagen Coffee Lab in Principé Real, a lively area of Lisbon.
For a heartier breakfast, we go to the nearby Café Méthode Mouette, where we order cottage cheese and fruit pancakes for $6.31 a plate.
Take a train to the seaside and rent bikes
Price per person: $11.34
A one-hour train ride from Lisbon’s historic Cais do Sodré train station to the fishing village of Cascais costs $4.92 (return).
Cascais is picturesque, with tiled buildings and black and white cobbled squares. It is a wonderful place to spend the morning.
Downtown Cascais has plenty to see, including beautiful tiling and architecture.
Photo: Alex Trias
Near the town center is the Jardim dos Frangos (translated as “Chicken Garden”) where peacocks, roosters and hens, followed by their chicks, roam freely through the shaggy pines and eucalyptus trees.
After walking around, my wife and I rent bikes for $6.42 and ride along the ocean.
The bike path leading to Guincho Beach offers stunning views of the area’s cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean.
Photo: Alex Trias
The bike path is relatively flat and takes us past the scenic cliffs of Boca do Inferno and a collection of shops and restaurants to the choppy waters of Guincho Beach.
From there we walk through dunes and rocky cliffs, or sit and read a book. We could also pack food and have a picnic.
Explore Lisbon’s open-air markets
Price per person: Free
Once a former textile industrial complex, Usine LX is now a collection of shops, restaurants and open-air kiosks. We like to stop at the weekends and it is conveniently located on the train journey back from Cascais.
The LX factory is the perfect place to buy Portuguese handicrafts or just to sit down and have lunch.
Photo: Alex Trias
You won’t find branded items at LX. From clothes to furniture, most things for sale are designed and produced in Portugal.
Our daughter loves antiquing at Feira da Ladra, a popular flea market in Lisbon’s Alfama district. The neighborhood is built on a steep hill filled with narrow, winding cobblestone streets, and it’s the perfect place to shop for antiques.
My favorite market in Principe Real is a cornucopia of antiques and art.
Photo: Alex Trias
I also love the weekend flea market in Principé Real, where you’ll find lots of artisan honeys, cheeses and charcuterie.
Prepare a gourmet meal for dinner
Price per person: $19.04
My wife and I love to cook. Gourmet ingredients can be found at the Comida Independente outdoor market, open on Saturdays, and at the Time Out Mercado.
Both are located near Lisbon Cais Sodre station.
Lisbon’s Time Out market, Mercado da Ribeira, is located near Cais Sodre station and the banks of the Tagus.
Photo: Alex Trias
For a quick and easy meal of gourmet mushrooms and eggs, I buy:
- A quarter kilo of freshly picked chanterelles: $7.49
- Farm-fresh organic eggs: $3.19
- A spray of truffle oil: $3.19
- Seaweed Caviar : $4.28
I will serve the meal with a loaf of fresh bread from Gléba, a nearby bakery. Their breads are made with local heirloom strains of wheat for $5.29 per loaf.
For an interesting twist, I’m going to create a special bread filling. I mix butter ($2.30) with white miso paste ($5.23) and seaweed crisps ($1.60).
And a bottle of Portuguese white wine for $4.80 accompanies virtually any meal.
End the day with dessert
Price per person: 3,21 $
Our favorite dessert, Gelateria Nannarella, is a short walk from our apartment. It is renowned for its exceptional sorbets and gelatos. A small serving is $3.21, with flavors like lemon and basil, stracciatella and, of course, chocolate.
In Lisbon, ice cream is eaten throughout the day as a snack as well as a dessert, so there is almost always a queue. But, like most good things in life, it’s worth the wait.
Alex Trias is a retired lawyer. He and his wife and daughter have lived in Portugal since 2015. He is the author of the “Investment Pancake” series on SeekingAlpha.com and has published nearly 500 articles on tax planning, investing, early retirement and where to find the best meals in Lisbon.
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