Lisbon was Magical

Our most recent Atlantis cruise ended in Lisbon, and since we’d never been before, we decided to tack on five extra days to explore.

We stayed in Bairro Alto, which turned out to be the perfect spot — it’s the heart of Lisbon’s nightlife and one of the city’s most colorful neighborhoods, especially for LGBTQ travelers. During the day, its cobblestone streets are filled with vintage shops, quirky boutiques, and cozy cafés where you can spend hours wandering and discovering little gems. By night, the whole area comes alive with music pouring out of bars, rainbow flags waving proudly, and an energy that’s both fun and welcoming.

Just a short walk away, Principe Real has a slightly more polished vibe, with chic cocktail lounges, rooftop terraces, and clubs that keep the party going into the early hours. And of course, Lisbon’s food scene did not disappoint — from traditional Portuguese petiscos and seafood to some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had (a tiny spot with blueberry pancakes that were next-level). And yes, we ate way too many Pastéis de Nata…but the ones from Manteigaria were hands down our favorite.

One of the highlights was a queer history walking tour we found on Viator, which not only gave us a deeper look at the culture but also hit some of the city’s most iconic sites. We also spent an afternoon at Praia 19, Lisbon’s gay beach, and some of our group made a quick trip to Cascais, a charming seaside town with great shops, restaurants, and hotels.

Next time, I’d love to stay at Late Birds, a boutique gay hotel that looked so cute. Even though we didn’t stay there, we did join one of their sunset cruises on our last night — a gorgeous sailboat with about 15 other travelers, unlimited wine and beer, and the most magical champagne toast as the sun went down.

We ran out of time for Sintra and Porto, which just means we’ll have to go back (and I am definitely not mad about that). Lisbon was the perfect ending to our 17-day adventure, and honestly, I can’t recommend it enough — it’s a city that should absolutely be on your list.