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As I am starting to plan my travels for 2017, I look back on our most memorable trip of 2016 to Portugal. To tell you the truth, I went with low expectations, but at the end of the day, I ended up falling in love with the beautiful country, its people, food, and crafts. Compared to a lot of other European countries, Portugal is still very affordable, so if you are looking for a new place to visit this year, I suggest you add Portugal to your itinerary. Today’s post is about beautiful Lisbon and some of the places you can visit while there. A post about my Algarve faves is coming soon.

1. Eat

Lisbon’s foodie scene was definitely a pleasant surprise. Nearly every single meal we had during our trip was a smash hit. There’s a plethora of delicious options at the admittedly touristy Time Out Market; the Piri Piri chicken from the Miguel Laffan stall was my personal favourite, but other restaurants were great too according to my friends and fellow travellers (just watch out for aggressive table stealers).

For a fresh take on ceviche, A Cevicheria is a must-visit. You won’t be impressed with the quantity of food at this tiny resto, but you will certainly love every bite.

For creative sushi, make sure to stop by Sushic (original or at Palacio Chiado). We ate there twice, trying various chef’s platters, gorging on buttery tuna tataki, and other delicious seafood. Just make sure to avoid the Tom Yum soup – it’s overpriced and totally not worth it. There are other options to try at Palacio Chiado (more hit and miss), but I’d recommend it for a quick casual lunchtime stop.

Fabulas is another great lunch spot with a charming patio, and a menu full of freshly-prepared Portuguese specialties like the super delicate codfish cakes. Despite its central location, this place is definitely not a tourist trap. Also, once they run out of a certain dish, they won’t make more, so go early.

As much as we wanted to make it to Pasteis de Belem to try their iconic pastries, we weren’t able to make it there this time, but we did make up for it at Manteigaria. Obviously, we can’t compare the two, but out of all the pasteis de nata that we’ve tried on this trip, the flaky, freshly baked custard tarts from Manteigaria were by far the yummiest.

If you’re craving a sweet cold treat, whatever you do, do not go to Amorino – it’s just not worth the calories. Go to Mu or Santini instead – their gelato is so much better! Also, paletas from PizPireto are incredible! We randomly found their amazing paletas at a gourmet store near A Cevicheria, but apparently they also have a shop just outside of central Lisbon.

For traditional Portuguese steak and chips, a couple of locals highly recommended Solar Dos Presuntos. And while I loved my steak, this place got mixed reviews from the rest of our group (they found it too pricey and not particularly memorable), so read other reviews before you go. Honestly though, I don’t think we had a bad food experience in Lisbon (apart from terrible gelato at Amorino and mediocre pastries at A Padaria Portuguesa).
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After experiencing a few nights at an authentic riad in Marrakech, le bf and I were eager to check out the promised luxury of Hotel Sahrai in Fez. While our riad in Marrakech was quite lovely, and we felt safe and welcome at all times, we were growing weary of the paper-thin walls and lack of hotel amenities – spoiled travelers that we are.

Once we got to Hotel Sahrai, we literally had nothing to complain about. From the minute we stepped through those glass doors, we were ushered into the luxurious oasis in the middle of the bustling city. From smooth and welcoming check-in, to our stunning suite, to the abundant daily breakfast buffet, we felt like royalty at all times.

Little extras went a long way – swanky Acqua di Parma toiletries perched on the side of our glass-enclosed black marble bathtub, complimentary bottled water delivered with turn-down service every night, delectable fruit and local desserts to welcome us on our first day – all of these things made our stay feel more special.

And those amenities we were starting miss? Well, at Hotel Sahrai, we had access to a couple of breathtaking outdoor pools, state-of-the-art gym, 2 amazing restaurants and a roof-top bar, as well as an indoor pool at the Givenchy Spa. Speaking of Givenchy Spa…it was transformative…and surprisingly affordable. Even if you weren’t planning a stay at Hotel Sahrai (and why not?!), Givenchy Spa is a must-visit while in Fez.

The day we arrived, I booked an in-room blow-out which set me back all of $20, and lasted me our entire stay! Le bf and I also tried hammam treatments, which were ridiculously affordable (around $40!!!) – in Toronto, the same treatment would set you back at least $150. Also, the scrub-down that we received at Givenchy Spa was not only more vigorous, it felt a lot more like a massage than the similar treatments I’ve gotten in Canada. My only regret is that I didn’t visit the spa more often. The staff were lovely, helpful, and tried very hard to make sure that we received top-notch service.

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