Budget Abroad: Three Days in Lisbon

Welcome back to Budget Abroad, a new series here at The Edge where we’re traveling all around Europe on the low low. We’re staying in hostels, booking the cheapest flights and doing everything we can to see this magnificent floating rock in the least expensive way possible. And, in the name of money transparency and breaking down taboo topics, we’re giving you all the receipts. Pack your bags, grab your passports and let's go! 

Full transparency — this past week, we spent more than anticipated on a three-day trip to Lisbon, Portugal. We planned a last-minute day trip to Sintra and did not account for the added costs. In the name of being honest, we wanted to share that this trip did go over budget, but that these things happen and that we’re happy we spent the extra money on Sintra (it was amazing). If you’re planning a trip to Lisbon, you can look forward to the city’s stunning architecture, unique history and delicious food. From pastel de nata to sipping Vinho Verde, Lisbon has it all, and we have the recs (and prices) below. Enjoy!

Sunday, February 26, 2023 

6:30 a.m. — Off we go! The four of us roll out of bed and travel by tube to London Heathrow Airport. We stop to top-up our oyster cards because we are traveling outside of the zones covered by our prepaid oyster cards (provided by our study abroad program) to get to Heathrow Airport. $6.02

8:00 a.m. — We arrive at Heathrow. My friend Becca’s boarding pass is flagged because she entered her birthdate incorrectly when purchasing her plane ticket, and it looks like she is an 11-month-old flying solo. We quickly reassure British Airways that she is 20, not almost one, and they fix it for us at no extra charge. $0.00

9:00 a.m. — Post security, we sit by our gate and wait to board. My friend and I buy coffee from Starbucks and return to the others who are chatting about dating apps. $4.16

1:30 p.m. — The flight is a joy and just shy of three hours ($102.42). With the time change, we gain an hour and hustle to buy metro cards and drop our bags off at our hostel. We decide to pay as we go instead of buying day passes, and we each put five euros on our cards to start. $5.84 

2:30 p.m. — We arrive at the best hostel we’ve ever stayed at, “We Hate F**king Tourists,” and chat with the front desk for about an hour on what to do, what to avoid and where to go out.

3:30 p.m. — We eat empanadas. $13.73

4:30 p.m. — We walk around Praca do Comercio and go to the Elevador de Santa Justa observation deck. Instead of paying for the elevator ride up, we take the stairs for free. $0.00

5:30 p.m. — I drag everyone to the world's oldest bookstore, the Bertrand Bookstore, and it is lovely. Then, we watch sunset at Santa Maria Maior. $0.00

9:00 p.m. — We eat dinner near our hostel, and it’s not our fav. I order “the lazy potato” for $17.98 and then crash in bed. Our hostel came out to $26.67 per person per night, and we are in a private four-person room with two sets of bunk beds and a killer view. No complaints from any of us. 

Daily total = $176.82

Monday, February 27, 2023 

10:00 a.m. — Happy 21st birthday to me! We start off strong at Brunch Cafe, where we enjoy iced coffee, acai bowls, pancakes and toast until noon. $11.50

12:30 p.m. — We get on a bus going in the wrong direction. Oops! $2.15

1:00 p.m. — We top up our metro cards and get on the right bus heading towards Belem! Belem is the most historic part of Lisbon, and we’re excited to explore the area. $2.15

1:45 p.m. — We visit Jardim da Torre de Belém, Monument to the Discoveries and Jardim da Praça do Império ($0.00). Then, we eat Pastéis de Belém at Pastéis de Belém for $2.55 before boarding a bus to the National Tile Museum. $2.15

4:15 p.m. — I’m leading us to the National Tile Museum and, upon arrival, promptly discover they are closed on Monday’s. No one minds, but I feel bad. We bus back to the hostel for $2.15 and stop for snacks at a grocery store along the way. $8.98

6:15 p.m. — We climb a gazillion stairs to a gorgeous lookout for sunset. $0.00

8:00 p.m. — Dinner! A bottle before dinner, a bottle at dinner and drinks after at a bar nearby. I refuse to let anyone pay for my dinner, but the crew picks up my drinks tonight ($22.01). On the way home, we stop at a 24-hour bakery for more pastel de natas $3.17 and then go to bed. $26.67 

Daily total = $83.48

Tuesday, February 28, 2023 

9:00 a.m. — We eat breakfast at the hostel for $6.44 and quite literally run out when we discover all of the trains going to Sintra today have been canceled (due to a rail strike), except for one leaving at 9:45. 

9:45 a.m. — We buy tickets at the train station and have 30 seconds to spare after we squeeze onto the only train heading to Sintra. $5.37

10:45 a.m. — We make it to Sintra — a fairytale town with castles, wells, waterfalls, gardens, caves and more. We buy hop-on-hop-off bus tickets for the day which will get us to all of our pre-paid attractions. $12.54

11:30 a.m. — We make it to stop number one: Palacio Nacional da Pena. Our tickets are $14.12 each.  We eat muffins and grab coffees from the cafe there for $5.52 and then explore the castle, gardens and grounds before taking the bus to an ice cream shop. $4.25

2:30 p.m. — Stop number two in Sintra is the Initiatic Well inside Quinta da Regaleira $12.51. We explore the gardens and well, and then decide to Uber to Cascais for $5.25 each — a beach town that is on our way home.

4:00 p.m. — We walk around Cascais, sit by the beach and then eat Italian food. Pizzas and s’getti for all ($13.28)! We Uber back to our hostel for $7.62 each and have some down-time before dinner. I shower and then rent a towel for $4.29.

9:30 p.m. — We have dinner near our hostel for $18.14 and then head to bed. $26.67

Daily total = $136.00

Wednesday, March 1, 2023 

10:00 a.m. — We’re back at Brunch Cafe arguing about what type of fruit is in the acai bowls. We still don’t know and order coffees to-go and head out. $9.42

11:00 a.m. — Postcards!  $1.07

11:45 a.m. —  We head back to our hostel for our bags. Luggage hold is free this time, and we head to the airport using the remaining cash on our metro cards. Our next stop is Madrid for $57.84 via EasyJet. Bye Lisbon! 

Daily total = $68.33

Totals…

Accommodations = $84.29

Transportation = $211.50

Food/Bev = $141.13

Sintra activities = $26.63

Postcards = $1.07

Grand total = $464.63

Tag @theedgemag with all of your budget-friendly travels!