Talk about a whirlwind transition! Fresh off the heels of our trip to Disneyland Paris, we packed up, headed to the airport, and hopped on a late flight straight to Lisbon, Portugal.

After soaking in the theme park magic, we were so ready to trade the chilly Paris breeze for some coastal European sunshine. This trip marked a huge milestone for us: our very first time in Portugal and European Country #7 on our family travel list!

First Night Impressions

We landed late in the evening, but as soon as we stepped out into the night air, we could tell Lisbon had a completely different energy.

Even though it was late, we couldn’t resist sneaking out for a short stroll near our place to get our bearings. Wandering through the dimly lit, cobblestone streets, listening to music drifting out from late-night taverns, and feeling the mild night breeze was the perfect welcome. We only scratched the surface that first night, but we went to sleep buzzing with anticipation for everything waiting for us over the next few days.

A Quick Splash of History

Before diving into our adventures, Lisbon’s history is too incredible not to share. It is one of the oldest cities in the world—predating London, Paris, and even Rome by centuries!

The Rebirth of Lisbon: On All Saints’ Day in 1755, a catastrophic earthquake, followed by a tsunami and fires, nearly destroyed the entire city. Rather than giving up, Lisbon rebuilt itself under the direction of the Marquis of Pombal. They invented early earthquake-resistant architecture (testing miniature building models by having troops march around them to simulate tremors!) and created the elegant grid system you see in the city center today.

It was also the global launching pad during the 15th and 16th centuries—the Age of Discoveries—when famous explorers like Vasco da Gama set sail from Lisbon’s harbors to map the globe.

Fun Facts About Lisbon

• The City of Seven Hills (Cidade das Sete Colinas): Just like Rome or San Francisco, Lisbon is built across seven steep hills. Expect a serious leg workout—or rely on their iconic yellow vintage trams (like the famous Tram 28) to pull you up the slopes!
• Home of the Original Custard Tart: The famous Portuguese egg custard tart (Pastel de Nata) was created back in the 18th century by Catholic monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém.
• Azulejo Tiles Everywhere: You’ll notice colorful ceramic tiles (azulejos) covering the exteriors of buildings across the city. Originally used to control temperature and dampness inside homes, they became an iconic artistic trademark.

🇺🇸 Cool Connections to the USA

As we explored, we kept spotting fascinating links between Portugal and American history:

1. The Twin Bridge: When you look out over the Tagus River, you’ll see the 25 de Abril Bridge—which looks almost identical to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge! It shares the same distinctive red color and suspension design, and it was actually constructed by the American Bridge Company (the same team that built the SF-Oakland Bay Bridge).
2. The Toast of American Independence: During the 18th century, Portuguese Madeira wine was immensely popular in the American colonies. In fact, the Founding Fathers used Portuguese Madeira wine to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and George Washington was famously obsessed with it!
3. Sister Cities: Lisbon shares official Sister City relationships with major US coastal cities like Miami and San Francisco due to their shared maritime culture, steep hills, and sunny climates.

Our first night was just a teaser of what was to come. Stay tuned for the next post as we take on the hills, taste our first authentic Pastéis de Nata, and explore the incredible sights of Lisbon in full daylight!