We spent our first morning in Lisbon riding tram 28 across town – we were lucky to get there early enough to snag window seats lining one entire side of the tram, allowing the entire family to be up close with some of Lisbon’s popular tourist attractions. Ayaan particularly enjoyed riding the tram with mommy. Once we were off, Ayaan Ariana and Shloka enjoyed running through the water fountains in the square. We then proceeded to get lunch and two pitchers of sangria while watching the World Cup. Uber worked incredibly well in Lisbon!

Our next stop was across town to Belem where we strolled along the board walk near the Belem Tower. We then proceeded to the Jeronimos monastery which boasted a beautiful church and an even more stunning courtyard surrounded by ornate carvings. Ariana enjoyed petting the horse outside. We strolled to a nearby cafe with live music to enjoy a bottle of rose and dinner for the kids. Gaurav bought some delicious egg tarts and malasadas for the family from Pasties de Belem – Ayaan couldn’t have been happier with that end to his day!

After putting the kids to bed in their grandparents care, Dhara Kunal Gaurav and I headed to Bairo Alto, the reportedly swanky neighborhood with bustling nightlife and some of the city’s best restaurants. Luckily for us, there was a street festival where we started the night with mojitas and sangrias enjoying a live band. We then proceeded to dine at a cevicheria with pisco sours.

We got a late start the next morning and decided to wander the neighborhoods of Lisbon. We started with Alfamha whose narrow quaint streets beckoned us to wander aimlessly to enjoy its true beauty. We then headed to the Mercado de Ribiera and took in the stalls lined fresh produce and meats. We then found ourselves in a huge hall lined with multiple restaurants and bars where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of roast pork and scallops. While we wanted to explore Chiado next, we forgot to bring Ariana’s pacifier which led to a huge toddler meltdown, forcing us to take the first cab back to our Airbnb. Lisbon’s vibe reminded us of San Francisco and Rio and the red “Golden Gate” like bridge and the Christ replica explained why.

That evening, we celebrated my dads 67th birthday (a few weeks early while the whole family was together) at a beautiful tapas restaurant in the Chiado neighborhood. Obrigado Lisboa!