Lisbon

April–June and September–October are the classic months: 20–26°C, warm enough for outdoor dining, long evenings, and crowds manageable. July and August are hot (30–35°C) and more crowded — still enjoyable but busier and pricier. Santo António Festival (June 12–13) is Lisbon's greatest street party — sardines, wine, and dancing in the streets of Alfama. November–March is cool (12–16°C), very quiet, and surprisingly beautiful — the city's character is most visible when the tourism noise drops.

Lisbon is compact but extremely hilly — the trams, funiculars (elevadores), and metro exist specifically to address this. Tram 28 is the famous scenic route through the historic neighbourhoods. The metro covers the main areas efficiently. Uber is cheap and reliable for cross-city trips. Walking is the best way to discover Lisbon's side streets, but wear comfortable shoes — the hills and cobblestones are genuinely challenging. Car hire is unnecessary in the city but excellent for day trips to Sintra, Cascais, and Setúbal.

Lisbon's culinary identity is defined by three things: petiscos (Portuguese tapas — clams, cod fritters, cured meats), bacalhau (salt cod in any of its 365 traditional preparations), and the pastel de nata. The original pastéis de nata were created at Jerónimos Monastery and the original bakery in Belém still makes them the best. Fado — Portugal's haunting national music tradition — is best experienced in a small, authentic house in Alfama (book ahead), not in a tourist restaurant. Market lunch at Mercado da Ribeira (Time Out Market) is the best single food experience in the city for first-timers.