Lisbon Local Custom Tips by arasnosliw Top 5 Page for this destination

street performers

There are lots of street performers, especially on accordian, who will be asking for money. Resist.

This one was exceptionally cute because he had a little chihuahua holding the change bucket in his mouth. I feel like just about every visitor to Lisboa has seen this pair. Them and the begging woman/child that frequent Baixo.

local diet Food and drink Review

Portugal, the land of great wine, seafood, olives, and cheese. Fantastic food if you ask me. I'm not Portuguese, so I shouldn't take any offense when I hear foreigners complaining how bad the local food is, but I DO! Why? Because most of them are probably not eating the right things, they are picky, or they don't like seafood.

You will probably encounter steak and potatoes on every menu. Go to any restaurant, and almost the entire menu is served with french fries. This isn't limited to tourist restaurants; this is omnipresent. Portuguese love meat. Whenever I would go out to eat with my Portuguese friends, they'd take me to a local restaurant and then order a burger, or they'd take me to a steak house and eat a humongous slab of cow. Great if you are into meat that much, but I certainly am not.

Anyway, my point is that many visitors may feel that this is representative of local cuisine, but it is not. Try some bacalhau, fresh grilled sardines, queijo fresco, olives, snails, anything with duck, swordfish, any soups, pastries, etc. etc. etc. I am sure there are many more things I can think of that I am not listing now....

Caldo Verde Food and drink Review

Considered one of Portugal's staple foods, Caldo Verde is one of the most typical soups you'll find all over the country. Simply made from thinly sliced kale (a dark cabbage called "couve galega" in Portugal, kind of like collard greens), potatoes, onions, and garlic, a few slices of choriço (sausage) are added for a last touch.

The yellow and green colored soup is good for lunch, or as a starter for dinner.

Considered a food of the poor peasant's, it is commonly served with just bread on the side. Who cares of its affiliation; it's delicious and cheap. That's all I care about!

Vinho Verde Food and drink Review

Try the Vinho Verde while in Portugal. That is translated to "Green Wine." Yes, although it is technically a white wine, they call it specifically a green wine. It is made from young, underdeveloped grapes. The underfermentation causes the wine to be a bit sparkly, but not to the extent of champagne. Vinho Verde is a light, crisp, refreshing drink perfect for a summer drink, with fish or cheese or whatnot. Click on website for more information.

Website: http://www.cvrvv.pt

ginjinha Food and drink Review

A favorite liquor of the Portuguese!

Ginjinha is a liquor made by fermenting ginja (similar to cherries) in brandy. Ginjinha is served in a shot form with a piece of the fermented fruit on the bottom of the cup. Imagine how awfully strong it is.

I'm not a big fan of ginjinha, it reminds me of cherry flavored cough syrup. However, I recommend any tourist to taste a bit of this Portuguese specialty.

The most famous place to experience this drink is a little shop named "A Ginjinha" on the northeast corner of Rossio. The store is tiny, so you go inside, buy your drink, and hurry outside to taste it.

Bacalhau Food and drink Review

Bacalhau - the national dish of Portugal. Intererstingly enough, the fish comes mainly from Norway. It is salted cod that must be soaked for 24 hrs. prior to cooking. There are thousands of ways to cook bacalhau. Try it grilled, if you have no idea what to choose.