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Spend a perfect day in sun-drenched Lisbon with this itinerary full of food, culture and romance.

By Holly V. Kapherr

24Lisboninhours

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Lisbon is bursting at the seams with both charm and chill, though it’s often overlooked in the shadow of other European capitals. Our advice: Don’t miss it.

The Portuguese economy is slowly rebounding, thanks in part to a program from TAP Portugal airlines. Their Portugal Stopover program allows travelers to stay for 24, 48 or 72 hours in one of Portugal’s major cities (and the Azores) on their way to one of TAP’s 29 other destinations.

The best part for you: Miami International Airport is a hub for TAP Portugal, which means the coastal country is closer than ever. Even if you’re just en route, a 24-hour stopover in Lisbon will be the highlight of your trip.

7:00 a.m. HISTORIC HOTELIf you’re coming from Miami, the nonstop flight will put you at Lisbon Portela International Airport (LIS) in just eight hours. A taxi ride from the airport into the center of the medieval city, crowned by a castle, takes about 25 minutes. Check into the Solar do Castelo hotel, a member of the Historic Hotels of Europe, and the only lodging located inside the castle walls. With just 11 rooms, the former mansion will feel all your own. A full breakfast is included with your stay, so if you haven’t had time to grab a bite yet, settle into a down-filled armchair in the lobby with a coffee and Lisbon’s signature sweet, pasteis de nata, a custard-filled tart. Or, take it outside to the veranda, lined with fragrant lemon trees. No one will blink an eye if you sneak a sip of Port from the bottle in your room before heading out. You’re in Portugal, after all.L

With only 11 rooms, the Solar do Castelo hotel is the only lodging located

inside castle walls.

A graffiti-covered streetcar at a high point in the streets of Bairro Alto.

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9:00 a.m.GIMME MOORRound the corner to the main entrance of the Castelo de Sao Jorge, which originally dates from the second century BC. The Moors ruled the area until the 12th century, during the Second Crusade. After that, the castle became the residence of Afonso III and his court. The breathtak-ing overlooks from the hilltop, the highest point in Lisbon, offer pan-oramic views of the city and the wide, rolling Tagus river. Traverse the castle’s outer walls for a different photo opp at every cardinal direction. Take a few minutes to view the artifacts inside the museum, which in-clude pottery—including the very first azulejos, the tiles for which Portugal is known today—and evidence of humans in the area dating back to the sixth century BC. Sit for a sec and snap a selfie with one of the vibrant peacocks that have made the hill their permanent home.

11:00 a.m.ALL DOWNHILL FROM HEREIf you look up from any street, you’ll notice cables running overhead. The Lisbon trams and funiculars have helped citizens and tourists traverse the cities steep streets for more than 100 years. It might be tempting to get on the tram and glide down the hill on one of these historic vehicles, but hold off. You’ll pass plenty of adorable shops and cafés on your way to the center of the city at the foot of the hill, including boutiques selling handbags, umbrellas, wallets and more made from one of the world’s most sustainable and versatile materials, almost exclusive to Portugal—cork. More than half of the world’s cork comes from Portugal, and the impermeable, stain-resistant material is harnessed by innovative designers for way more than wine bottles.

12:00 p.m.A STREETCAR NAMED DESEJOOnce you reach the main square by the river, Praça do Comércio, hop on the Yellow Bus “Seven Hills” tour of the city via canary-colored tram. If you don’t get off at any of the stops, the narrated tour (12 languages are available) will take about an hour and a half, and is the best way to get acquainted with the major landmarks and geogra-phy of the city if you’re time-crunched. Each main point of interest comes with a brief history lesson and thorough description of some of the most interesting architectural and cultural stops, including Lisbon’s narrowest home, just six feet in depth. You’ll also wind through some of each neighborhood’s quaint streets, some barely wide enough for the tram to pass. Lisbon’s traditional quarters of Alfama, Castelo and Bairro Alto are where most of the city’s culture was born, but if there’s cash burning a hole in your pocket, the elegant neighborhood of Lapa is the place to make it rain.

2:00 p.m.ELEGANT EATSSo far, your inner history buff has taken in all of Lisbon’s rich Roman-tic, Medieval and Gothic architecture. But the modern and the surreal have a spot here, too. At Espaco Espelho D’Agua, land meets sea in an experimental space dedicated to modern art and gastronomy. Make a reservation in advance to sit on the terrace for lunch, where you’ll people-watch on the promenade of the stark white building. This isn’t your traditional Portuguese fare, though you’ll find odes to the cuisine throughout the menu. Chef Ana Soares, a native Brazilian, imparts her vision of what nouveau Portuguese fusion cooking should be. Start with

Praça di Comércio is the main square by the river,

where you can catch a bus tour of the city.

The Castelo de Sao Jorge dates from the second century and sits at the

highest point in Lisbon, from which visitors can take in

beautiful panoramic views.

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ceviche of salted cod, called bacalhau, infused with aromas of coconut, coriander and lemon—a combination of classic Iberian seafood with the tropical and North African flavors of Lisbon’s history.

4:00 p.m.MUST-SEE MONASTERYA few minutes’ walk from the restaurant is a UNESCO World Heri-tage site, Jeronimos Monastery, a perfect place to walk off your multi-course feast. Originally commissioned in 1495 and completed in 1601, the monastery is a national treasure and the hour-long tour of the buildings is a must. Here, you’ll be able to view the tomb of explorer Vasco de Gama and traverse the mosaicked fountains, where symbols of Christianity meld with pagan astrology. The monastery’s buildings also house two major national museums worth exploring—the National Archaeological Museum and Maritime Museum, celebrating Portugal’s long history of seafaring exploration. Does the name Christopher Columbus ring any bells?

5:30 p.m.WINE O’CLOCKHead back to the Praça do Comércio, load up a tasting card and grab some glasses for a tour of Portugal’s wine regions at ViniPortu-gal. The self-serve wine dispensers are filled with 20 different bottles from the country’s 14 different wine-producing areas, including the islands of Madeira and the Azores. Up until now, you might have only sipped on vinho verde or ruby Port. Here’s your chance to lounge in the vast wine hall and find a new favorite bottle to take home and share. The wine room’s mission is to bring awareness to the world of Portugal’s vibrant and sophisticated local viticulture, and tastings occur throughout the day. Ask one of the docents at the front desk to suggest

a flight of reds or whites to start your oeno-journey.

7:00 p.m.SUNSET SELFIESStumble (carefully!) across the street from ViniPortugal to the Arco da Rua Augusta to watch the sun set from the city’s best vantage point. The trip to the top costs just one Euro, and you’ll stop in the middle to discover the history behind the arch’s construction. On All Saints Day in 1755, the Great Lisbon Earthquake just about leveled the city, and killed more than 50,000 people. The devastation was widespread. Before then, Lisbon was one of Europe’s most prosperous port cities, a hub for exploration, art, and science. After the earthquake, the entire city was rebuilt. The arch, commissioned by Queen Augusta, commemorated the earthquake and celebrated the city’s renaissance. At the top, look out over the Tagus River and take sunset selfies with bird’s-eye views of Castel de Sao Jorge and other landmarks in the background.

8:30 p.m.DINNER AND A SHOWTake the funicular back up the hill toward the castle—after all that wine and spiral-staircase climbing, you’ll need a break. Chapito a Mesa is part circus school, part artist colony, and all weird and fun. Enter in through the shop, where the resident artists sell their cre-ations. You’ll surely want to take home jewelry made from recycled cars. Under the big top, open a bottle of wine while you wait for your table upstairs. When you make a reservation, ask for a table for two facing the west windows. At night, the lights of the city twinkle below. The restaurant can get raucous, as animated conversation is highly encouraged. Enjoy out-of-the-box dishes like grilled Iberian pork and Portuguese lamb.

Take an hour-long tour of the Jeronimos Monastery, a national treasure originally

commissioned in 1495.