Hopped off the hostel train in Lisbon and now I'm a couchsurfing convert

I spent 2 weeks in Lisbon last month and stayed at a hostel for $40 a night but met a local who let me crash at her place for free after a random chat at a cafe. She showed me the best pasteis de nata spot for like 2 euros and told me about a free walking tour that actually rocked. Has anyone else found that ditching paid spots for local connections saves way more than you'd think?

2 comments

2 Comments

jade321mo ago

$40 a night for a hostel in Lisbon? Honestly that's wild, I paid 15 euros at a place near Alfama and thought that was steep. Ngl you lucked out hard with that cafe chat, most locals I ran into just pointed me to overpriced tourist traps. Tbh the free walking tour scene there is underrated, I did one that showed me hidden miradouros with insane views for zero euros.

marymorgan1mo ago

Ngl jade32, that free walking tour thing is spot on. I had a buddy who went to Lisbon a couple years back, and he raved about one he did near Bairro Alto. He said the guide took them to this tiny alleyway bakery that nobody knows about, and the owner gave them free pastel de nata just for showing up. Meanwhile, he paid like 10 euros for a tour that was mostly the guide's cousin's restaurant. Your $15 hostel near Alfama sounds like a steal compared to his nightmare though - he booked a place that turned out to be above a nightclub, and he didn't sleep for three days. He still talks about that cafe chat you mentioned, said a local told him where to find the best grilled sardines for under 5 euros. Point is, you got the real deal without the hype.