48 Hours in Lisbon on a DIY Writing Retreat

‘Pack your bags!’ my sister said and my mouth fell open. ‘Is this for real?’ I was staring at a little video she’d made to surprise me: 48 hours in Lisbon on a DIY writing retreat. A special present to celebrate my milestone birthday! 

After hearing me bang on about wanting to go on a writer’s retreat for ages, she had booked me a B&B mini break in Portugal to have some time with myself and the ideas rattling around in my head. What an incredible gift!

48 hours in Lisbon on a DIY Writing Retreat

To complement the theme, my sister found a charming boutique hotel named Wine and Books in the Belém district. This turned out to be an ideal location, just 25 minutes from Lisbon airport, away from the bustling city centre yet walking distance from some main attractions. 

My daily plan was to enjoy the hotel breakfast, write in my room for an hour or two, head out for some local culture and dinner, then back to the hotel to read and maybe write some more.

Wine and Books Hotel: An Inspired Pick for Writing and Reading

Wine and Books Hotel is beautifully decorated with dramatic light-up flooring on the room levels, high ceilings in the lobby, and a motif of tall shelves stacked with wine bottles, thick books and vintage typewriters. It’s a sustainable hotel so you get a wooden keycard for your room, recyclable notepads and glass water bottles by your bed. 

When I arrived, they’d left a slice of chocolate cake and a birthday greeting for me which was a cute touch. The bed was big and comfy and the walk-in shower in my room was fully transparent (as was the toilet door), something to bear in mind if travelling with a companion! 

There’s a decent sized restaurant which doubles as their bar and also a gym and a spa which sadly I didn’t get to use, otherwise not much in the way of public spaces. However, that suited me fine since I wanted to spend time writing. On my arrival night, I had dinner in the hotel restaurant (steak sandwich and chips) and a glass of Portuguese red wine, QSS Rare, which I took up to my room to ‘assist’ with my writing flow. I had brought two books to read on my retreat: Come and Get It by Kiley Reid (loved her debut Such A Fun Age) and 1000 Words by Jami Attenberg. 

My Reading Companions and Writing 1000 Words a Day

These were books I’d gifted to myself for my birthday and they turned out to be the perfect reading companions. Kiley Reid is an utterly delicious writer and I’d already wolfed down 100 pages en route to Lisbon. I’m a subscriber to Jami Attenberg’s Substack newsletter and her book has the same engaging and encouraging tone of voice, so it was great to dip into between my writing breaks. Jami’s book is based on her popular #1000wordsofsummer challenge where you write 1000 words a day for 2 weeks in June. I had just completed Jami’s 1000 words Spring mini challenge (writing 1000 words for 1 week) and managed to get 10,000 words into a new project. 

Being in Lisbon away from family and other concerns, I was able to read over what I’d written and decide if I wanted to continue. I set a rough goal of 5000 words for my 48 hours in Lisbon, although I knew this might be a tall order since it was my first time in Portugal and I wanted to do some sightseeing. I wrote just over 1000 words on Tuesday morning, then I set off on an FRS riverboat cruise along the Tagus River (the longest river on the Iberian Peninsular). 

Day One in Lisbon: Writing and Cruising the Tagus River

If you’re only in Lisbon for a couple of days, I recommend taking to the water to see the city from a new angle. The boat was crammed and I’d probably choose a smaller (though pricier) sailboat tour next time. Still, it was a pleasant journey with a soul/jazz soundtrack and refreshments on board. We sailed past sights like the Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, 25 de Abril Bridge, and the Sanctuary of Christ the King in Almada. The boat docks again at the port by Plaça do Comercio, the city’s most famous square. 

After sitting by the river, watching people go by and sunlight rippling across the water, I stopped for a bite to eat at Terra Nova on the square. It’s an obvious tourist trap but I didn’t mind chilling there with an Aperol Spritz for Happy Hour and some cuttlefish croquettes (croquete de choco). They seem quite obsessed with salted codfish in Lisbon as well as with sardines. The latter are something I avoid and I didn’t eat any codfish in the end, but I did like the cuttlefish and choco frito (fried cuttlefish) is a Portuguese specialty.

Author Event at Salted Books Lisbon

I hopped on the Metro — clean, modern and fast — then walked through the town’s centre to an event at Salted Books. When we were flying into Lisbon, I noted that the view made me think of overhead images I’d seen of Rio. However on ground, I’d describe Lisbon as Barcelona meets Nice with its mix of modern metropolitan and old town areas, cobbled hilly streets and pretty azulejo tiling everywhere you look. 

Salted Books is an English language bookshop and they were hosting a Q&A with author Georgina Lawton (Raceless) interviewing author and Substack superstar Emma Gannon (Olive, The Success Myth). It was standing room only and I really appreciated hearing their discussion around writing, staying curious, and defining success on your own terms. I got to chat with both Georgina and Emma after the talk and to meet bookshop owner Alex Holder whom I’d connected with briefly online. 

I was hoping to sign a copy of my book Raising Boys Who Do Better but Alex told me they’d sold out (apparently the book sells really well there)! A bittersweet feeling, next time I must remember always to travel with a copy to sign or gift if I can. I did spot my friend Karen McCarthy Woolf’s new release Top Doll on the shelves which gave me a little thrill. It’s a lovely bookshop and well worth a visit if you’re in Lisbon.

48 Hours in Lisbon: Dinner at Time Out Market

For dinner, my friend Brooke had recommended a restaurant called Cantinho do Avillez but while walking there, I passed a large building on a square where some yummy aromas enticed me indoors. It turned out to be the famous Time Out Market Lisbon, a massive food hall style market and event space that’s reminiscent of Mercato Metropolitano. The place was super buzzy with lots of options from street food to chef’s specials. I ordered succulent lamb chops with potato slices (basically crisps) and three scoops of gelato for dessert.

On Wednesday after breakfast, I holed up in my room writing until midday. I was pleased to have written nearly 5000 words and, more importantly, to feel like I wanted to keep writing. But it was time to check out so I popped my case in left luggage and strolled to the Jeronimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) which was 10 minutes from the hotel. It’s a Portuguese National Monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I’d booked an audio tour ticket online but I wish I’d booked a ‘skip the line’ ticket since it took a good 45 minutes queueing to get inside. At least the sun was shining, in fact the weather throughout my stay was sunny and warm and apparently Lisbon is known for its great climate. 

Touring Jerónimos Monastery and Reckoning with Lisbon’s Racial History

Indoors, the monastery turned out to be worth the wait, filled with stunning features, paintings, historical relics and architecture dating to the 15th century. The audio tour was confusing in parts but gave me some interesting insights. I also liked playing an Amapiano and Afrobeats soundtrack on my headphones, a culture clash reminder of how shocking my presence would have been to the monastery’s residents hundreds of years ago.

Racially, Lisbon is quite a diverse city and unlike some European cities I’ve visited, I didn’t feel like an oddity. In fact, most people assumed I was Portuguese or from a former colony like Mozambique, Cape Verde or Angola. I’ve actually had Portuguese people in London speak to me like I was kin, so this wasn’t a huge surprise but still a welcome experience. That said, as the first country to launch the Transatlantic Slave Trade, Portugal has its own long and twisted history with racism, colonialism and racial politics. There’s definitely a long way to go for the country to reckon with its past or for true social equality for Afro Portuguese and their descendants. Whenever I return, I’m making a point of visiting some Black areas and businesses like the Mozambique-Portuguese restaurant Cantinho do Aziz and the African Lisbon Tour.

48 Hours in Lisbon: Quick Bites and Sweet Treats

Wandering through the monastery was hungry work so after my tour, I stopped to grab a mixed grill baguette from Pão Pão Queijo Queijo. This is a well-known spot nearby that’s popular with tourists but also clearly loved by locals. It was one of the tastiest and more affordable meals I ate, costing around 8 euros for the large filled baguette with fries and a bottle of water. Highly recommend. I also bought some treats from Pastéis de Belém, the famous Portuguese custard tart shop that apparently still makes their pastéis from the original recipe handed down from the monastery.

And just like that, my mini retreat was over. However there was more time to read and make notes on the journey back to London and my brain is still in creative writing mode. It was a truly refreshing and inspiring break in a beautiful city and I can’t thank my sister enough. Obrigada Nkiru.

Lisbon Travel Tips

• Wine & Books Hotel is a great place to stay if you don’t mind a quieter location. It’s easy to get into town and walking distance from major landmarks e.g. Jerónimos Monastery, Memória Church, the Botanical Garden. However if you prefer to be somewhere buzzier, you might choose a hotel or Air B&B in a neighbourhood like Alfama or Baixa.
• I didn’t get to ride on the trams however these iconic yellow vehicles travel all over town and Tram 28 will take you through Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhoods. Buy a Navegante travel pass for just 6.80 euros that lets you ride on all public transport (bus, tram, metro, funicular) for 24 hours.
• You can actually pack a lot into a 2 or 3-day trip since many attractions are close together, however I imagine Lisbon is best enjoyed at a leisurely pace.
• I barely spoke a word of Portuguese before I arrived but thanks to my A-Level Spanish, I could read my way around and most people speak a little English. I also heard French, Spanish and Italian quite a bit. To my untrained ear, the Portuguese accent sounds quite different from Brazilian — they sound like Russians speaking Spanish!
• If I had more time, I would have visited the coast as I hear Lisbon has some nice beaches. I’d also hang out in Bairro Alto which has a hopping nightlife scene where the party spills out from the bars to the streets.
• Wear good walking shoes or trainers, avoid heels. Apparently there’s a high incidence of people falling or even breaking their necks thanks to the inclines and uneven pavements!
• Kids will love Lisbon with its waterfront and chilled out vibes, winding trams and cable car rides, sweet treats, and destinations like the Oceanarium (one of Europe’s largest aquariums), São Jorge Castle, the Science Museum and the Zoological garden. Do be mindful of the slopes and cobbles as it might be tricky to navigate with a pushchair or a wilful toddler!

DIY Writing Retreat Tips

• Set your intentions. It’s far too easy to while away the hours without the framework of a residential retreat. So create a mini plan or a tiny goal, something that can help anchor your daily writing, whether it’s a number of writing hours, words or pages. It’s also helpful to come with a specific project that you’d like to make some headway on i.e. an active work in progress.
• Manage your expectations. If your trip is quite short and you’re visiting somewhere new, it’s inevitable that you’ll be drawn out of your writing cave and you might not get as many words down as you’d imagined. Don’t put too much pressure on what you want to accomplish, even if you don’t meet your set targets, it’s still worthwhile to have that solo time and thinking space.
• Take breaks. This is as important on a retreat as in your everyday routine. Sitting hunched over your keyboard banging out words all day might feel like success but you also need to eat, hydrate, stretch, move and refresh. No athlete achieves peak performance without recovery and recuperation time. That’s right, I called you an athlete because writing is physical work too!
• Fill your inkwell. You cannot write from an empty place and part of the wonder of a destination retreat is that you’ll have all sorts of sights, sounds and places to draw inspiration from each day. In fact, visiting somewhere new puts your senses on high alert since there’s so much you have to figure out (language, directions, food, locals) and that can only add richness and texture to your writing. So don’t think you have to close the shutters and write all day. Get out there and let your inkwell overflow.
• Bring some books. Reading is essential to writing and your retreat time can be used for catching up on your TBR (to be read) pile. Bring at least one book that can inspire your own writing and/or provide light relief. Also bring a book on craft to act as a writing coach for whenever you feel stuck. The books I brought on my DIY retreat — Come and Get It by Kiley Reid and 1000 Words by Jami Attenberg – were all that and then some.

I’m launching a Virtual Writing Retreat space for developing writers. Learn more: