Wandering Through Lisbon: A Student’s Guide to Sun, Pastéis, and Streetcars

Jainika Bardia
Apr 28
3 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

You know those random nights when you and your friends half-jokingly yell “Let’s just book a flight”?Well, one finals week meltdown and two impulsive Google Flights searches later, I found myself landing in Lisbon, Portugal — solo backpack, $450 roundtrip ticket from JFK, absolutely no plan.

And honestly? Best decision I made all summer.

Getting There

Flights from NYC to Lisbon are weirdly affordable if you stalk StudentUniverse, Hopper, or Skyscanner hard enough.I booked mine for $450 roundtrip, direct from JFK to LIS on TAP Air Portugal.(Pro tip: book 2–3 months early and fly mid-week if you can.)

The flight was chill — 6.5 hours — and you land early morning, just in time to be aggressively blinded by Lisbon’s sunshine.

Where I Stayed

Forget fancy hotels — Lisbon is hostel heaven.I stayed at Selina Secret Garden Lisbon in Cais do Sodré for about $30/night in a mixed dorm.The rooftop had a pool. There were art murals everywhere. It had strong Wi-Fi and stronger free coffee.Hostel friends = instant tour buddies = free bonus.

If you want something even cheaper (and don't mind creaky bunk beds), you can find great hostels for $20 a night easy.

What I Did (and You Should Too)

1. Wander Alfama Until You Get Lost

The oldest neighborhood in Lisbon is all steep hills, pastel houses, crumbling tiles, and hanging laundry.There’s honestly no wrong way to explore — every alley feels like a movie set.At night, live fado music spills out from tiny restaurants, and yes, it’s as romantic as it sounds.

2. Ride Tram 28 (but Hack It)

Everyone says to ride the vintage yellow Tram 28 — but they don’t tell you it gets PACKED.Go early in the morning (like beat-the-sun early) or catch it at less touristy stops to actually get a seat.

It’s a cheap way (around $3) to see a ton of the city without dying of heatstroke walking uphill for six hours.

3. Eat All the Pastéis de Nata

These tiny custard tarts will ruin all other desserts for you.

Pastéis de Belém is the original (touristy but worth it).
Manteigaria makes arguably the best version — buttery, flaky, actual heaven.

Each tart costs about €1 — meaning you can eat irresponsibly and still stay on budget.

4. Day Trip to Sintra

Trains to Sintra run all day and only cost €5 roundtrip.You’ll feel like you wandered into a Disney movie — think candy-colored castles on misty hills.(Pena Palace is the big one. Wear sneakers. Your calves will hate you but your Instagram will thrive.)

Budget Hacks

Buy a Viva Viagem metro card — unlimited travel for around €6 a day.
Eat at local tascas (small restaurants) — dinner for €8–10, wine included.
Skip Ubers when you can — Lisbon’s metro and trams are cheap and kinda fun.
Look for free walking tours — a lot of hostels organize them, and they’re actually good.

Total cost for a full week in Lisbon (flights, stay, food, everything):Around $900 — and that’s living good, not sad peanut-butter-sandwich budget.

Final Takeaway

Lisbon is honestly a dream for broke college students who still want big European summer energy.It’s safe, it's beautiful, it’s way cheaper than Paris or Rome, and you can fill your days with sunsets, pastries, music, and getting lost in the prettiest streets you’ve ever seen.

Also: it’s impossible to have a bad day in a city where even the sidewalks are made of art.

If you’re at NYU this summer plotting a quick escape, this is your sign: Book the Lisbon trip. Eat the pastéis. Ride the tram. Live your European daydream for real.

Catch you on a rooftop with sangria