A three night weekend away in Lisbon with a girl friend was all about fun, culture, food and drink.

Having arrived late on the first day, we went for a walk and dinner. As the bars and clubs don’t open until 10pm, we managed to squeeze in a nap before making our first (of several) visits to Malt Bar on Pink Street (Lisbon’s former Red Light District). The staff were lovely, and the vast array of shots on offer, meant we never had the same drink twice in all the time we spent there.

But partying aside, this was a really fulfilling break. Exploring a new city is one of my most favourite things to do.

Over the two full days I had in the city, I saw and experienced all that I wanted to:

There were the the smells and sounds of the Time Out Market Hall, where cuisines from around the world are served until midnight. There was the unique taste of traditional codfish cake at Pastel de Baculhau, which comes with a view of the Santa Justa Lift. There was window shopping along the Rua Garrett strip, located in the Baixa Chiado shopping district.

Then, there was the impressive sightseeing. Worth seeing if you have the time are: Pacos do Concelho (the City Hall), Comercio Square, (a waterfront point and former royal palace), Arco da Rua Augusta, Ponte 25 de Abril (bridge), Santuario de Cristo Rei, Torre de Belém Tower, Padrao dos Descobrimentos, The UNESCO World Heritage Jeronimos Monastery, and finally Pastel de Belém – where you can try the city’s most famous custard tart.

This truly was a wonderful city break. However, with any journey, whom you travel with is often more important than the destination.