Three Days in Lisbon

via Lufthansa and Emirates First Class

June 2025

Cascais and Sintra

Getaway day started with drive up the coast to beautiful Cascais and then into the mountains to historic Sintra, with our wonderful guide Yellow Cab TT Tour guide Paula.

Coffee stop before we leave Lisbon...

And the Banana Café

LOL on the sign.

Driving up the coast.

Cascais.

Pretty coastlne in Cascais.

Cutesy downtown Cascais, or cash-cash.

Portugal's most famous son.

Cascais Beach.

Ritzy development just north of Cascais.

Ronaldo's new home.

The Lighthouse at Cabo da Roca...

The western most point in continental Europe.

Pretty drive into the mountains to Sintra.

Our wonderful guide/driver Paula.

Who knew cork came from cork trees.

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant where locals go.

Since it's sardine season, we took one for the team as a starter.

With "normal" mains.

Our guide Paula stopping to chat with an old friend, famous Portugese actress Alexandra Lencastre

After lunch, a visit to Old Sintra.

Then off for the hour drive to the airport, passing Benfica Stadium.

Instagram video of our day in Cascais and Sintra.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLptu4nRw9l/

Emirates First Class Lisbon to Dubai

Emirates First Class Lisbon-Dubai

While most people would fly nonstop or take a normal connection from Lisbon back to the US, there are a few crazies that willingly fly the wrong way to spend 24 hours on airplanes. But when it’s in Emirates First Class, this is a no brainer. Rough start to the evening with understaffed Lisbon passport control and the a bus gate as Lisbon has way too few real gates. Then an hour delay as dysfunctional Lisbon ATC tried to figure things out. But on board, simply amazing as always even in old First. Wonderful service, great food and fabulous wines making Emirates First Class an absolute joy to fly.

Emirates contracts with TAP to use their Premium Lounges at Libson. There are two Premium Lounges, one in the central part of the terminal and another after passport control. I opted to for the larger main lounge.

And my last yummy Porto Tonic of the trip.

Great plane spotting from the lounge with Junior's Air France flight to Paris.

What a mess at passport control with 3 agents handling hundreds of non-EU pax.

A half hour later...

And a bus gate. Of course, it's Lisbon.

Nice touch as 7 First Class passengers get their own bus for the winding 10 minute drive around the airport.

Lisbon LIS to Dubai DXB

Emirates EK 194

777-300ER (77W)

9:15p-8:15a +1 (sked)

10:20p-8:45a +1 (actual)

June 18, 2025

Our beautiful 777-300ER.

My Suite 2A

Predeparture Dom.

Wow, sensational white wines tonight...

Tonight's menu...

Once we're finally in the air, starting with the fabulous Y from Chateau D'Yquem.

Breaking out the Zaltos.

Showtime Emirates First style.

Creamy green pea soup with mint, served with horseradish crème fraiche.

Moving on to the amazing 2015 Latour Chevalier-Montrachet. 4.5 rating on Vivino and retailing for $800+

Fried hake starter was delicious, with regional-style salada algarvia, shimeji mushrooms and vegetable julienne.

And wonderful main Bacalhau assado, roasted cod with lobster bisque, duchess potatoes, sautéed asparagus and peppers.

Moving on to an exceptional Rioja.

I was able to get 4 hours of sleep prior to arrival at Dubai, where a personal First Class assistant met me at the gate for a private golf cart ride to transit security.

With the late departure from Lisbon and late arrival at Dubai, I only had 20 minutes to spend in the lounge.

But just enough time to enjoy a glass of fabulous Mouton.

Instagram video of my Emirates First Class flight from Lisbon to Dubai.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLsC1uTR5BC/

Emirates GameChanger to Chicago

Emirates First Class The Game Changer Dubai to Chicago

I usually choose Dubai-Chicago for my Emirates return to the US since Emirates’ Chicago 77W service features The Game Changer, Emirates fabulous New First Class suite. Beautiful 6 suite First Class cabin with the ultimate in comfort and privacy, ceiling to floor doors. In suite temperature and lighting control and a video call button to your flight attendant. Wonderful service, great food and fabulous wines on this fantastic 15 hour flight home.

Dubai DXB to Chicago ORD

Emirates EK 235

777-300ER The Game Changer New First

9:55a-3:45p (sked)

10:00a-5:05p (actual)

June 19, 2025

Down the escalator to the ridiculous TSA post-security inquisition.

What a gorgeous New First Class cabin...

My Suite 2A

Ah yes!

Once in the air, I went to sleep.

Bedtime.

Six hours later, OK now I'm hungry and ready to go.

Today's menu...

And feature wines. Wow...

Showtime Emirates First style.

Oh yes!

Roasted tomato soup.

Seasonal salad with chicken schnitzel.

What a great pair of wines.

Whole-roasted baby chicken, served with spiced coconut curry sauce, saffron rice, asparagus, zerish chutney and stuffed peppers woth paneer and cashew nuts. One of the best inflight dishes ever!

And dessert. Chocolate truffle cake.

Movie snack popcorn with the rest of the bottle of Mouton.

Another few hours of sleep, a movie and fruit plate prior to landing.

The Michigan side of Lake Michigan on our approach to O'Hare.

And Chicago.

Wrigley Field.

Nice landing but what a mess at O'Hare after we landed 45 minutes late. Our gate was occupied so we sat in the penalty box for 30 minutes. Then at the gate, 5 minutes for a bogus medical emergency...

And of course our gate was the furthest from CBP. The a long, long walk to disorganized Global Entry and a long queue with no way for Global Entry app users to jump the queue.

Instagram video of my Emirates Game Changer flight to Chicago.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLu1-qlRqwK/

American First Class to Denver

American First Class Chicago-Denver

With all the delays in the air and then on the ground at O'Hare, my 2.5 hour connection was down to just 45 minutes as arrived my connecting gate a few minutes before boarding.

Chicago ORD-Denver DEN

American AA 1387

A319

6:25pm-8:00pm

June 19, 2025

Small two row, 8 seat First Class cabin.

Surprise. One of the few AA narrow body planes with seatback IFE.

Remnant of an earlier flight.

Surprisingly tasty AA short rib dinner.

Almost home.

Welcome to DIA and the miserable train to the main terminal.

But a gorgeous sunset on Pena Boulevard on the drive home. What a fun trip. Thanks for following along!

Lufthansa A380 First Class to Munich

Off to Lisbon

Today I’m off with SFO777Jr for a few days in Lisbon, starting with Lufthansa’s A380 nonstop from Denver to Munich. We declined the crappy United Club and headed for the much nicer Capital One Lounge, where we spent a pleasant hour before heading to our gate.

Denver DEN to Munich MUC

Lufthansa LH 481

A380-800

4:15pm-10:00a +1 (sked)

4:15pm-10:48a +1 (actual)

June 15, 2025

Departed 6/8

Cost: 115,000 miles per person including MUC-LIS connector

Unlike earlier in the year, LH Denver finally got its act together and announced First Class boarding first. What a concept.

After we climbed the staircase... beautiful upper deck cabin.

Outstanding premium champagne selection today, and free flowing at the gate.

Today's menu...

And wine list...

Amenity kit, meh.

Once finally in the air, champagne taste test from our wonderful flight attendant.

Today's amuse bouche.

Showtime Lufthansa First style.

The caviar and starter cart...

Wonderful Chilean Can Blend.

Even better in my traveling Zalto.

Junior's Herb Crusted Lamb Rack.

My Grilled Beef Fillet with Shiitake Sauce.

Lovely cheese plate.

And yummy warm apple pie a la mode.

With 2A inoperable, the only unoccuptied seat was 2K, across the aisle from me, which I was quick to request as my bed while we were still on the ground in Denver. Wound up getting nearly 5 hours of sleep.

Not Emirates nice, but still a nice large upper deck lav.

A quick freshly scrambled eggs just 30 minutes before landing.

Descending to Munich after a very nice flight with an exceptional crew. My only concern was our 11:15am departure to Lisbon giving us less then 30 minutes to make the connection.

My Instagram video of today's Lufthansa A380 First Class flight to Munich.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLS4USixIMz/

Lufthansa "Business Class" to Lisbon

Lufthansa First Class connecting service and Business Class to Lisbon

With an hour ATC delay departing Denver, we only had 25 minutes to clear immigration and make our connecting flight to Lisbon. Not a problem as it was Lufthansa First Class to the rescue. A Lufthansa First Class rep met us in the jet bridge as we walked off our A380. Then whisked us by private BMW all the way. Just 10 minutes from arrival to our departure gate. Very impressive!

Off to private immigration.

And then thru the bowels of MUC...

To our connecting gate. All in 10 minutes from our A380 arrival gate to our departing gate.

The view from my bulkhead seat 1C.

Today's menu.

Passed on lunch and tried to sleep on the nearly 3 hour flight to Lisbon.

Pics of beautiful Lisbon on a gorgeous day.

Welcome to Lisbon airport, where there are way too few real gates.

Bus gate!

Not nearly as bad as the DIA trains.

Once in the terminal, a long, long, long walk to Exit. I guess Portugese love sardines.

But not nearly as much as football.

Good in terminal signage to Uber, but then the signs ended. Took a while but we finally found our driver. Welcome to Lisboa.

Instagram video of our Munich connection and the flight to Lisbon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLYak8FxVav/

Our Lisbon Airbnb

Our Lisbon Airbnb

For our two nights in Lisbon, I opted for a lovely 2BR Airbnb in a quiet neighborhood on Largo Conde-Barao near the river and a short walk to lots of bars and restaurants including the very cool Time Out Market.

Once we found our Tesla Uber, about 35 minutes from the airport to our apartment, at the end of this narrow street.

The view from our apartment.

Some pics courtesy airbnb.com

Our gorgeous living room.

Lovely bedrooms.

And nice kitchen.

Drinks at Rocco Lisbon

Drinks at Rocco Lisbon

Thanks to a great recommendation from @rosaadriano, we headed out for pre-dinner drinks just 5 minutes away at stunning Rocco, an elegant and vibrant restaurant/bar in the Ivens Hotel in Chiado neighborhood.

Very cool.

Instagram video of our Airbnb and drinks at Rocco

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLc4P7SRKD7/

Dinner at Michelin star Eleven

Dinner at Michelin star Eleven

On our first night in Lisbon, what a treat to dine at Joachim Koerper’s Michelin One star Restaurante Eleven. Elegant decor in a lovely building in the upper section of the Amália Rodrigues gardens, with great views over parts of Lisbon. Exquisite food, creatively presented with flawless service by a wonderful staff. Our Lobster Tasting Menu was exceptional. And chef’s signature My Day in Singapore’s Food Market to die for. A great Michelin star experience.

Tonic in a champagne bowl?

Ah, now I get it... My new summer fave drink... Porto Tonic

Tonight's Blue Lobster Menu.

Lobster with potatoes, pork confit and bergamot.

Lobster with egg, asparagus, watercress and "Oscietra Royale" caviar.

Lobster with spaghetti and "Morilles"

Lobster with carrot and tandoori textures.

And a special extra dish, chef's incredible "My day in Singapore's food market" dish.

The map of Portugal in cheeses.

Strawberry, rhubarb and raspberry

And yummy petit fours to conclude a wonderful three hour culinary experience.

Back near our Airbnb apartment...

Checking out the Time Out Market

Instagram video of our evening at Michelin star Eleven.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLeKRHatKft/

Tuk-Tuk Tour of Lisbon

Our Tuk-Tuk Tour of Lisbon

With only 2 full days in Lisbon, we booked a 5 hour tuk-tuk tour of Lisbon from Eco Tuk Tuk. What a great way to see different areas of the city. Such an enjoyable day with our friendly and knowledgable driver/guide Nani.