The People’s Guide to Lisbon
The People’s Guide to Lisbon
Featured Articles
This year, Lisbon is filled with themed parties to celebrate Carnaval, the Portuguese version of Mardi Gras, so you concentrate on finding a costume, and we'll lead you to the best places to wear it.
Gearing Up: Lisbon's Carnaval Parties, 2019 Edition
This week's English language news in Lisbon, Portugal:Exploited Workers, Police Racial Profiling, Money Over Love, Brand New Boats, Barroso Bears, and much more!
The Week em Breve - February 21
Dating back to the Celts, the caretos are perhaps the oldest tradition alive today in Portugal though for many years the practice became nearly extinct.
Carnival Portuguese Style: the Caretos
By 1863, Eça had become a member of a local Boheme and, influenced by new friendships, discovered the pleasures of exotic food and sophisticated clothing, started wearing a monocle, ceased to believe in God, and declared himself a romantic.
Defeated by Life: José Maria Eça de Quieróz
Atlas Lisboa chats with the director of the documentary "This Is Love" about the widely influential musician Rudy Love who has nonetheless remained virtually unknown to the general public.
How to Be in the Shadow and Not Care About It: An Interview with Director John Alexander
Are you planning a trip to Lisbon? Do you have questions? We have answers!
The No-Nonsense FAQ for the Visitor to Lisbon
This four-hour walk between Sintra and Cabo da Roca lets you see many of Sintra’s famed landmarks and includes plenty of forest-walking, sea-gazing, and cliff-scrambling. And you don't need a car to reach it.
Do it All in a Day: Walking from Sintra to Cabo da Roca
You aren't exactly ready for what's in store at the miniature world of Jose Franco, but you won't regret the stopover.
Aldeia José Franco: The Eccentric Pastime of a Ceramic Artisan
Not all Lisbon markets are created equal, nor are the vendors who comprise them. Here's where to go if you're keen for a stroll as you shop or bargaining before you buy.
The Thirteen Best Markets In Lisboa
Strangers do things that annoy us, make us laugh, and make us cry in the great city of Lisbon. Here is the place to share your stories anonymously.
The Page of Disquiet
For fans of full-body tans, Portugal has a plethora of nude beaches to choose from, with something for everyone. What’s more, all Portuguese clothing-optional beaches are great for those who like to keep their swimsuits on, because they’re typically located in more secluded — and, as a result, often cleaner and more beautiful — areas.
Nudist Beaches in Portugal, Or How To Stop Paying for Swimwear
Things to Do
Events Calendar
There’s a lot going on in Lisbon, but we curate what’s up so you know…
Museums
What are the top places for art, history, puppets, and more? We’ve done the legwork.…
Parks and Gardens
Lisbon’s top outdoor spaces range from miradouros, to green parks and gardens, and yes, cemeteries.…
Shopping
We love Lisbon because it’s a small town wrapped up inside a big city. Prices…
Restaurants
Restaurants, cafes, kiosks, and more, Lisbon's got all kinds of kitchens, and we've reviewed them…
Bars
With incredible vinho and cheap beer everywhere, you'll need a guide to get your drink…
Clubs
Put on your dancing sapatos! Party ’til sunrise like a Lisboeta at one of these…
Golfing
If you judge a course by its par threes, these two courses near Lisbon won’t disappoint…
Biking
It may be hilly and bumpy, but bike lanes are popping up in LX and…
Surfing
Here’s some info on the top three spots to grab a wave and get maps of dozens more surf…
Rock Climbing
There’s tons of climbing around Lisbon, even multi-pitch trad if you…
Featured February Events
![to May 19 | EXHIBITION AND PERFORMANCE | João Onofre: Once in a Lifetime [Repeat] | Campo Pequeno | FREE - 4€](https://i0.wp.com/www.atlaslisboa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Screen-Shot-2019-02-12-at-8.48.25-AM.png?fit=350%2C309&ssl=1)
Essentials for Visitors
This year, Lisbon is filled with themed parties to celebrate Carnaval, the Portuguese version of Mardi Gras, so you concentrate on finding a costume, and we'll lead you to the best places to wear it.
Gearing Up: Lisbon's Carnaval Parties, 2019 Edition
Dating back to the Celts, the caretos are perhaps the oldest tradition alive today in Portugal though for many years the practice became nearly extinct.
Carnival Portuguese Style: the Caretos
From an animation festival to concerts by rock's oldest and newest talents, and plenty of art spanning centuries, March in Lisbon this year promises to be a nice spring blast.
What's On in Lisbon in March
Valentine's Day, with chocolates and red-heart teddy bears and all that isn't really Lisbon's thing just yet. And that's good. Here's how to woo your boo with some class and sass all over town. Be brave!
From Romantic to Erotic: Valentine's Day in Lisbon
Are you planning a trip to Lisbon? Do you have questions? We have answers!
The No-Nonsense FAQ for the Visitor to Lisbon
This four-hour walk between Sintra and Cabo da Roca lets you see many of Sintra’s famed landmarks and includes plenty of forest-walking, sea-gazing, and cliff-scrambling. And you don't need a car to reach it.
Do it All in a Day: Walking from Sintra to Cabo da Roca
A small white robot in a glass case shook, seemingly in terror, at loud noises — and the crowd of young adults that stood shouting at it was a haunting vision into what the future could hold.
The Robot Retrospective: A Review of MAAT’s New Exhibition
This is the last leg of your 50-city tour, so throw your vehicle into high hear and get ready to get a little dirty.
Driving Through Portugal: See it All in 50 Stops (Part 3)
Whether you're looking for an intimate dinner with friends, dancing at a club until 7 am, or just watching the fireworks, there is something for everyone to make Lisbon's passage into 2019 the best new year's eve you could imagine.
The Best of New Year’s Eve in Lisbon 2019
If a Lisboeta tells you to go to a certain place whose name you've never heard — and you're not quite sure where to find it — here's what they mean.
Lisbon Implied, or How to Talk About Locations Like a Local
Portugal is fighting back against industry giants in the tourism sector with the launch of a Portuguese-built hotel aggregator, Click2Portugal.com.
Booking Portuguese Hotels the Portuguese Way: the Launch of Click2Portugal
Bairro Alto is the party neighborhood of Lisbon, and if you’re visiting, it is a “must-go” spot. But please, do it in style and find the best bars.
Bairro Alto Alternativo
2 for 1 drinks and dishes means your dining just got that much cheaper. Here are our tips for using the Zomato Gold membership in Portugal to its fullest.
How to Use Zomato Gold for 2 for 1 Food and Drinks in Portugal
There are many travel guides for Lisbon, and each tends to suit a certain traveler. Luckily, we've had a look at the best to save you the legwork.
The Best Travel Guides to Lisbon
For fans of full-body tans, Portugal has a plethora of nude beaches to choose from, with something for everyone. What’s more, all Portuguese clothing-optional beaches are great for those who like to keep their swimsuits on, because they’re typically located in more secluded — and, as a result, often cleaner and more beautiful — areas.
Nudist Beaches in Portugal, Or How To Stop Paying for Swimwear
Going to a concert in Lisbon often means getting there early, but it is possible to book online for big-name bands and festivals — and even some of the smaller ones.
Planning Ahead: How to Buy Lisbon Concert Tickets Online
Living in Lisboa
From an animation festival to concerts by rock's oldest and newest talents, and plenty of art spanning centuries, March in Lisbon this year promises to be a nice spring blast.
What's On in Lisbon in March
There are dozens of museums in Portugal’s capital and within a short drive, and almost all charge admission. Here are a few tips to do it on the cheap - or for free.
Lisbon Culture on the Cheap, Part 2: Museums
There have been some recent changes to Recibos Verdes (Green Receipts) that you’ll need to wrap your head around. This is for all the self-employed English-speakers battling their way through the Portuguese bureaucracy.
Public Service Announcement: Changes to Recibos Verdes / Green Receipts
Strangers do things that annoy us, make us laugh, and make us cry in the great city of Lisbon. Here is the place to share your stories anonymously.
The Page of Disquiet
If a Lisboeta tells you to go to a certain place whose name you've never heard — and you're not quite sure where to find it — here's what they mean.
Lisbon Implied, or How to Talk About Locations Like a Local
Vintage, up-cycled, second-hand, or just plain USED: whatever you call not-new clothes, here's where to find them in Lisbon, from bargain bins to boutiques.
Getting Thrifty: The Second-Hand Stores of Lisbon
Bairro Alto is the party neighborhood of Lisbon, and if you’re visiting, it is a “must-go” spot. But please, do it in style and find the best bars.
Bairro Alto Alternativo
2 for 1 drinks and dishes means your dining just got that much cheaper. Here are our tips for using the Zomato Gold membership in Portugal to its fullest.
How to Use Zomato Gold for 2 for 1 Food and Drinks in Portugal
There are many travel guides for Lisbon, and each tends to suit a certain traveler. Luckily, we've had a look at the best to save you the legwork.
The Best Travel Guides to Lisbon
You’ve just arrived in Lisbon. Right about now you’re probably wondering what the hell you got yourself into. Well, perhaps it’s time for an introduction.
Erasmus Lisbon Welcome Day, or How Not to End Up Drinking Alone
For lovers of vinyl, Atlas has compiled a list of the best places to get records in Lisboa. Whether new releases, oldies, or anything in between.
Digging in Bins: The Record Shops of Lisbon
How blessed women are to bring a child into the world! Bullshit. If you are giving birth here in Portugal, I've got some tips for you as someone who has been through it twice.
Preparing for Childbirth in Portugal
For fans of full-body tans, Portugal has a plethora of nude beaches to choose from, with something for everyone. What’s more, all Portuguese clothing-optional beaches are great for those who like to keep their swimsuits on, because they’re typically located in more secluded — and, as a result, often cleaner and more beautiful — areas.
Nudist Beaches in Portugal, Or How To Stop Paying for Swimwear
In Lisbon you can visit one of the many swimming pools in sports halls, gyms, and rooftops year-round to get more deeply in touch with its favorite of the four elements.
The Waterworld of Lisboa
GIRA works off your phone: download the app, give them your financial details, and you’re ready to bike. This Atlas correspondent was able to do all of that in about 10 minutes. But then the problems began.
How to Use GIRA, Lisbon’s Only Bike-Sharing Option
Lisbon doesn’t seem like a live music hub, but scratch the surface and you'll find one of the freshest music scenes in Europe, from punk to classical.
For the Love of Punk: A Guide to Live Music in Lisbon
Lisbon is being heralded as the next big thing, frequently referred to as “the new Berlin." But how well is this underdog really doing? Lisbon ranked 42 out of the 77 cities by prices of goods and services. This general figure is a little skewed, however, by the cost of things such iPhones. And rent.
How the Stats Stack up: Lisbon Vs Berlin
Lisbon is known for long wait times, but only if you don't plan ahead. The locals know a few tricks to make life move just a little faster here. Avoid long lines, avoid frustration, do more stuff with these tips.
How to Avoid Queues, Lines, and Waiting in General in Lisbon
Latest Restaurant Reviews
Bairro Alto is the party neighborhood of Lisbon, and if you’re visiting, it is a “must-go” spot. But please, do it in style and find the best bars.
Bairro Alto Alternativo
2 for 1 drinks and dishes means your dining just got that much cheaper. Here are our tips for using the Zomato Gold membership in Portugal to its fullest.
How to Use Zomato Gold for 2 for 1 Food and Drinks in Portugal
One of Pessoa's favorite cafés for watching the world go by. Sure, there are cheaper coffee shops, but here you are on Praça do Comércio.
Martinho da Arcada
Authentic Turkish street food, traditionally prepared. This Restaurant ticks all the right boxes for an authentic Turkish meal in Anjos.
Ottoman's Bite: Pizza Tradicional Turca
Go for the grilled flavor and friendly staff and try to ignore the forgetful service.
Madragoa Vinho e Petiscos
Lisbon Events
Feb
22
Fri
09:00
to Feb 22 | FESTIVAL | Semana Cu...
to Feb 22 | FESTIVAL | Semana Cu...
Feb 22 @ 09:00 – 19:00
新年快乐 ! Xīn nián kuài lè ! Or, in other words, Happy New Year! Because Lisbon, like all major cities today, as well as most of history, has a major Asian influence. And on Feb.[...]
10:00
CEMETERY VISIT | Prazeres Guided...
CEMETERY VISIT | Prazeres Guided...
Feb 22 @ 10:00 – 11:00
Cemitério dos Prazeres has a lot going for it: friendly cats, long alleyways lined with stately cypresses, great views, and a ton of Masonic symbology. Read about it here, or, better yet, go with some[...]
10:00
to Feb 24 | PHOTO EXHIBIT | Annu...
to Feb 24 | PHOTO EXHIBIT | Annu...
Feb 22 @ 10:00 – 17:00
Natural history and science are becoming myths in the age of Trump, Bolsonaro, and pics or it didn’t happen. So, to prove that natural history and science do exist, the National Museum of Natural History[...]
10:00
to Mar 31 | PAINTING EXHIBIT | J...
to Mar 31 | PAINTING EXHIBIT | J...
Feb 22 @ 10:00 – 18:00
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA) is having one of its biggest shows in recent times, and certainly one not to be missed for lovers of painting: The Land includes 118 paintings by the Spanish[...]
Latest Posts
- Gearing Up: Lisbon’s Carnaval Parties, 2019 Edition February 21, 2019
- The Week em Breve – February 21 February 21, 2019
- Carnival Portuguese Style: the Caretos February 20, 2019
Blog Categories
Interviews with Lisboetas
Captain Boy- Captain Boy, known to his friends as Pedro Ribeiro, has granted Lisbon permission to come aboard his imaginary ship to rock town. The captain set sail from his hometown of Guimarães to drop anchor at Musicbox on Saturday night to perform selections from his recent album, 1. Suffice it to say, Ribeiro's reason for making music could be summarized by lyrics in […]
A Q&A With That Dude Behind BeachCam.pt- Find out why a banker traded his suit and tie to become a wetsuit-wearing entrepreneur, and what goes on behind the scenes at Europe's first live beach broadcasting company.
Let’s Have A Word #4: Will Samson- "Let’s Have a Word" is David Soares‘s attempt to make the Lisbon scene spill the beans. I first met Will Samson in 2016, when he had just snuck into the dark of a cinema theatre, to take a seat on the same row I was sitting, along with friends we have in common. The film […]
History and Customs
The Eccentric Englishwoman: Guilhermina Suggia- In her hometown, Porto, the cellist Guilhermina Augusta Xavier de Medin Suggia was affectionately known as "the eccentric Englishwoman." This nickname, earned by someone who was, in fact, flesh-and-blood Portuguese, reflects the extent Suggia was ahead of her times — as a cellist and as a woman.
Atlas Tours Tapada das Necessidades- Near the corner of Calçada Necessidades and Rua do Borja, I come across an inconspicuous yet imposing wall. It stretches far south, seemingly with no intervals. But, along Rua do Borja, I find an opening — a modest doorway to what appears to be a park. I enter. Nobody stops me or asks for money. […]
Vasco da Gama: A Maritime Man- What connects the longest bridge within Europe, a crater on the moon, and a suburb of Cape Town? That’s right, Vasco da Gama, one of the most famous Portuguese explorers and the first European to reach India by sea. Da Gama was born in c.1460 in the city of Sines, where his father was commander […]
Lisbon Street Team
Autárquicas LX 2017: Who’s Who in the Mayoral Elections- All the campaigns have varying degrees of ambition to tackle the issues, but they should probably all taken with a pinch of salt.
Best of Lisbon 2017- Our street team has spent the past year testing, evaluating, and taking scrupulous notes to help your next year kick a little ass. Here's our list of spots around Lisboa that deserve recognition for being on point in 2017.
Meeting Charlie Chaplin at Largo do Intendente- Even though I had worked a dozen hundred circus shows in my lifetime, I had never experienced a spectacle quite like this. It struck a chord with all of my senses — right there in Largo do Intendente.
Trips outside Lisbon
This route won't necessarily show you everything, but it will surely guide you through way more than just the highlights. Start from the capital or jump in at any point in the loop: here's an idea of what not to miss in each of these stops, but how long you stay or what you skip is up to you.
Driving through Portugal: See it All in 50 Stops (Part 2)
This route won't necessarily show you everything, but it will surely guide you through way more than just the highlights. Start from the capital or jump in at any point in the loop: here's an idea of what not to miss in each of these stops, but how long you stay or what you skip is up to you.
Driving through Portugal: See it All in 50 Stops (Part 1)
Eighteen years ago, Portugal gave up its role in Macau, leaving practically no political or economic influence and very little saudade among most of the Chinese population.
Macau: Going Both Ways and Coming Out Again
Athens might look disorganized but it's delightfully chaotic. If you've only got 24 hours, here's how you can enjoy the highlights and feel the pulse of the cradle of Western civilization.
How to Spend 24 Hours in Athens
Flying to Scotland is cheap and easy thanks to budget airlines, so Atlas went exploring and have some tips for visiting Skye, the Highlands, and Edinburgh.
A Long Weekend in Scotland
If you're looking for a quick and inexpensive holiday, here's a look at the cheapest airlines in Europe — and what the ticket prices don't include.
Breaking Down Budget Airlines Flying In and Out of Lisbon
In Batalha, just 2km outside of Fátima, lies the Grutas da Moeda, a 45-meter-deep cave that spans over 350 meters in length, and it is magical.
Off the Beaten Path: Grutas da Moeda, an Alternative to Fátima
On the Rota, well-marked trails take you along the stunning coast and through towns large and small until Cabo São Vicente.
