The People’s Guide to Lisbon
The People’s Guide to Lisbon
Featured Articles
Welcome to the Week em Breve! This week in Portugal: the Looming Financial Crisis, Landlords Could Get Tax Break, Crabby Cabbies, Dangerous Drones, Arson, and much more! much more!
The Week em Breve - September 20
Polish artist Weronika Anna Rosa came to Lisbon and fell in love at first sight. When she moved here for good, the city's light and colors — and the country's azulejos — would shape her paintings as well. Atlas sat down for a chat.
Flowers are her best lovers: Q&A with Weronika Anna Rosa
Welcome to the Week em Breve! This week in Portugal: the Cost of Communism, Deadly Balloons, Climate March, Kids on Drugs, Tagging Terror, and much more!
The Week em Breve - September 13
Cale Atkinson is an artist, author, and animator who's worked for the likes of Disney Hyperion and Marvel. His travels through Portugal prompted a series on the country, so we decided to get in touch.
Kidding Around in Portugal: A Q&A with Children's Book Artist Cale Atkinson
When rebuked about not talking enough about her work, the modernist painter Vieira da Silva once retorted: "And what does one paint for? Isn't it to make the canvas speak? The painter's language is the paintings themselves!"
The Silent Lady: Maria Helena Vieira da Silva
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
Welcome to the Week em Breve! This week in Portugal: EDP in Trouble Again, Pollution, Dead Fish, Nearly-Dead Birds, Eviction Proposals, and much more!
The Week em Breve - September 6
Lisbon is the perfect city for rooftop bars, with sun, views, and fantastic drinks. We check them out so you can experience the best Lisboa has to offer.
The Rooftop Bars Of Lisbon
Street art can add to a city in many positive ways, but what we are seeing here is mercantile vandalism. This is a large company profiting at the expense of the city and the people and businesses who populate it.
Foxes, Owls, and Guerrillas: Graffiti Marketing in Lisbon
The number of vegetarians in Portugal increased by 300% between 2007 and 2017. But it's not just the hipsters who are gorging themselves on hummus. Last year, Portugal’s parliament passed a law requiring all public canteens to provide a vegan option.
From Praças to Parliament, Veganism Is Sweeping Through Lisbon
The previous PT climbing guide, “pirate topo,” didn't consult the original openers of the routes nor respect the crags themselves. This one is different.
The Portuguese Climbing Guide: An Interview with the Author, Carlos Simes
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…
Essentials for Visitors
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
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
This year's festas de Lisboa are being treated as one big secret, but we've done the digging so you can do the partying. Here are the top events around town this year.
Festas de Lisboa 2018: Atlas' Top Picks and Best Parties
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
Lisbon DJ Van Der suggests the baddest music venues around the city for you to get that techno-fix.
Techno in Lisbon: An Insider’s Guide
Are you planning a trip to Lisbon? Do you have questions? We have answers!
The No-Nonsense FAQ for the Visitor to Lisbon
Renting cars here is much like anywhere else, with a few peculiarities such as restrictions on taking the car out of Portugal, where exactly you'll be picking up the car, how the rental companies in Porgugal handle damage coverage, and a very weird, counter-intuitive and ridiculously overpriced toll system that you'll have to plan for before you rent.
Renting a Car in Portugal: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Tiago Pais managed to compile an easily digestible yet comprehensive text on the best tascas in town — the only thing missing is the smell of the food as you peruse the pages.
Tiago Pais' Hunt for the 50 Best Tascas in Lisbon
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
It’s true that Lisbon gets more sun than any other European capital. You’ll likely get a tan even if you visit in the fall or spring.
Weather in Lisbon, or What to Expect and How to Prepare
Tourist traps have grown in numbers to the point where it is becoming harder to completely avoid them than to enter a minefield without stepping on a mine. Here are some tips to help you out.
How to Spot and Avoid Lisbon's Tourist Traps
For those of you who want the sand and the tan without spending too much, here are some tips to enjoy a budget day at a beach near Lisbon.
A Guide to Going to Lisbon's Beaches on the Cheap
Douro, Alentejo, Dão, it's tough to make a poor choice, but it can happen. Here’s a little guide to affordable Portuguese wines that won't disappoint.
Chasing the Grape, or the Quest for Good Portuguese Wine Under 10€
Living in Lisboa
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
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
Renting cars here is much like anywhere else, with a few peculiarities such as restrictions on taking the car out of Portugal, where exactly you'll be picking up the car, how the rental companies in Porgugal handle damage coverage, and a very weird, counter-intuitive and ridiculously overpriced toll system that you'll have to plan for before you rent.
Renting a Car in Portugal: What to Expect and How to Prepare
These spots, unlike some of the more traditional cafés around the city, don't mind at all if your lunch date is your laptop. Just be sure to order something and you'll be left alone.
Seven Cafes for You and Your Laptop Around Lisbon
It’s hard for many visitors and expats to imagine that Lisbon has a dangerous underbelly, with few venturing outside the progressively hip center. But in the 1970s, neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city started growing — and they quickly gained a reputation for being hotbeds of criminal activity.
A Decade of Change: Lisbon’s Most Dangerous Neighborhoods Then and Now
CNAI (Porgual's National Immigrant Support Centre) was set up to make assimilation for the growing amount of immigrants to Portugal less complicated. What follows is an account of how our correspondent availed himself of their services in Lisbon.
Fear and Loathing in Portugal's Immigration System
Lisbon's passion for football has been mostly fueled by Benfica and Sporting. This piece is not about these two clubs, but about the smaller, neighborhood clubs playing in lower leagues, whose grounds might just be around the corner from where you are.
Footie in Portugal: We're Surrounded
The number of vegetarians in Portugal increased by 300% between 2007 and 2017. But it's not just the hipsters who are gorging themselves on hummus. Last year, Portugal’s parliament passed a law requiring all public canteens to provide a vegan option.
From Praças to Parliament, Veganism Is Sweeping Through Lisbon
It really does get cold indoors here in the winter as there's usually no central heating unless you're staying in a fancy-schmancy hotel. However, the Lisboetas have learned a trick or two to keep the temperature tolerable.
Seven Hacks to Survive the Winter in Lisbon
Like everything else these days in Lisbon, meal delivery (serviço de entregas) is catching on.
From the Restaurant to Your Door: Meal Delivery in Lisbon
A few tips and tricks to save some money on Lisbon's vibrant classical music, theater, and dance offerings
Lisbon Culture on the Cheap, Part 1: Music, Dance, and Theater
All the campaigns have varying degrees of ambition to tackle the issues, but they should probably all taken with a pinch of salt.
Autárquicas LX 2017: Who's Who in the Mayoral Elections
Latest Restaurant Reviews
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
Delicious, if pricy, poke, with maybe TOO many options to choose from.
Local Santos - Your Healthy Kitchen
Lisbon Events
Sep
21
Fri
all-day
to Oct 5 | CALL FOR ARTISTS | “I...
to Oct 5 | CALL FOR ARTISTS | “I...
Sep 21 all-day
Ever wonder what’s happening? If you’re an artist, or just want to do something different, now’s your chance to determine the answer. From the organizers: “It’s Happening: A socio-cultural event in which both the artist[...]
all-day
to Sept 22 | FILM FESTIVAL | Que...
to Sept 22 | FILM FESTIVAL | Que...
Sep 21 all-day
Depending on where and how one was raised, how old one is, and, more importantly, how straight one’s priorities are — no pun intended — the term queer may evoke different emotions in people. The[...]
all-day
to Sept 27 | PERFORMANCE ART | S...
to Sept 27 | PERFORMANCE ART | S...
Sep 21 all-day
According to YEP, “Young Emerging Performers seeks to promote projects by young creators within the performing arts circuit, contributing at the same time to cultural decentralization and the mobility of artists.” Here’s what’s emerging in[...]
10:00
to Nov 18 | EXHIBITION | “The Fu...
to Nov 18 | EXHIBITION | “The Fu...
Sep 21 @ 10:00 – 18:00
“The future is unwritten.” Joe Strummer. But Lisbon is changing. Fast. Some changes are good, others — not so much. What does the future of Lisbon hold? Will the city manage to keep its character[...]
Latest Posts
- The Week em Breve – September 20 September 20, 2018
- Flowers are her best lovers: Q&A with Weronika Anna Rosa September 19, 2018
- Amadeo de Souza Cardoso: The Slow-Burning Modernist September 18, 2018
Blog Categories
Interviews with Lisboetas
José Cardigos Bastos: Behind the Tints and Varnishes - The Lisbon-born artist José Cardigos Bastos just finished his most recent exhibition Tintas & Vernizes at the Espaço Cultural Mercês Gallery in Príncipe Real, a small and curious space managed by the Junta Freguesia Misericordia. It took him just over five months to produce all but one of the paintings for the show, which is no […]
Álvaro Siza: The Badass Architect from Matosinhos - Portugal’s leading architect Álvaro Siza is best known for his use of seemingly weightless slabs of concrete and his ability to sculpt them in order to complement the nature of their surroundings. His work ranges from swimming pools to mass housing developments, residences, office buildings, restaurants, art galleries, and virtually every other kind of structure […]
Sailing down the Tejo with the BYX Boys – Atlas Lisboa - "Let's go sailing" might be the best pick-up line anyone has ever said. The problem is: where do you get the boat?Atlas to the rescue with a little help from BYX (Best Yacht Experience) which comes equipped with a sailboat that comfortably seats six, a bottle of spirits, the sights from the Tejo, and a crew […]
History and Customs
Old Lisbon in Photographs - Lisbon is undergoing some major repairs — remember, it's an old city. See what it was like throughout the decades with our little timewarp slideshow.
December 1st: A Celebration of Defenestration - The Portuguese saying De Espanha, nem bom vento nem bom casamento (literally: from Spain, no good wind nor good marriage) comes to mind in light of today's celebration of Portuguese Independence from Spain, particularly considering the recent visit of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano. However, it's worth noting that the wind that brought the Spanish royals was […]
Abandoned Castle in Alentejo: Montemor-o-Novo - Montemor-o-Novo is situated just an hour outside of Lisbon by car. The town itself is as charming as it is unpretentious, built around a small park at its nucleus and a rather impressive public pool (as it can get very hot in the summer) nearby. There are plenty of cute spots to duck in out […]
Lisbon Street Team
Sleaford Mods at Zé dos Bois - The poetically punk hooks infected the room and made everyone rethink their next visit to the UK and as the short set came to an end Williamson casually joked about the conventions of an encore
Uncover Arrábida’s Royal Secret at Palácio da Comenda - Abandoned to degradation and graffiti, Palácio da Comenda was once known as one of the most regal palaces on the European coast, having hosted Portuguese royalty, French aristocracy, and the First Family of the U.S.
Resident Superstar DJ Senhor Santos Reports from Lisboa Electronica 2018 - Senhor Santos is an Irishman living on the other side of life and Lisbon (Cacilhas & reppin'). His hobbies include record digging and hiding from the sun, usually at one and the same time. Day 1 After meeting Irish music legend Jerry Fish, we headed to Ministirium, one of the host venues for this year's […]
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.
