The People’s Guide to Lisbon
The People’s Guide to Lisbon
Featured Articles
Welcome to the Week em Breve! This week in Portugal: Digitizing Industry, No Longer Junk, Tobacco Tax, Offshores Exposed, Good Housing News, and much more!
The Week em Breve - October 18
They say Lisbon is best seen by boat, and considering the Tejo is the lifeblood of the city, this isn’t much of a surprise. What did come as a surprise, however, is just quite how spectacular it can be and how easy it is to do.
Cruising the Tejo: Lisbon Party Boat
For many immigrants and expats coming to Portugal, racism often doesn’t seem as prominent as back home. However, there is still a long way to go.
Racism in Portugal? Council of Europe Says Yes, a Bit
Welcome to the Week em Breve! This week in Portugal: Strike!, Train Line Expansions, Tax Rebates and Repeals, Petrol Prices, The Good People Are Gone, Some Really Old Trees, and much more!
The Week em Breve - October 11
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
Surma is a 23-year-old hailing from Leiria. Her debut album last year was shortlisted for best European independent album of the year. She has been touring non-stop ever since.
Let's Have a Word #3: Surma
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
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
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
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
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
Living in Lisboa
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
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
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
Delicious, if pricy, poke, with maybe TOO many options to choose from.
Local Santos - Your Healthy Kitchen
Lisbon Events
Oct
21
Sun
10:00
Monthly | MARKET | Intendente Se...
Monthly | MARKET | Intendente Se...
Oct 21 @ 10:00 – 18:00
While Feira da Ladra (“Thieves market”) continues to be Lisbon’s number one second-hand market, that doesn’t mean it’s the ONLY market in town worth its weight in used stuff. You can find some nice hidden[...]
10:00
to Nov 18 | EXHIBITION | “The Fu...
to Nov 18 | EXHIBITION | “The Fu...
Oct 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[...]
10:00
to Nov 5 | PHOTOGRAPHY AND AUDIO...
to Nov 5 | PHOTOGRAPHY AND AUDIO...
Oct 21 @ 10:00 – 18:00
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” William Shakespeare “I met a blind man who taught me how to see.” Steven Tyler (Aerosmith). Ever wonder[...]
10:00
to Oct 21 | MARKET AND FAIR | Fa...
to Oct 21 | MARKET AND FAIR | Fa...
Oct 21 @ 10:00 – 19:00
Anyone who knows anything knows that most things are made in China. However, not all things. Here’s what the organizers of this interactive market tell us: “During the weekend of October 20 and 21, the[...]
Latest Posts
- The Week em Breve – October 18 October 19, 2018
- Booking Portuguese Hotels the Portuguese Way: the Launch of Click2Portugal October 16, 2018
- Cruising the Tejo: Lisbon Party Boat October 15, 2018
Blog Categories
Interviews with Lisboetas
- Let’s Have a Word #3: Surma - Surma is a 23-year-old hailing from Leiria. Her debut album last year was shortlisted for best European independent album of the year. She has been touring non-stop ever since.
Guide to Artisanal Beer of Portugal - If you're looking for a spot to grab a cold brew that isn't Super Bock or Sagres, we can help. Check out our top eight picks for brewpubs around Lisbon HERE. Not sure what to order? We can help you out, so take out a pencil and paper and keep reading. You're in for a […]
Digitizing Lisboa: A Q&A with Illustrator Gonçalo Viana - Gonçalo Viana's illustrations bring to mind a simpler time when postcards were a thing, yet his subject matter is very much of the moment. And his clear, child-friendly technique means that his illustrations go perfectly with the articles he's commissioned to illustrate — and, of course, children's books.
History and Customs
- The Silent Lady: Maria Helena Vieira da Silva - 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 5th of October, 1910: The Day We Became a Republic - At 11:00 am October 5 1910, from the balcony of Paços do Concelho, in Lisbon, the Portuguese Republic was proclaimed.
Abandoned Portugal: Some Ruins You Shouldn’t Miss - Many beautiful buildings and estates have been left to ruin in Portugal. These dilapidated gems crumble more each day as they wait for some TLC or their ultimate demise, whichever comes first. Here are some we fell in love with.
Lisbon Street Team
An Expat and an Avó - She always keeps herself very busy: one day I come home and she is making pickles, the next day I come home and she is re-potting her plants. Her apartment is typically Portuguese; tiled floors, wooden furniture, and a Catholic figurine or image in every room.
MotelX: A Snapshot of Lisbon’s Favorite Film Festival - MotelX is arguably Portugal’s most beloved film festival, with thousands of devout followers showing up over the course of a week each September to binge on horror flicks. Atlas joined them, as always.
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.
