The People’s Guide to Lisbon
The People’s Guide to Lisbon
Featured Articles
People getting paid on the recibos verdes system will not have to pay IVA if they earn €12500 or less — an increase of 25%, but a far cry from other countries.
Good News, Freelancers! Portugal Increases IVA Threshold
An incongruous band, to say the least, MagMell plays traditional music from various countries in bars, venues and parties across Portugal. Most well known for their Irish Trad sets, many listeners are shocked to discover that they are all, in fact, Portuguese!
MagMell: The Most Irish Band Portugal Has Ever Produced
Let’s be honest: the walk itself is the heart of the experience. While many people pass the time by linking up with others and talking as they go, I decided early on to be an anti-social pilgrim.
Pilgrimage for One, Please: What it’s Like to Walk the Camino Alone
Statements like "city A is the new city B" make people from either A or B cringe — but will Lisbon go the way of Berlin when it comes to keeping the soul of the city?
Is Lisbon the Next Berlin?
Mercado da Ribeira and TimeOut Market — exploring the great divide under one roof.
TimeOut and Ribeira: The Lisbon Market With a Split Personality
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
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
Essentials for Visitors
The best foodie souvenirs in Lisbon. From high-grade olive oil to mountain cheese to port.
Lisbon's Ten Best Foodie Souvenirs
Mercado da Ribeira and TimeOut Market — exploring the great divide under one roof.
TimeOut and Ribeira: The Lisbon Market With a Split Personality
Rainy days in Lisbon can feel like a real drag, but they don't have to be. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the rain from the inside — and some good reasons not to.
What to Do in Lisbon When it’s Raining
Are you planning a trip to Lisbon? Do you have questions? We have answers!
The No-Nonsense FAQ for the Visitor to Lisbon
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)
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
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
Living in Lisboa
A few Lisbon hotels offer their saunas and steam rooms, and sometimes their swimming pools, to non-guests, but it will cost you.
Lisbon's Public Steamrooms and Saunas
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
Nights out in Lisbon can be rough. Take the edge off with a hearty brunch from one of these 11 cafes around Lisboa.
Brunch in Lisbon: a Date with Debauchery
Finding books in English in Lisbon isn’t too difficult, and the number of stores selling English-language books keep growing.
Where to Find English-Language Books in Lisbon
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
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
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
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
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
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
Feb
21
Fri
23:00
CARNAVAL PARTY | Proibidão: Bail...
CARNAVAL PARTY | Proibidão: Bail...
Feb 21 @ 23:00 – Feb 22 @ 06:00
From Wikipedia: “Funk carioca, aka favela funk and, in other parts in the world, baile funk, is from Rio de Janeiro, derived from Miami bass and gangsta rap music. ‘Baile funk,’ in Brazil, refers not[...]
Feb
22
Sat
all-day
HEADS UP!| MAAT Museum CLOSED un...
HEADS UP!| MAAT Museum CLOSED un...
Feb 22 all-day
Heads-up, people. Lisboetas know the MAAT as one of the city’s most popular destinations for art, culture, weird architecture, history, and a nice view. And if you have been cruising the internet recently looking for[...]
08:00
Weekly | MARKET | Feira da Ladra...
Weekly | MARKET | Feira da Ladra...
Feb 22 @ 08:00 – 18:00
The biggest and still the best outdoor market in Lisbon, every Tuesday morning and Saturday pretty much all day. “Ladra” means “thief” – while you can get some nice artisanal jewelry, 17th-century tiles, copper pots,[...]
09:00
Weekly | MARKET | Used and Antiq...
Weekly | MARKET | Used and Antiq...
Feb 22 @ 09:00 – 18:00
Feira dos Alfarrabistas (used book dealer fair) is a great place to break up the monotony of chain stores in Chiado and pick up something truly unique. Most books here are in Portuguese, but there are[...]
Latest Posts
- Good News, Freelancers! Portugal Increases IVA Threshold February 11, 2020
- Overtourism: Should Lisbon Take a Cue from Amsterdam? February 7, 2020
- MagMell: The Most Irish Band Portugal Has Ever Produced January 28, 2020
Blog Categories
Interviews
Atlas Goes Cycling with Eliseu on the “Rota por Lisboa em Ruinas” - In it for the view: Atlas correspondent climbs through a hole in the ceiling at Monsanto's Restaurante Panorâmico. Story and pictures by Levy Mealone em português Da cobertura do Restaurante Panorâmico de Monsanto, a vista é esmagadora. Está um dia límpido e ameno - dois inauditos ciclistas entretêm-se a identificar pontos icónicos da sua cidade, […]
Francisco Pinheiro: Standing on the Divide of “Clinamen” - Pinheiros pieces have been inspired by the fine line that divides that which is natural, and that which is human.
Pole-Dancing: Not just for the Ladies Anymore - If you thought pole-dancing was only for high-heeled, g-stringed strippers at clubs like Ménage in Cais Sodré, think again. Pole classes are being taught in fitness studios strictly for exercise purposes (no heels and no costumes—just some spandex and a water bottle). Also commonly taught is the dance-based pole technique that involves acrobatics combined with conventional Latin, jazz, or hip-hop dance […]
History and Customs
Severa: Fate of a Prostitute and Birth of a Fado Myth - Born to a gypsy father from Santarém and a famous prostitute nicknamed A Barbuda (the bearded) from Portalegre, Severa's exotic beauty and dramatic singing style, attributed to her gypsy blood, won the capital’s bohemians over.
Nova Ordem Social and Their Homage to Salazar - With an election approaching in Portugal, will the country go the way of other European countries that are seeing an upsurge in right-wing movements? Here's our correspondent's take from the Nova Ordem rally last Friday.
Why do Lisbon Bars Play Elevator Music? - This is not elevator music, this is Bossa Nova, which is being played in the bars and restaurants of Lisboa ever more frequently.
Lisbon Street Team
A Decade of Change: Lisbon’s Most Dangerous Neighborhoods Then and Now - 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.
Hot and Hungry: Where to Get Ice Cream in Lisbon - Looking for the best ice cream in Lisbon? We’ve got the inside scoop. Well, now that's out of the way, let’s actually take a look at some of the tastiest, creamiest, and most refreshing parlors in the city — and there’s no shortage. Santini Rua do Carmo, 9, Chiado These guys have been serving up […]- Lisbon Implied, or How to Talk About Locations Like a Local - 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.
Trips outside Lisbon
There was always a harder day, a worse moment to come, all the way up until my last full day of walking… which I suppose you could call the hardest part if I have to pick one.
The Hardest Part of Walking the Camino Portugués Alone
Viseu is a great destination on its own, but a 50-km bike ride thrown in makes a trip to the area even better. Here's the what and the how.
Viseu: Sweet Treats and Bicycles
Portugal is technically a Catholic country, but the 6000-tons worth of Buddha statues sitting just an hour outside of Lisbon would suggest otherwise.
Bacalhôa Buddha Eden: A Little Peace For Everyone
Our favorite crag has been getting crowded so we’d like to reveal a few more places you can climb outdoors within just an hour's drive from Lisbon.
Rock Climbing Around Lisbon — and Beyond, a Part II of Sorts
If you've ever wondered how Gulliver felt in Lilliput, or you want a crash course in portuguese architecture, Portugal dos Pequenitos is for you.
Living Large: A Walk Through Portugal dos Pequenitos
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
The title Marquês de Pombal is more or less the same as Prime Minister, so it's no wonder that this guy needed a snazzy palace to call his own whilst in office.
Palácio do Marquês de Pombal in Oeiras
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
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.
