The People’s Guide to Lisbon
The People’s Guide to Lisbon
Featured Articles
Sometimes all you need is a good scare to get the blood pumping. This year's lineup at Lisbon's longest-running international horror film festival, Motel X, is sure to get you trembling in your seat for all the right reasons.
What Makes Them Scared: Twelve Portuguese Directors in MOTELx's 2018 Film Fest
Welcome to the Week em Breve! This week in Portugal: Hacker Worries, Le Pen in Portugal, Oil Drilling Ditched, Portuguese Pot, Summer to End, Lisbon's Late Airport, and much more!
The Week em Breve - August 16
The founder of Jardim Botânico da Ajuda may not be well known, but his influence over the project was immeasurable, and his bad luck a lesson to us all.
Domenico Vandelli, the Luckless Founder of Jardim Botânico da Ajuda
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
José Avillez isn't slowing down his quest to maintain his reign as the king of cuisine in Lisbon (and Portugal). Here's what we found out about what makes him tick.
Seventeen Restaurants Deep: A Q&A with Chef José Avillez
"Another Lisbon Story" follows the community that makes up Bairro da Torre — a Lisbon favela — and their active participation in the future of their neighborhood. Director, Claudio Carbone, who was kind enough to answer some questions for Atlas.
A Q&A with Claudio Carbone: Director of Another Lisbon Story
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
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
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
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
Portugal’s relatively flat terrain makes it ideal for long-range bicycle touring, and Paulo Guerra dos Santos made an interactive cycling guide to the whole country. All by himself.
A Chat with the Man Behind the Ultimate Cycling Guide to Portugal
Kamal and Laxmi are two of the more than 15,000 Nepalis in Portugal trying to build a life. With the help of the Nepali community and a skilled culinary background, these two are well on their way to living the dream.
The Nepali Experience in Lisbon According to Kamal and Laxmi
The Roman ruins at Conímbriga, near Coimbra, are a slice of Pompeii in Portugal, minus the crowds and annoying guides. And it's still being excavated.
Conímbriga, a Secret Paradise for Roman History Buffs and Hedonists
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€
Here's an aggressive 24-hour tour of Lisbon that will help you get a good feel for the city of light. Our guess is after completing this itinerary, you'll end up changing your ticket out to go for another few days at least.
Top-Speed Tourism: How to Spend 24 Hours in Lisbon
Living in Lisboa
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
If you're looking for a proper school around Lisbon to aprender de falar, you might want to keep reading.
Studying Portuguese in Lisbon: Onde e Quanto
A website started by an enterprising economics student could make searching for a Lisbon apartment or room rental a little easier.
Looking to Rent in Lisbon? RentIndicator.com Can Help
There are dozens of museums in Lisbon to feed your thirst for art, archeology, history, and much more. Here are some tips to visit them on the cheap.
Lisbon Culture on the Cheap, Part 2: Museums
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
Aug
21
Tue
all-day
to Aug 29 | FILM FESTIVAL | “A Y...
to Aug 29 | FILM FESTIVAL | “A Y...
Aug 21 all-day
Haven’t seen a good trailer or gone to a movie theater in months but still miss that magic moment when the lights go down? No need to fear. A YEAR OF CINEMA(S) at Medeia Filmes[...]
08:00
Weekly | MARKET | Feira da Ladra...
Weekly | MARKET | Feira da Ladra...
Aug 21 @ 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,[...]
10:00
to Nov 18 | EXHIBITION | “The Fu...
to Nov 18 | EXHIBITION | “The Fu...
Aug 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 Oct 28 | PAINTING EXHIBIT | “...
to Oct 28 | PAINTING EXHIBIT | “...
Aug 21 @ 10:00 – 18:00
Did the picture on the left bring you here? No need to be ashamed, it’s only art.. Here’s what the organizers say: “Bringing together 70 pieces from its storage rooms – representing masculine and feminine[...]
Latest Posts
- Sama Sama 2.0 August 20, 2018
- What Makes Them Scared: Twelve Portuguese Directors in MOTELx’s 2018 Film Fest August 17, 2018
- The Week em Breve – August 16 August 16, 2018
Blog Categories
Interviews with Lisboetas
Sama Sama 2.0 - Sama Sama Crepe and Juice Bar, one of the best vegan food joints in town, and undoubtedly one of a kind, opened its doors to the public in May of 2017. Atlas was there (read more here), so, naturally, we were curious as to how they’re doing: what the highs and lows have been, what […]
MOTELX 2017: Nine Directors, Five Questions - Nine Portuguese directors are vying for the top short-film prize at the 2017 MOTELX and Atlas got the inside scoop on what makes them tremble.
Bivar Books: The English-Lover’s Book Nook - An exclusively English bookstore in Lisbon might be unorthodox, but in Bookshop Bivar’s case, it's just business. Besides paying special attention to Penguin editions (Atlas' favorite), it also occasionally host local artists such as Portuguese writer/journalist Isabel Stilwell and Irish author Peter Murphy. There was also a mini-exhibition of posters of the Lisbon Players' past productions […]
History and Customs
António Guterres: The Socialist UN Secretary General - António Guterres worked through academia, national politics, and the UN, becoming one of the most well known contemporary Portuguese politicians.
Portuguese Idioms: Queimar as Pestanas! - The correct use of Portuguese idioms is a great way to really use a language and an even better way to understand the people who speak it. Not surprisingly, the Portuguese use a lot of references to vinyards (vinhas) and sardines (sardinhas), but I was confounded by their frequent use of chickens (galinhas). For example: Não […]
Alcobaça: Badass Monks and Killer Confections - If you're looking to see what happens when you put monks in charge of education for over 700 years, you might want to pay a visit to Alcobaça, our neighbors 120km to the north. Those monks knew a thing or two about agriculture, shipping, and how to bake their arses off. Located in the district of […]
Lisbon Street Team
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.
The Unbeatables: The Sueca Players of Lisbon - Elias learned to play sueca by watching the games at Jardim da Estrela until he had a feel for it — no one had taught him, he says. The trick to becoming an efficient player lies in observation and bluffing.
Six Nights of Fright at MOTEL X 2017 - Lisbon's favorite horror fest attracts the kind of weirdos that make us feel right at home. We sent local artist Maria Ferreira to document the shenanigans.
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.
