It’s starting to feel like everyone, and their grandma is jetting off to Lisbon these days, and for a good reason. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in Europe (in my opinion.) It’s an artist’s dream and the perfect gateway to everything Portugal has to offer.
My partner and I spent a month in Lisbon, working, traveling, and exploring cafes, co-working spaces, vegan and vegetarian restaurants, rooftop bars, and all the little wine parks scattered around the neighborhoods.
Here are my recommendations for where to stay, where to eat, and what to do in Lisbon, Portugal:
Where to Stay:
We stayed in Principe Real, which was a great place to live but a bit far from the main attractions if you only have a few days in the city.
In the below map, I outline areas I recommend and regions to avoid:
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- Green – This is where I stayed for our month-long stint and would recommend to anyone that will be in Lisbon for a decent amount of time. The neighborhoods are much sweeter and local feeling but still walking distance to everything there is to see and do.
- Yellow- Bairro Alto and the city center are touristy and busy. Bairro Alto is where all the parties and nightlife goes down. It was a backpacker scene and gets very loud at night. The area directly above Comercio Plaza is VERY touristy – H&M and random street vendors selling all kinds of cheap trinkets.
- Red – Avoid this area. We designated this area “stabby town.” I wouldn’t recommend this area, especially at night.
- Purple – Alfama (the purple area) is a bit outside the VERY touristy part. It’s beautiful and would make an excellent place to stay. However, when it comes to restaurants and nightlife, most of the places I’d recommend are on the other side of town.
Where to Stay:
- Here are a few of the hotels I scoped out and would recommend based on decor (staying in a boutique hotel in Lisbon enhances the experience.) The below places are works of art, and design-wise they bring the outside beauty of Lisbon architecture in.
- The Independente Suites & Terrace Cost: €75.00 to €165.00 per night
- Almalusa Baixa/Chiado
- Hotel Fontecruz Lisboa
- Memmo Alfama Hotel
- Palacio Ramalhete
- Hotel da Estrela
- Boutique Hotel Heritage Avenida Liberdade – Cost: €255 – 4-star hotel Address: Av. da Liberdade 28, 1250-145 Lisboa, Portugal•+351 21 340 4040
- LX Boutique Hotel – €312 – 4-star hotel Address: do Alecrim 12, 1200-017 Lisboa, Portugal•+351 21 347 4394
- The Lift – Boutique Hotel – Cost: €164 Address: Áurea 265, 1150-272 Lisboa, Portugal•+351 21 116 5766
Where to Eat:
- Lisbon’s Best Cafes for Coffee & Brekky:
- Copenhagen Coffee Lab- I love this little area of town, it was right down the street from our house. There are signs around explicitly saying – “no laptops.”
- Fauna & Flaura – One of the best places I’ve been to for breakfast while in Europe. The pancakes are fantastic, and they offer excellent options for vegans.
- Dear Breakfast – Such a lovely menu, the portions were small. The decor is exceptional.
- Heim Cafe – Absolutely beautiful cafe!
- Green Coffee – A delightful little spot to grab a coffee to go.
- Esplanada Cafe
- Amelia – such a beautiful cafe/restaurant
- The Mill
- Best Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in Lisbon:
- OWatt
- Eight – The Health Lounge – A lovely little spot to grab lunch, an excellent menu, and a cute concept store.
- Jardim das Cerejas
- Jardim do Sentindos – 12 euro vegan buffet, another great place to grab a fresh lunch, and sit on the back patio.
- Os Tibetanos – We went here a few times for dinner. Very affordable Tibetan place, so many great vegetarian-friendly options.
- Restaurante Terras – Mediterranean vegetarian/vegan cuisine in the 18th-century building in Principe Real Garden
- Koppu Ramen Concept Food – This place is ALWAYS closed! But the ramen was exceptional when we finally caught them open. We stayed right across the street and only managed to go once. The staff was amicable.
- Ao-26 Vegan Food Project – This place is proof that vegan is the future. Every single time we tried to eat here, we were turned away because it was always full. We even tried to book a few nights in advance, and we still had no luck reserving a table. Book ahead of time and let me know how it is!
- PSI – Beautiful little place to grab lunch out in their garden surrounded sunroom.
- Vegana
- Pachamama – Unfortunately, I didn’t make it here, but I walked by and noticed a sign for a vegan buffet. I believe they just opened, so make sure to check them out if you’re in town!
- Restaurants:
- Cantina Baldracca
- Tapas Bar 52 – Divey, fun, always vibing, on the main road in Principe Real
- Valdo Gatti- We went here once a week. The pizza is to die for, the price is right, and the decor is beautiful and modern. I highly recommend the Quattro Formaggio.
- Dona Quiteria
- Cevicheria
- Frade do Mares – Luxury dining experience
- BouBous
- Infame
- Heden
- O Antigo Talho
- Friendly flamingo
- Dona Quitéria
- LX Factory – Fun Sunday activity, they also have little clothing boutiques and shops if you go on the weekend.
- Time Out Market – Offers a little bit of everything
- Best Gelato
- Nannarella
- Rooftop Bars & Restaurants
- Topo Chiado – We came here for a glass of wine at least once a week. I especially loved it during the day for maximum sunshine.
- Entretanto – I would say this one, in particular, has the best views. Their cheese platter is top-notch.
- The Insolito – Great spot for a romantic nightcap in Principe Real
- Hotel Mundial
- PARK Bar – This is the perfect place to go on a weekend with a group of friends. Just get there early to secure a table. Beautiful views, and they typically have a live DJ.
- Level 8 – This is in the Principe Real neighborhood. Fantastic views, kind of hard to find. I recommend the Aperol spritz. They typically have a DJ here, as well!
- Topo Terraco
Lisbon’s Best Bars:
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- Quiosque Ribera das Naus – Perfect spot for a Sunday session, right on the water, view of the bridge, and passing sailboats. In the summer, they have a live DJ.
- Duque Brewpub – They offer an excellent sour beer in one of my favorite little alleys.
- Mini-Bar Theatre
- Clube do Bacalhau
- Taberna da Rua das Flores
- Pensao Amor
- Pavilhao Chines
- ZeroZero
- Portas Do Sol
- Bistro Edelweiss – Cute, quiet little spot outside of Bairro Alto with a solid beer list.
- Gin Lovers
- Botanical Garden Bar Spot
Best Gyms in Lisbon:
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- Clube VII gym
- Holmes Place
Things to Do:
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- Commercio Plaza
- Belem Garden
- Pasteis de Belém
- Miradouro de Santa Lucia
- Visigothic Wall
- Princess do Castelo
- Alfama
- Cascais day trip
- Sintra day trip
- Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte
Food to Try:
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- Pastel de nata
- Pastéis de bacalhau
Where To Go Surfing:
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- Costa da Caparica
- Surfiberia
- Peniche
- Nazare
Day Trips:
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- Setubal
- Estoril
- Praia da Ursa, Portugal
- Obidos
Cascais Day Trip:
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- Cafe Galeria House of Wonders
- Farol Hotel
- Praia da Conceição
- Boca do Inferno
- Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães lagoon
- Pestana Cidadela Cascais
- Hemingway
- Hotel Baia
- Villa Cascais
- Coastal walk/bike
- Pool Oceanic Alberto Romano
Best Places to See Fado:
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- Canto do Comoes
- Adega Machado
A Digital Nomad’s Guide to Lisbon
Best Cafes to Work from in Lisbon:
Lisbon is quickly becoming one of the most prominent digital nomad destinations. We met up with several fellow digital nomads from around the world who happened to be here at the same. There is an evident nomad scene with daily meet-ups, presentations, and other co-working events.
These are the cafes I recommend working from. The staff is friendly and doesn’t mind if you camp out at one of their tables for a few hours as long as you order food and/or coffee. The Internet is pretty good, and they offer an inspiring atmosphere:
- Cafe Boavida – My personal favorite. It’s comfortable, friendly staff, plenty of room, and it’s never too crowded to pull out your laptop.
- COMOBA – Beautiful! A bit expensive and I find the seats uncomfortable but the food really is fantastic. Worth checking it out even if it’s just for a coffee.
- Hello Kristof – I only worked here once and found it was very crowded. The Internet is reliable, though, and it’s cozy.
- Caffeine Garage – I have it on my list since a friend recommended it, but I don’t remember working from there. Let me know if you have or do!
Lisbon Co-Working Spaces:
- IDEIAhub – Feels like an underground hamster house and also like a real tech, start-up office. People seem to have their cliques, and it feels more geared towards the Lisbon local entrepreneurs and freelancers. You can get a free day pass and try it out for yourself.
- Second Home – Absolutely stunning, intimate, great location but a bit too expensive, in my opinion.
- CoWork Center Principe Real – My partner worked here several times and said it was tranquil, not much vibe, but it was one of the best places he found for productivity.
- Village Underground- I’m recommending this place based on the reviews and how insanely cool it looks. I didn’t actually make it over here to work as it was way too far from where we were living.
- Surf Office – I went to a talk here, and it was pretty nice, and everyone was friendly. It felt like there was an active community here, as well.