Have you decided to spend your vacation in beautiful Portugal? The capital, Lisbon, is a great place to stay, especially if it’s your first time. But do you know which one suits you best among all its neighborhoods?
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Portugal is a beautiful country, and its capital, Lisbon, has something unique and enticing that you can only experience if you stay there. People find many reasons to go there, often talking about how the city feels metropolitan, yet relaxed, and how the sun is warm almost all year-round, with a Mediterranean-like weather. It’s also great if you love history and like to take long walks in the old streets searching for unique places that are not in the common guides.
Lisbon is not exactly a small city, and your experience can change quite drastically depending on which neighborhood you’re staying in. If you’re going for the very first time, you might prefer to stay in the center, close to many major attractions. For your second or third time, it’s normal to want a different vibe, a more relaxed or chic stay, maybe you have a family now and prefer a neighborhood with less nightlife and more parks. If you want to learn more about each neighborhood, keep reading!
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Where to Stay in Lisbon?
Chiado: The Heart of Lisbon’s Charm
Chiado is one of the most famous neighborhoods in Lisbon, and it’s easy to understand why. There’s a bit of everything there! It’s centric, with a vibrant artistic atmosphere, with many museums and theaters, but there are also a lot of historical buildings. If you like the intellectual vibe and being up and around during the day, you’ll enjoy the bookshops and the cafes more, and if you want to do shopping, is hard to find a better place to stay.
On the downsides, this neighborhood is on the expensive side. Easy to understand once you’ve seen how many tourists are around and what kind of people live there. There’s also limited nightlife compared to areas like Bairro Alto.
If you want to enjoy both the history and the culture, you should visit Rua Garret, where you’ll find Livraria Bertrand, which holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest library that’s still in business in the world. It was opened in 1732 after all! For more recent history, you can visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, both Portuguese and international artists. After a long day walking around, you can relax at Cafe a Brasileira to try traditional Portuguese coffee.
Where to Stay in Chiado
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Bairro Alto Hotel: If you want luxury, this is the way to go. Enjoy the views from the rooftop terrace and rest in the most comfortable rooms.
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Hotel do Chiado: A more economic option that’s also closer to the shops and restaurants. If you’re exploring Lisbon on foot, you’ll probably prefer this one.
Baixa: Central Convenience with a Modern Twist
Baixa is one of the best places to stay for your first time in Lisbon. The area is a paradise to start exploring the city and enjoying all its charms. It offers a great view of Lisbon’s history and architecture, with multiple iconic landmarks within walking distance. It’s full of stores, so many people go there to relax and shop for fancy clothes and cute souvenirs. It’s also great for families, with its wide streets and vibrant squares.
Be aware that the area can be touristy and expensive, with many of the shops and restaurants catering to higher classes. In respect of nightlife, while there are plenty of bars, there aren’t many clubs, so the nights tend to be quieter.
You can visit the Commerce Square, famous for its neoclassical architecture and its cozy cafes. From there you can walk alongside the Tagus River or visit the Arco da Rua Augusta to enjoy panoramic views of the city. In the same Rua Augusta, you can find many, many stores and shops, cafes and arcades, so you can easily spend the whole afternoon there. And to admire a bit more of the old part of the city, you can stop at the Lisbon Cathedral, a structure dating all the way back to the 11th century.
Where to Stay in Baixa
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Hotel Lisboa Plaza: A luxury boutique hotel close to Avenida da Liberdade. It’s great if you want to enjoy modern luxuries and classic elegance while still staying in the heart of Lisbon.
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Pousada de Lisboa: A restored 18th-century building right in the Commerce Square with incredible service and location.
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My Story Hotel Ouro: A good option if you’re staying within a budget and prefer to spend more on the activities than on the accommodations. It still has modern amenities and it’s near most major attractions.
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Bairro Alto: Nightlife and Bohemian Vibes
If you’ve been reading and wondering where you can go to enjoy the nightlife, then Bairro Alto is the best neighborhood for you. There you’ll find that the streets never truly empty. All kinds of people with alternative lifestyles gravitate towards its many attractions, and it’s a bit like an impromptu fashion show. There’s a youthful energy, we could say, and lots of street art, hip bars, and underground venues to pair with it.
If you want to know about the negatives, well, it’s noisy. That’s quite obvious, so if you’re a light sleeper better bring some earplugs to sleep. It also has a lot of hills, which, paired with narrow streets, can be challenging, especially after a few drinks.
But don’t think that the day is boring, you can visit landmarks like the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcantara, one of the best viewpoints in all of Lisbon. If you’re still waiting for the night to fall and the party to start, you can visit the Church of Sao Roque, a beautiful Baroque building with golden altars and ornate chapels. And finally, once the sun sets, you can head to Pensao Amor or Tasca do Chico, famous bars, or the Clube de Fado, to experience traditional Portuguese music.
Where to Stay in Bairro Alto
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Lisboa Carmo Hotel: A comfortable hotel that’s quite convenient with its easy access to the nightlife in Bairro Alto.
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Pensao Amor: Apart from the famous bar, it also functions as a guesthouse with eclectic decor, ideal for the alternative seeking.
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Alfama: A Step Back in Time
Alfama is the best place to stay for history lovers. Alfama is the oldest and most historic of all the Lisbon’s neighborhoods. Unlike other places, where the old meet the new, Alfama feels more like a step back in time. Most of the areas look pretty much like they did centuries ago, with their narrow and winding streets and colorful houses. It’s really popular with photographers, and with music enthusiasts, with the traditional Fado music.
As far as downsides go, you have the problem that its streets are quite steep because of the hills, so it’s hard for people with limited mobility. It’s also a bit touristy, although it is the quieter kind, but the prices do go up during peak season.
In Alfama, you’ll find one of the most famous places in Lisbon, the Sao Jorge Castle. From this medieval building, you’ll have incredible views of the whole city and the Tagus River. There’s also the National Pantheon, where many famous Portuguese figures found their final resting place. If you want to walk around for a bit, you should try the old streets. There you can find many family-owned businesses and stores that sell authentic and traditional Portuguese goods, like ceramics, tiles, and handmade souvenirs.
Where to Stay in Alfama
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Santiago de Alfama Boutique Hotel: If you want lovely views of the Tagus River and an authentic experience, then you’ll enjoy this luxury boutique hotel.
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Casa do Barao: A beautiful guesthouse right in the center of Alfama. Its rooms might be modern, but the building is very old and traditional.
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Avenidas Novas: Modern Comfort Away from the Hustle
If you want to experience the modern side of Lisbon, then this is your best neighborhood. It’s great for business trips, and for those who are staying for longer periods of time. In Avenidas Novas, you’ll find wide avenues with a more modern and clean architecture and a noticeable urban vibe. Unlike other neighborhoods, it’s not as touristy, centering more on the commercial and residential spaces, but there are cultural places and interesting areas to visit. There’s also the traffic problem and the crowds, especially during work hours.
If you love art, you’ll like it in Avenidas Novas, where you can find places like the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, with its impressive collection of international art. If you want to enjoy the view of the city, you can visit the roof terrace in the El Corte Inglés Shopping Mall. There you can also do some shopping, even if you’re looking for something really specific, you’ll probably find it there.
Where to Stay in Avenidas Novas
- Hotel Roma: A good option if you’re being more frugal but look for quality. It has easy access to public transport so you can explore the whole city.
Tips for Choosing the Best Area to Stay in Lisbon
Keep clear goals
While reading, you probably find some neighborhoods more enticing than others. What was that that caught your attention? Was it the vibrant nightlife, the historic vibe, or the cultural places? Keep that in mind and choose the neighborhood that offers the most of it.
Consider your comfort levels
Some places are more crowded and noisy and that can be uncomfortable or overwhelming for some people. Think if you’re okay with staying for a bit in a place like that, or if you wouldn’t mind it for your whole vacation. Even if you’re fine with the crowds, if you’re not going alone, check with your travel partners.
Safety
While the whole city is considered a safe destination, some neighborhoods can attract pickpockets. In places where a lot of tourists congregate, like Alfama and Baixa, you should keep an eye on your stuff. Remember to not keep your valuables in your back pocket and hold your purse or backpack close to your body.
Accessibility and transportation
The public transport system in Lisbon is quite good, so you won’t have a problem relying on it to move from one place to the other. You do have to keep in mind that, while some places are highly walkable, Lisbon is a city full of hills, and for people with mobility differences, this can be an issue.
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