After spending the summer living in Lisbon, I feel like we finally got to know a completely different side of the city.
Not just the trams, pastel de nata queues and tourist hotspots but the morning coffee runs, neighbourhood wine bars, parks, workouts, cycle routes, little independent shops and places we’d actually go back to week after week.
We based ourselves around Estrela / Lapa / Santos, and honestly, if I was moving back to Lisbon tomorrow, I’d choose this area again.
So if you’re coming to Lisbon and want to experience what it’s like to actually live here rather than just visit, save this one.
WHERE TO STAY
ESTRELA
My number one. This is where we spent most of our time and it has such a lovely residential feel. It’s beautiful and calm without feeling like you’re miles away from everything.
You’re close enough to walk into Príncipe Real, Santos, Lapa and towards the river, but you’re not stepping outside your apartment into crowds of tourists every morning. It really started to feel like our little neighbourhood.
Perfect if you want:
Cute cafés on your doorstep
Parks and green space
Somewhere you can run from
Beautiful streets
Easy access to the rest of Lisbon
A more local, residential feeling
LAPA
Right next to Estrela and another area I absolutely loved.
Beautiful buildings, quieter streets and very residential. If you’re staying for a few weeks rather than a weekend, I’d definitely look around here.
SANTOS
A little busier and closer to the river, with loads of restaurants, coffee shops and places to go out.
I loved being able to wander down here from Estrela. It’s a great middle ground if you want more going on around you but don’t want to stay right in the tourist centre.
PRÍNCIPE REAL
One of my favourite areas to spend an afternoon. Beautiful streets, independent shops, cafés, restaurants and wine bars. It’s definitely livelier than Estrela but still feels chic and neighbourhood-y rather than overly touristy.
COFFEE + BRUNCH
Lisbon absolutely nails coffee culture. These were some of the places that ended up on our rotation…
Buna
In my opinion, BEST coffee in Lisbon.
Espresso Lab (Estrela)
An easy Estrela coffee stop.
Magnolia
Great brunch spot in one of my favourite parks, Parça das Flores.
Do Beco
Another coffee + pastry favourite.
Neighbourhood
The mushroom + hummus dish is my personal favourite but be sure to grab their homemade ‘bum thunder’ aka chilli oil!
Marquise
My go-to artisanal bakery. The pain suisse is next level.
The Mill
Enjoy brunch whilst watching the trams drive past! The chilli jam is a crowd pleaser.
Dear Breakfast
Not my personal favourite but a Lisbon classic for breakfast/brunch.
Fauna & Flora
Another option although not my go-to, it’s loved by many!
Heim Café
Very cute and great for breakfast!
WINE BARS + SMALL PLATES
Lisbon does relaxed, casual wine bars SO well. Think tiny tables spilling onto the pavement, a bottle of wine, some snacks and accidentally staying for hours.
Insaciável
Possibly my favourite. Exactly the kind of wine bar I love: relaxed, intimate and somewhere you want to sit for hours.
Magnolia
Yes, it’s appearing twice. Coffee by day, wine bar + small plates later.
Black Sheep
A hole in a wall in Praça das Flores, which is already one of the loveliest little areas to wander around.
Parra
Cute little wine bar + small plates. You must get the sardines!
Vero Vino
Another one for the natural wine list.
Casacavel
Very relaxed and another great one to add to a wine-bar crawl.
A Obra
Somewhere we discovered on our final night and potentially “saving the best til last” ? Down my favourite colourful street of Lisbon, opens this cosy tapas restaurant with such a charming atmosphere.
PARKS + GREEN SPACE
One of my favourite things about living in Lisbon was that you can still find pockets of greenery within the city.
Jardim da Estrela
Our local park and one of the reasons I loved staying in Estrela. Perfect for a morning walk, coffee, sitting with a book or just escaping the city for a bit.
Príncipe Real
This is our Aperol spot of choice on Fridays or Saturdays. Listening to live music whilst the sunsets is the dreamiest way to end the day.
Monsanto Forest Park
If you want something much bigger, head to Monsanto. It’s basically Lisbon’s giant green playground and a great option if you want to walk, run, cycle or just feel like you’ve properly escaped the city without actually leaving Lisbon.
WHERE TO TRAIN
One of my non-negotiables when living somewhere for more than a few days is finding somewhere decent to train.
Academia was where we trained which was super convenient to where we were staying. It definitely hasn’t got the ‘best’ equipment but it does the job!
Club 7 Lisbon is an elite space to train but they only do monthly memberships. Great if you want to also use their amazing tennis, padel, and swimming facilities.
Running : I always ran towards the riverfront where you can actually get into a rhythm without stopping every five seconds for cobbled hills and traffic.
Cycling : Lisbon itself can be chaotic for cycling, so be sure to go early in the morning before rush-hour. We often cycled from Lisbon to Cascais and back which is around 60km.
PASTEL DE NATA
You obviously can’t live in Lisbon for the summer without consuming your bodyweight in pastel de nata’s.
Manteigaria is the most popular of all and spotted around Lisbon.
Fábrica de Nata is a central favourite of mine.
Pastéis de Belém is the iconic birth place operating since 1837!
SHOPPING: THE LITTLE STORES I LOVED
One of the best things about Lisbon is discovering independent stores. Save these:
House of Curated - Curated fashion/lifestyle store.
Gandaia - Independent fashion and accessories.
Loja Real - Boutique-style shopping.
More Than Fashion - Contemporary fashion.
Disco Wheel - Think candles, pottery, homeware and cool little objects rather than just clothing.
Flabelus - Beautiful shoes.
Kolovrat - Portuguese designer fashion.
Pink Palace Pop-Up - A fun fashion/pop-up concept worth checking out.
For shopping in general, I’d wander around Príncipe Real and let yourself find things rather than planning every shop.
AND WHEN YOU WANT TO ESCAPE THE CITY…
This was another reason I loved Lisbon so much. You can be living city life and then very quickly be somewhere completely different.
SINTRA
Do Pena Palace, walk up to the Moorish Castle and stop at Piriquita for something sweet.
ARRÁBIDA
One of my favourite escapes. Beautiful coastline, hikes and ridiculous beaches. Galapinhos and Ribeiro do Cavalo are both worth having on your list.
THE ALGARVE
Obviously further away, but if you’re turning Lisbon into a bigger Portugal trip, head south and do the Seven Hanging Valleys Trail.
Lisbon really became home for us over these last month or so. There is SO much more I could add, but these are the places I’d genuinely send my friends to and go straight back to myself.
If you’re heading to Lisbon, save this guide and if you try any of my recommendations, please let me know. I LOVE hearing when you guys end up somewhere because of something I’ve shared.
Portugal, you’ve been very good to us.
Until next time, Lisbon.
p.s. if you enjoyed this, be sure to subscribe so you never miss a post! I’ll be sharing plenty more travel recommendations, wedding updates, fitness tips, and following along with the weird but wonderful “odd-venture” my fiancé and I have found ourselves on since leaving the UK earlier this year.
Much love,
Rhi x