Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we visit Lisbon, Portugal! Lisbon is a great place to visit and is often cited as one of the best weekend getaways in Europe. As you know, here at Wolters World, we like to prepare travelers with the good, and the bad, of visiting a new travel destination. So these are the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll hate when you visit Lisbon.
Love #1: Prices in Lisbon
Lisbon is an affordable destination. You can eat so well for so little in Lisbon and shopping is also very affordable, which makes Lisbon the perfect destination for budget travelers and backpackers. The food isn’t just cheap, it’s also delicious. Some of the local specialties include seafood and shellfish, black pork and so much more. Your money will go so much farther in Lisbon than in another city like London. Though, it is not as cheap as it used to be, and that has to do with a couple of the hates of Lisbon you will find below.
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Hate #1: Lisbon Drivers
Drivers in Lisbon are insane. Whether you are another driver or a pedestrian, dealing with Lisbon drivers is a scary experience. It will sometimes feel like they are aiming right for you. If you are visiting Lisbon with kids, make sure you have a tight grip on them at all times when walking anywhere near traffic.
Love #2: Lisbon Weather
Lisbon has fantastic weather. Summers are warm, which is perfect weather to enjoy all the beaches near Lisbon. Winters are very mild, which also makes it a popular weekend getaway for Europeans from colder climates. The best time to visit Lisbon is in Spring and Autumn when it’s still cool in other parts of Europe.
Hate #2: Slippery Streets & Those Hills
Lisbon is a hilly city with lovely cobblestone streets. The cobblestones really add to the European atmosphere, but when it rains, those cobblestones become super slippery and it’s so easy to fall on your butt. To add to this, there seems to be a lot of dog poop in the streets, so if you happen to fall down, the odds are good that you’re going to end up falling in a pile of dog poop. Be careful out there!
It’s not a bad idea to train on some hills before your trip. Put your treadmill or stairmaster on the hardest setting and you’ll get a feel for Lisbon’s hills.
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Love #3: Lisbon Nightlife
Going out in Lisbon is really fun. It’s not a nightclub type of town, but more of the kind of place where you can go out and enjoy some beers with friends in the street. There’s a lot of bars and pubs, but also just mingling in some of the streets in neighborhoods like Barrio Alto.
Hate #3: Dining in Lisbon
This isn’t a complaint about the food in Lisbon, but about the time when meals are eaten. If you are coming from elsewhere in Europe or the United States, you are probably used to eating dinner between 5:00 and 7:00 in the evening. In Lisbon, most restaurants close between 3:00 and 8:00. So, if you want a late lunch or an early dinner, you will be relegated to fast food or some kind of chain restaurant. Lunch is from about 12:30 until 3:00, so make sure you eat something before everything closes until the evening.
Love #4: Lisbon Transportation
It’s really cheap and easy to get around Lisbon. There’s the metro, buses and even taxis are super cheap in Lisbon. You can easily take taxis anywhere you need to go in Lisbon without spending a ton of money, and unless you are coming in from the airport, the taxi drivers generally won’t try to rip you off.
Hate #4: Lisbon Hotels
There seems to be a lack of good low and medium-priced hotels in Lisbon. The lower and mid-range accommodations are kind of crappy, so if you want a decent place to sleep, you really need to pay a bit more and find a nicer hotel to stay in. We rarely recommend this, but in Lisbon sometimes your best option is to stay in a chain hotel. And honestly the hostel scene in Lisbon is really good.
Love #5: Urban and Beach Options
Lisbon is a bustling capital city, but there are amazing beaches within 20 minutes of downtown. It’s the perfect dichotomy for a well-rounded vacation. You can spend one day exploring museums and castles and the next day at the beach. You don’t have to choose between a relaxing beach vacation or a bustling city vacation because Lisbon is both! Once you’ve explored the area, there are also some great Lisbon day trips to check out!
Hate #5: Drug Dealers
There seems to be an abundance of drug dealers in Lisbon, especially along Rua Augusta and the main square. You’ll likely run into several guys pestering you to buy hashish or cocaine or other drugs. It’s a well-known problem and even the locals are bothered by it. They don’t profile, either. They’ll approach parents with young children, seniors traveling, just about anyone. Just keep walking and don’t engage with them. Don’t bother telling the cops, though, as they couldn’t care less.
Hate #6: Weekend Crowds
Lisbon gets super packed on the weekends. It’s a very popular weekend getaway destination for many Portugal residents and Europeans. If you don’t mind crowds, it’s fine, but be prepared to wait for a table if you don’t have a dinner reservation. Ultimately, it’s a testament to how awesome the city is, but I recommend visiting Lisbon mid-week if you can.
Love #6: Food in Lisbon
While dining in Lisbon might be a pain, especially on the weekends, the food makes it all worth it. Don’t bother with any other cuisines in Lisbon; take the opportunity to eat all the Portuguese food that you can. Look for tascas, which are mom-and-pop restaurants that serve traditional Portuguese food. Seafood, pork, and pastries are all amazing!
Hate #7: Overtourism
Lisbon is blessed with so much to offer from the museums, to the weather to the food that a number of people have invsted in the city and tourists from all over the world come to enjoy all that Lisbon has to offer, unfortunately that has led to a bit of a mass tourism problem for Lisbon in the summer. So do be aware that apartment rentals have driven up the cost of living in the city so many locals have had to move out to the suburbs.
Love #7: Lisbon Locals
The locals in Lisbon are the best! They are friendly and they love to have fun. Most of the locals speak English, and are eager to talk to tourists and share their favorite spots. Summer months are filled with outdoor festivals, which is a great way to meet locals.
The New 5 Love & Hates of Lisbon video
Lisbon is a great city and I lived there for over four years because it’s such a fun town. With so many fun things to do in Lisbon, the “hates” are really just things to have a heads up on, rather than a reason not to visit Lisbon. Want more tips for planning your European vacation? Check out these other blog posts: