Lesbian Travel Guide to Lisbon, Portugal

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Lisbon is one of our favourite cities in Western Europe! As Portugal’s capital, it is full to the brim with history and culture, and is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has stunning architecture, a fascinating past, a vibrant arts & entertainment scene, and really beautiful scenery. It’s also very welcoming of LGBTQ+ travellers, and is a safe destination for lesbian women and couples due to its progressive laws, and positive attitude toward our community. We fell in love with the hilly city, and have visited it twice together. We found that there is always something exciting to do, and the streets feel lively all day and night. From the romantic cobbled maze of Alfama, to the hip, bohemian Bairro Alto neighbourhood, there is so much to discover in Lisbon. If you’re looking for an incredible European destination, keep reading for our lesbian guide to Lisbon!

What To Do

Check Out Comercio Plaza

Lisbon’s main city square Praca do Comercio, is an absolute must see. Sitting by the waterfront, the plaza is full of beautiful architecture like the Arco da Rua Augusta, adorable sidewalk cafes and restaurants, and tons of great shopping. The square is always full of artists, locals, and travellers, and is the perfect spot for people watching. Enjoy the water views and take it all in!

Visit Castelo de S. Jorge

One of the most popular historic sites in Lisbon, is the 11th century Sao Jorge Castle. Sitting on a hilltop in central Lisbon, it overlooks the city and the river. You can visit the preserved ruins as well as an archaeological museum, and the views from the castle cannot be compared. Wander around the grounds and be transported back through Portugal’s medieval history.

Explore the Old Town

Lisbon’s historic quarter is called the Alfama district, and is nestled between the river and the Sao Jorge Castle. Getting lost in the steep cobblestone streets and winding staircases, was one of our favourite things to do in Lisbon. In this area you’ll find plenty of Portuguese shops, small cafes, locally owned businesses, and authentic restaurants. Be sure to visit the Miradouro da Graca terrace for magical views of the water.

Listen to Some Fado

Lisbon is well known for its historic Fado music, which can be heard in the old quarter, and all over the city. The music is classical and often melancholy, and is played by live musicians in restaurants, bars, and clubs. You may hear some while you’re wandering the streets in the evenings, or you can go out for dinner at a restaurant with a Fado performance.

Discover Bairro Alto

Be sure to visit this neighbourhood for amazing street art, interesting architecture, classic old homes, and great local culture. At night, this area becomes very lively with diverse crowds heading out to the bars and clubs. This part of the city is also home to much of Lisbon’s gay nightlife.

Ride the Elevador da Bica

Lisbon’s famous Bica Funicular is a historic cable car that takes you up a steep hill. The iconic ride is worth it for the views, but if you don’t want to ride it, try to spot the car on its route!

Go Out on Pink Street

Rua Nova do Carvalho, nicknamed as Lisbon’s “pink street” is the heart of the city’s nightlife. Formerly Lisbon’s red light district, this area has been rehabilitated into a late night destination of clubs, parties, bars, and eateries. If you’re looking for a fun night out, be sure to check out this spot.

Visit Praca do Rossio

Another one of Lisbon’s main city plazas, Rossio Square is located in the busy downtown area, popular for its restaurants and shopping. The plaza is very centrally located for a day of exploring, and is a good place to start if you’re doing sightseeing around the city.

Enjoy Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara

This terrace offers one of the most incredible panoramic views of Lisbon. Come here for sunset and enjoy overlooking the beautiful city. There is often live music, as well as food and drink stalls.

Explore Parque Eduardo VII

As the largest park in Lisbon, this is a great spot to go for a walk, enjoy the gardens, and take a nice break from the bustling city. Stretching 26 hectares, this park is the perfect place to go for a quiet afternoon.

Stroll Along the Riverfront

You can’t visit Lisbon without taking a walk down the waterfront promenade. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset, do some people watching, enjoy some live music, relax at a sidewalk cafe, have a drink on a patio, or just enjoy views of the water. One of our favourite things to do was go walking by the river, and there was always so much going on!

Take a Day Trip to Sintra

If you’re looking for an easy day trip to get outside of Lisbon, the city of Sintra is the perfect option. It’s about a half hour drive, or an hour on the train, and it’s a beautiful resort town full of castles, palaces, and estates. It’s certainly possible to do in a single day, and is an easy trip from Lisbon. Don’t miss the Pena National Palace, Moorish Castle, the National Palace of Sintra, or the Quinta da Regaleira. There are also plenty of great cafes and restaurants to visit in between seeing the incredible sights. Enjoy!

Where to Stay

Lisbon has so many amazing neighbourhoods to stay in, and it all depends on what you’re looking for during your visit. If you’d like to stay somewhere romantic that feels authentic and full of history, you will love the Alfama district. We’ve stayed there twice and had an amazing time. If you’re looking to be somewhere a little bit more funky with great options for going out at night, Bairro Alto would be a good choice. If you like being in the centre of the action and want to stay in a really central area, the Baixa neighbourhood or the Chiado neighbourhood are both perfect. In Lisbon, both hotels and Airbnbs are great for accommodations, and both would be safe options in the city. We chose to stay in Airbnbs during both of our stays and we loved the authentic experience it gave us. It was also really nice to be connected to a local host that could offer us plenty of local recommendations! Staying in an Airbnb in a neighbourhood that isn’t as busy with tourists, is a great way to support the local businesses and have a more authentic travel experience. You will also likely get a lot more for your money! If you’ve never used Airbnb before, you can click here to save on your first stay. If you choose to go the hotel route, there are plenty of great options in central locations around the city. When booking hotel accommodations we use Hotels.com because they have great rates and they also do price matching. We also love their loyalty program which gives you one free night for every ten nights you stay!

Where to Eat & Drink

Lisbon’s culinary scene is well known for its seafood, and traditional Portuguese delicacies. While it hasn’t always been a foodie paradise, in recent years the restaurant scene has evolved quite a lot. A good place to start is Time Out Market, a huge gourmet food hall with restaurants, bars, market vendors, specialty shops, and more. Everything has been curated by experts and is top quality, covering a large range of international cuisines. Along with their regular daily service, the market also offers cooking classes, live shows, and special events. This is definitely where you should start when you’re discovering Lisbon’s food scene! One thing the famous food hall doesn’t have, is a lot of plant-based options, so if you’re searching for vegan food we compiled a list of our favourite spots. For a fully plant-based meal, head to Ao 26 Vegan Food Project, Organi Chiado, or Eight the Health Lounge. Graca 77 offers vegan and vegetarian food, Primo Basilico has vegan pizza, and Sama Sama offers vegan crepes! Lisbon also has an amazing late night scene, with plenty of wine bars, lounges, and clubs to grab a drink at. You can also legally drink on the streets, which means that late at night you’ll see plenty of people spilling onto the sidewalks, drink in hand. In our opinion, nothing beats a glass of wine on an outdoor patio overlooking the city, and if you’re looking to try something really authentic, be sure to taste Lisbon’s famous drink Ginjinha, a Morello cherry liqueur. We recommend buying a shot from one of the many older women in Alfama, you’ll see them set up around the neighbourhood with a table and a bottle!

Lesbian Friendly

Portugal has some of the most progressive LGBTQ+ laws in the world! The country legalized same-sex marriage back in 2010, and they’ve had discrimination protections in place since 2003. They also made May 17th their National Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and are continually working to protect the community. Click here for more on how lesbian friendly the country of Portugal is. We felt very safe and supported during our time in Lisbon, and had no issues being out and open while visiting the city. We held hands and showed affection on the street, we booked Airbnbs with local hosts and were open about being a lesbian couple, and we were honest with the people that we met about the fact that we’re married. We never felt the need to hide our relationship for our own safety, and everyone we met seemed to be very welcoming. In the city of Lisbon, the prominent gay areas are Bairro Alto, Principe Real, and Chiado. This is where you will find most of the LGBTQ+ nightlife, (and the nightlife in Lisbon is incredible!). Many of the gay clubs in the city draw a mixed crowd, and while the community establishments tend to cater most to gay men, places in Lisbon seem to be welcoming of lesbian women and couples. Some of the hot spots include Construction – a weekend club that’s great for dancing, Trumps – one of the original LGBTQ+ establishments in Lisbon, Sidebar – a small local favourite, and Bar 106 – another original Lisbon gay bar. If you’re specifically looking to be around other gay women, Purex is a gay and lesbian spot that is very welcoming of queer women, and tends to draw the most diverse crowds. This is definitely the closest thing you’ll get to a lesbian bar in Lisbon! If you want to catch a drag show, be sure to head to Finalmente Club with live performances that start late in the night, and if you happen to visit Lisbon in June, check out its Pride festivities as part of their Arraial Lisboa Pride Festival. Another annual event is Queer Lisboa, an International Queer Film Festival that takes place in September. Overall, Lisbon is a very lesbian friendly destination, and a popular spot for lesbian travellers. If you’re looking to travel somewhere you can feel safe and welcomed, and where you can experience some local gay culture, Lisbon is a great European destination to add to your list.

How to Get Around

Walk

Lisbon is very walkable, and we’ve found that one of the best ways to get around is on foot if you’re able to. It is quite hilly and some of the streets are steep, but it is fairly easy to get from one area to the next by walking. You can do some great people watching when you’re wandering around on foot, and it’s a great way to discover some spots that you may not have had on your list. Be sure to walk around the old town in Alfama, and get lost on the staircases and in the narrow cobblestone corridors.

Public Transportation

Lisbon’s public transportation is also a safe and easy way to get around. They have a metro system, which is one of the cleanest and most well maintained subways in Europe, as well as city buses and trams. You can get a magnetic card called a 7 Colinas Card, which you can top up to pay your fare easily while exploring the city.

Taxi or Rideshare

Another good option for getting around the city is by taxi. Registered taxis are safe to ride in Lisbon, and you can hail them on the street, or get one at a designated taxi stand. Be sure to have your driver run the meter (especially when coming from the airport), the taxi rates are very reasonable. Lisbon also has Uber, as well as a popular taxi hailing app called MyTaxi.

Has anyone else fallen in love with Lisbon? Let us know in the comments!