In which quarter house in Lisbon?

Are you coming to the Portuguese capital soon? Here is our guide to the best areas to stay in Lisbon and book your accommodation. Where to sleep in Lisbon?

Peupled from the Neolithic, Lisbon, the most Western capital of Europe, has a breathtaking historical and cultural heritage. The hic is that you are totally unaware of the location in Lisbon. Isn't it? Would you like to sleep in the historic district, in the chic neighborhoods, near the popular areas, in one youth hostel , on the side of alternative bars, starred restaurants or high-end shops?

Ranked "world city" according to a ranking of the most influential cities of globalization, Lisbon is the largest city in Portugal, with an area of 85 km2. It is a metropolis almost as large as Paris, but it has four times less inhabitants: figures that promise a rather pleasant living environment in the Lisboets.

There are real good deals on the accommodation to do in the low season, but the city is submerged from June to September. Accommodation prices are at their highest in the summer and you will have to book in advance to avoid disappointment. We have compiled a list of the best areas to stay in Lisbon to help you plan your trip to Portugal.

Baixa, the tourist Lisbon

Just a few steps away from the essence of lisboet nightlife, is this historic district, the preferred place for tourists. It was completely rebuilt by Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo – Prime Minister of Joseph I of Portugal from 1750 to 1777 – after the devastating earthquake of 1755, which decimated almost 25% of the Lisbon population. It is a relatively “new” neighbourhood. It is characterized by its perpendicular streets, a plan of urbanism different from other districts. There are also magnificent squares, interconnected by long avenues decorated with 18th century buildings. Large hotels and small cafes mark the atmosphere of the neighborhood where most tourists come.

The district of Baixa is very central, just steps from the Place du Commerce and Saint-Georges castle , from the docks of the Tage and to the Avenue de la Liberté. Admire the ruins of the Carmelite Convent, destroyed after the earthquake, and never reconstructed. Augusta Street, very frequent and so often taken in pictures with his bow speaks of herself: you will enjoy this neighborhood, but nevertheless densely populated and noisy. Nightlife in the west – Bairro Alto -, the cultural visit to the east – Alfama -, a large amount of restaurants, shops and bars await you, the ideal to stay in Lisbon.

Alfama, the « authentic Lisbon »

Marked by a maze of small streets, inter alia, the Alfama is the oldest part of Lisbon. This picturesque street imbroglio brings the hill of the castle of Saint-Georges to the estuary of the Tage, while walking through most of the historical monuments of Lisbon: the Cathedral Se, the castle of Saint-Georges, the National Pantheon and the church of Saint Antoine, for example. Its name, derived from Arabic, means “a thousand sources”. While the neighbourhood was formerly populated outside the city by sailors and port workers, it had a bad reputation.

Nowadays, it is rather connected and thus displays a singular contrast brought by this phenomenon of progressive gentrification. It is in this area that you can borrow the famous yellow tram of the 1930s – because the line is not authorized to receive the modern trams – to snake from Graça to the Baixa. Visit also the Lisbon Castle and go up to the Santa Luzia Viewpoint to get an amazing view of Lisbon. Formerly popular, it is renowned for being the birthplace of the fado, a style of symbolic music of Portugal.

Bairro Alto, the "Festive Lisbon"

Today, the Bairro Alto district does not offer much at first sight. There is no big thing to do or see, if it is perhaps the church of Saint-Roch of Lisbon and see a play in the theatre of Bairro. It is necessary to wait for the twilight to begin to see the streets animated: this is where the young Portuguese, nocturnal animals, meets in countless small bars to celebrate until the end of the night. Accessible by the Baixa-Chiado Metro Station, this area, located on a hill, overlooks the rest of the city.

Festive bar for head hopping under the sound of the fado and other more intimate cafés make the charm of the Bairro Alto. In the evening, the paved streets are full of young and less young people, strangers, locals, so it’s a place to stay in Lisbon if you like beer, wine, festive evenings to prolong the aperitif until dawn. On the other hand, prefer quieter streets if you are more in the family or looking for a more relaxing atmosphere.

Chiado, the chic and cultural Lisbon

Located between Bairro Alto and Baixa Pombalina, Chiado has been inhabited since Roman times. It is a rather commercial and chic neighborhood. We come to buy books, clothes and enjoy a sunny terrace. This is where cultural Lisbon lives, because the neighbourhood is full of theatres and museums of all kinds. For example, go to a piece of opera at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos , the main opera room of Lisbon. The sunny days – which do not miss – enjoy a walk at the Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara, a green area in height offering a splendid view of the city centre and its hills.

Belém, the "Lisbon of Explorers"

The name of the neighborhood would come from “Bethlehem”, which would have slowly derived to Belém over history. It is the historic place of life of the upper bourgeoisie and the golden classes of Lisbon, which – before gentrification – were fleeing the debauchery of the popular neighborhoods where the popular classes worked and entangled. It is probably for its eponymous turn that the neighborhood is known: when you go to Lisbon, you can’t miss it tour of Belém , six kilometres west of downtown. On the docks of the Tage, there were ancient ports that allowed the great explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries to sail to unknown waters to discover the world. If you’re fascinated with modern history, then it’s the neighborhood you needed to stay in Lisbon. Among these great navigators, this is where the famous Vasco de Gama (1460 or 1469-1524), took off to India in 1497.

In the neighborhood you can also visit the Monument to Discoveries and the Hieronymous monastery , built in tribute to the above-mentioned browser. The other must-sees in the neighbourhood: the cultural centre of Belém, a museum of modern and contemporary art, the National Museum of Carros, the National Museum of Belém, the Marine Museum, the monument to the glory of the combatants of Outre-Mer, the garden of Imperial Square, and the famous Pastéis de Belém (Portuguese iconic pastry). This neighborhood, its gardens and walks, can be very crowded, especially during the summer season but it is a very good neighborhood to stay in Lisbon, away from the tumults of the city centre.

Santo Antonio

Although it is one of the most recent municipalities in the city, San Antonio still houses some of its oldest architectures. The main attraction is the Cathedral of San Antonio, which leaves its visitors without a voice. It is one of the only churches that survived the devastating earthquake of 1774, and it is one of the last vestiges of the city’s past. It is an excellent drop point to sleep in Lisbon since the Santo Antonio district is well served by public transport and very close to the tourist attractions of the centre of Lisbon.

Misericórdia

This small neighborhood looks like a village in the middle of Lisbon. Up to now, Misericórdia has managed to escape the burying and houses small independent shops that have been managed by generations of the same family. Unfortunately, this also means that this neighbourhood is a bit devastated and that companies do not have the means to do some essential renovations. That said, staying in this Lisbon neighborhood is the opportunity to enjoy a central positioning with lower accommodation prices.

Rent an Airbnb in Lisbon

Renting an apartment on Airbnb in Lisbon allows you to experience a more authentic experience to visit the city. It’s an opportunity to stay with the inhabitant and why not enjoy the right addresses that he or she will give you while welcoming you. Everyone now knows that an Airbnb apartment is no longer always managed by the owner, so it is advisable to read the ads and profiles of the hosts to identify the local “real” when you are looking for an apartment to sleep in Lisbon.

To help you choose an Airbnb to stay in Lisbon, you can read our list of suggestions from best Airbnb apartments in Lisbon or search for accommodation by clicking on the link below:

Are you going to visit Lisbon? Are you going to Lisbon? If you have planned to visit the main monuments of the city, you should be advised to take the Lisboa Card which includes free transport as well as entrances to the Château Saint-Georges, the Tour de Belem, the monastery of the Hiéronymites and many more...