English
Lisbon at night
Today I will be telling you the many different ways that exist to enjoy Lisbon at night. Whether you want to attend an opera, simply enjoy a drink or dance until the sun rises, Lisbon nightlife is very diverse and offers a lot of options. It all depends on your preferences and desires. I will be sharing with you the best places to go to and you will also know which ones are the locals favorites. In my opinion, it is important to experience the nightlife of the cities one visits. It tells a lot about the way of thinking and the perspectives on life of the locals. You also get to know more about their open-mindedness and kindness. I think people are usually more at ease during the night, on the weekends, after a week of work when they can finally relax and be their whole self.
Read on this new article and learn how to blend in the Lisbon crowd at night, where are the best places to spend a great moment at night in Lisbon while avoiding tourists traps.
Go to a show
There are so many things to do in Lisbon at night! Some people rather choose a nice bar to enjoy a drink and stay there for the rest of the night, others prefer going from one bar to another, and then some others like to go to the clubs and dance all night long. However, if you want to have a different night, you can attend an opera at Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Chiado, for instance.
At Teatro Tivoli, you can also attend other shows, such as concerts, musical shows, stand-up comedy, plays, and ballet. Lisbon at night is really fun, and you will love the atmosphere whatever you decide to do to enjoy the city at night. Going to a show is a great inside entertainment, especially when it’s cold or raining outside. If you decide to go to a show, just make sure to buy your tickets in advance.
Enjoy a drink and a nice view
It is very nice to watch the sunset in Lisbon! One of the best things you can do to start the night is to go to one of the places that offer a great view over Lisbon and enjoy your drink up there. Lisbon sunset is particularly stunning and it is even more pleasant during spring and summer. The days get longer and warmer, people are light-hearted and relaxed and stay out late.
In Bairro Alto, there’s the Park Bar. Located at Travessa André Valente, it is open until 2 am. Drink a gin tonic while looking at the Rio Tejo and Lisbon orange tile houses. Them, you also have the terrace coffee and cocktail bar Portas do Sol which enables you to overlook Alfama rooftops! The place is very cosy, so people come for a drink but usually stay a little longer and end up having dinner there!
Have a cocktail
If you just feel like having a cocktail, there are several places in Lisbon that are known and made very popular for their cocktails. Located at Rua do Salitre, there is the Red Frog which is very famous and it is considered to be one of the places that serve the best cocktails in the world. At Rua Nova do Carvalho, commonly known as the Pink Street, you might want to go to the Espumantaria do Cais where you can have fine wines and original cocktails while trying Portuguese traditional “petiscos”. Located at Rua Patrocínio and open until 2 am, you have the A Paródia cocktail wine bar. The place looks like an antique shop. I have to say that I love the decoration, it makes you feel like you’re in old times. Plus, their margaritas, tequila, rum cocktails are very tasteful!
Enjoy live music
The dissemination of culture, entertainment and leisure walk hand in hand in Lisbon. Indeed, many bars and clubs in Lisbon, apart from organizing great party events, they also try to propose different kinds of concerts. The nights usually start with concerts and are then followed by the performance of djs and guest musicians.
In the Cais do Sodré area, the Musicbox is more inclined to electronic and pop rock music. Not very far from there, you will find the Sabotage Club at Rua de São Paulo that presents rock concerts and is open until 6 am on weekends if you feel like partying til the sun rises! With a quieter and calmer atmosphere, you can enjoy live jazz and fado performances in Duetos da Sé in the Alfama neighborhood.
Watch a fado performance
At the sound of fado and the Portuguese guitar, one feels “saudades”. What is “saudade”? According to the Oxford Dictionary, it is “a feeling of longing, melancholy, or nostalgia“ and the Portuguese are the only ones who have such a word to express this kind of feeling. We wish we had this term in the English language! “Saudade” is charged with meaning and emotion, because it comes right from the heart, right from the sorrow people feel when they have to bid farewell to their loved ones. How many times have I cried at the sound of fado!
You can watch a fado performance in Lisbon at night. There are many rustic houses around the city, with stone walls and decorated with old tiles, which will enable you to assist a fado performance. These places and the people that bring them to life are passionate. A few of the places I recommend for you to listen to the Portuguese traditional singing and try the best of Portuguese traditional food are the followings: Adega Machado, at Rua do Norte. However, note you should book a table in advance. Then in Alfama, you have two places for you to pick: the Restaurante Mesa de Frades and the Clube de Fado.
Dance the night away
Each country has its own stereotypes. If you want to know a little more about the Portuguese, I can tell you they are the friendliest and the funniest people I know. They love celebrations and they will always find plenty of motives to cheer to. At night and especially on the weekends, the youngsters usually gather with friends, drink through the night and end up at a club to dance the night away.
If you want to dance to the all-time best hits until the sun rises, here are a few suggestions for you: at the Lux Frágil and at the Kremlin, you can dance to electro music. At Plateau, you can show your best dance moves listening to 70s and 80s hits. If you feel like dancing to rock music, the Sabotage Club in Cais do Sodré is a great option. Then you have the Trumps in Bairro Alto, where Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and Madonna are always on the playlist. This club is appreciated by the LGBT community.
You now have a few tips on how to enjoy Lisbon at night. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that it has been useful! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information about anything! In Lisbon, you will definitely have a night to remember. There are activities for all ages and all tastes. The preferred neighborhoods to have a night-out in Lisbon are Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodré. However, you should know that smoking is allowed in some places, they usually have a smoking area, but you should check it beforehand. Feel free to share your experiences, and tell us about your favorite places! See you soon in Lisbon!
