Lisbon is a city born among seven hills. To look at, it's a sprawling city. Brightly painted houses and red roof tiles shine in the ever-present sun with cobblestoned streets winding all around them—up, down, up again, and back down to where the city hugs the river below.
Rather than just the old meeting the new, in Lisbon it's more like the old meets the new and the anachronistic, as you'll find churches, cathedrals, and a castle, but also old-school trams clattering up the steeper parts of the hills, taking you to where quirky cafes and hipster bars are sequestered away in the labyrinth-like upper parts of the city. Portuguese culture is present everywhere in Lisbon through the abundance of the often-picturesque taverns called “tascas,” serving as both places to eat and meeting spots for the community, as well as cafes serving such delicacies as their famous custard tarts, Pastéis de Belém.
It's no Barcelona, but there's still plenty to do for sightseers, especially those who don't mind some uphill and downhill action, as well as for LGBTQ+ travelers. Portugal is just as progressive as its Spanish neighbor, and the gay scene in Lisbon holds its own when compared to other capital cities. At night, Bairro Alto buzzes with energy as the—has to be said, very attractive—locals spill out into the street to chat among themselves and with visitors to the city. Lisbon doesn't have its own beach but is just a short train or bus ride either way to some of the best in Portugal, making it a great base for beach hunters too.
Overall, Lisbon has a little bit of everything wrapped up into one charismatic package. It showcases Portuguese culture as a whole yet also has a distinct personality of its own that thoroughly enjoyable to discover.
Table of Contents
1. General Tips
2. Transportation & Airport transfer
3. Gay Hotels in Lisbon
4. Sightseeing & Activities in Lisbon
5. Gay Tours in Lisbon
6. Restaurants and Cafes
7. Lisbon Gay Bars and Clubs
8. Lisbon Gay Saunas & Cruising Bars
9. Gay Beaches in Lisbon
10. Gay Events in Lisbon
11. Day Trips from Lisbon
General Tips
The best area to stay in Lisbon is in one of the central neighborhoods like Baixa, Chiado, Príncipe Real, Bairro Alto, or the Alfama. Bairro Alto is where most of the nightlife is located, including the popular gay street Rua Barroca. Nightlife in Lisbon starts very late, with people starting to go out to the gay bars around midnight and to clubs around 2 to 3 a.m. The popular gay nightlife spots in Lisbon are located in both Príncipe Real and Bairro Alto. You can still drink on the streets in Lisbon, and many locals crowd the streets in this popular area. Rua Barroca is the gay street—or rather, “gay corner”—in Bairro Alto. This stretch is full of bars, with people spilling out onto the street with drinks from local bars or cheap beers from nearby kiosks. The southern portion of the street is the gay hangout, near a collection of small gay bars between Rua das Salgadeiras and Travessa dos Fiéis de Deus.
You’ll also find many other gay-owned businesses in Príncipe Real, just to the north. Alfama is the oldest part of Lisbon, with great views and entertainment options including fado, but it’s a 10-minute trolley ride or a 20-minute walk down and back up the hill to the Bairro Alto area. Depending on the time of day, there are many great restaurants in Lisbon worth visiting, where you can sample delicious food and inexpensive wines from the various Portuguese wine regions. Breakfast in Portugal is light, usually just a pastry and coffee. Lunch is around 1 or 2 p.m., and dinner time is around 9 p.m.
Lisbon is a fantastic destination and has enough attractions in and around the city to keep you busy for days. You could easily spend a week or two in Lisbon visiting the numerous monuments, lookout points, historic plazas, museums, beaches, and parks. You should probably spend at least three days in the city, and perhaps more if you plan to make any day trips outside of the city, which is definitely recommended! Peak travel season is March through November, but even winters are mild, with average temperatures between 50–59°F (10–15°C)—much warmer than most European destinations this time of year.
Citizens from the USA interested in moving to Lisbon will find the city a wonderful and welcoming place to live within Europe, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. There are several types of residence permits U.S. citizens can apply for, depending on whether they’re moving for employment, business, or retirement purposes. Digital nomads can apply for a Portuguese Nomad Visa, for example. Talking to a team of immigration experts before such a move is always advisable.
You can download the Gay Lisbon guide for free. Just provide your email address and we’ll email you a PDF.
Transportation & Airport transfer
Lisbon and its surrounding areas are very easy to navigate. The public transport system consists of a metro, trains, trolleys, buses, and funiculars. If you’re staying in Lisbon for at least three days, it’s definitely worth buying the Lisboa Card, which gives you unlimited access to all public transport routes. The card also provides free entry to many popular museums, monuments, and attractions throughout the city and costs just €39 for 72 hours. A single trip on the metro costs only €1.40, but riding the popular trolleys throughout the city is rather expensive at €2.85 per ride.
The airport is located 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the city center and takes about 45 minutes via public transport. The most economical route is to take the metro red line and transfer to the green line at the Alameda stop. A one-way ticket costs just €1.40. Taxis are extremely affordable in Lisbon and should only cost you about €15 from the airport to the city center.
Gay Hotels in Lisbon
Luxury
Altis Avenida Hotel – A boutique hotel in Lisbon perfectly located in the city center on the Praça dos Restauradores. The architecture and decor are inspired by the Portuguese '40s and revolve around the concept of retro urban chic, where past and future meld in a unique atmosphere of charm and glamour. The property includes 70 rooms, with two suites and the panoramic Restaurant Rossio.
Bairro Alto Hotel – A 5-star boutique hotel in the heart of the historic downtown, located between the bohemian Bairro Alto and the chic and cultural Chiado neighborhoods. The property is cosmopolitan and trendy, with a blend of old and new. The hotel is within walking distance of major shops, theaters, museums, restaurants, and bars.
Hotel Do Chiado – Located in Chiado, one of Lisbon's historic districts and near Bairro Alto. Chiado is the trendiest, most elegant, and chic meeting point of Lisbon. The property offers rooms with private terraces and panoramic views of the Castle and the Tagus River. The onsite bar, Entretanto, located on the 7th floor, is well-known for having the best view of Lisbon and is the perfect place for a romantic dinner or drinks with friends.
Mid Range
H10 Duque de Loule – This property opened in March 2015 and is an exclusive and charming hotel located in one of central Lisbon’s historic buildings. It has been renovated to maintain the 18th-century architecture, but its interior design blends traditional Portuguese features with modern and functional facilities. The hotel offers 89 rooms, free Wi-Fi, a business center, the Equestre library bar, the 10th floor Limão Chill-Out Terrace, and a gym.
Inspira Santa Marta Hotel –A 4-star boutique hotel and an oasis in the center of Lisbon. All services and rooms are designed based on the principles of feng shui. The onsite restaurant, Open Brasserie Mediterrânica, offers Mediterranean cuisine with daily gluten-free options. Sustainability is part of the hotel's identity, and it prides itself on its environmental policies. Room rates start at €122 per night.
Internacional Design Hotel – This superior 4-star boutique hotel is located on one of Lisbon’s main squares, Praça D. Pedro IV. It’s unique, trendy, and cosmopolitan, offering a very comfortable stay with personalized service. It’s just a few minutes away from the traditional districts of Bairro Alto, Chiado, and St. George’s Castle.
Lx Boutique Hotel – A 4-star boutique hotel in the heart of historical Lisbon. The property is a renovated century-old hotel overlooking the Tagus River, featuring an elegant and contemporary style. Room rates start at €150 per night.
Villa 3 Caparica – A gay beach resort consisting of 13 rooms. Villa 3 offers a generous breakfast served inside or outside, a bar and snacks available from 9 a.m. to midnight, friendly staff, a heated swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, a steam room, a sauna, massage services, weekly parties (in high season), and indoor and outdoor lounge areas.
Guest Houses
The Late Birds Lisbon – This is easily our favorite place in Lisbon and one of the only gay hotels in the city. It’s a relatively new property that opened in the spring of 2015. This old building was recently gutted and converted into a small, 12-room hotel with an awesome staff and an incredibly intimate vibe. The outdoor backyard is a social area with a pool, grassy space for lounging, and an area to order snacks and cocktails. The breakfast buffet is delicious and slightly different each morning. The rooms are simple, clean, and modern. It’s located in Bairro Alto in one of the best locations in the city. Room rates start at €150 per night.
Budget
Hotel Anjo Azul – A small gay hotel located right in the center of Bairro Alto. The location is excellent, and the staff are very friendly. However, the rooms are a bit old and dated.
Chiado Open World Hostel – If you’re on a budget but still want to visit Lisbon, you can stay for less than €20 per night in a dorm room at one of the nicest hostels in town. Ideally located in the Chiado neighborhood, it’s within walking distance of the nightlife area in Bairro Alto and many of the city's main attractions. The property is new and owned by a gay couple. While the hostel is not specifically gay-focused, it is gay-friendly like most properties in town.
We’ve partnered with misterb&b to help curate the most LGBT+ friendly homestays. misterb&b is not a hotel or chain, but rather a booking platform for rooms, apartments and homes and it allows you to book from gay and gay-friendly hosts around the world. They have hosts in more than 200 countries and territories with more than 1 million total listings. Understanding the gay scene is much more easily done with the help of a local and home-sharing is one of the best ways to meet someone living in the city who knows how things work, where and when are the best nights to go out, and what places to eat at and which to avoid. misterb&b is our top choice if your priority is exploring the local gay scene.
Special Offer! Sign up with misterb&b and you will receive a free $10 credit to use on your first booking!Sightseeing & Activities in Lisbon
Fashion and Design Museum – One of the world's leading museums of 20th-century design. Highlights include Portuguese businessman Francisco Capelo's fashion collection, made up of 1,200 couture pieces. The collection also features works by more than 230 designers, representing global trends in design. Many pieces on display are by famous names such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Baixa District and Principe Real – Popular shopping areas in Lisbon include the Baixa district in central Lisbon, as well as the Príncipe Real neighborhood, where you’ll find designer shops and antiques. Luxury brands and shops are located along Avenida da Liberdade. If you’re looking for men-only, gay-oriented shops in Lisbon—or somewhere to buy sexy underwear—check out some of these locations featuring popular men's and gay fashion brands.
Photo via Much Underwear
Fado – This is the folk music of Lisbon’s old neighborhoods, with the most popular places located in Alfama and Bairro Alto. It’s a quintessential tourist activity where you can either find gimmicky spots full of foreigners or stumble upon a locals-only venue featuring amazing performers somewhat off the tourist path. Two good restaurants to experience fado in Lisbon are Tasca da Bela in Alfama and Mascote da Atalaia in Bairro Alto. You can even buy tickets in advance for a live fado show in Chiado. Buy Tickets →
The Fado Museum – A great option to learn about the history and stories behind fado. The museum is located at the base of Alfama, the oldest and most colorful neighborhood in Lisbon. Buy Tickets →
Miradouros – One of the most unique aspects of the city is its geographic location and topography. Lisbon sits at the mouth of the Tagus River, which opens up to the Atlantic Ocean just outside the city limits. The landscape is incredibly hilly, creating some of the most stunning viewpoints of any European city. There are a series of “miradouros,” or lookout points, across the city on various hilltops, offering different perspectives of the city and surrounding areas. Some of the best and most popular (for good reason!) lookout points worth visiting are Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, Miradouro São Pedro de Alcântara, and Miradouro da Graça.. Book Tour →
Mercado Ribeira – This market features some of Lisbon’s finest restaurants, best chocolatiers, wines, liqueurs, and some of the freshest seafood in the country. It’s the perfect place for foodies to get a taste of Lisbon’s culinary culture, grab a quick gourmet bite, and experience more than 30 establishments with lovely terrace seating in an excellent location by the river.
St. George Castle – This iconic landmark, visible from almost everywhere in Lisbon, dates back to the 6th century. It was originally a Moorish royal residence until the Portuguese captured it in the 12th century. The castle sits atop one of Lisbon’s seven hills, overlooking the historic center and the Tagus River Book Tour →
Gay Tours and Activities in Lisbon
Queer Lisbon – A Treasure Hunt in LGBT History – This fun treasure/scavenger hunt tour brings Lisbon’s queer history to life through a team adventure around the main gay-scene neighborhoods of Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real. Hear the stories that make history come alive as you visit the sights of Lisbon’s fascinating, scandalous, and sometimes bizarre queer history, along with its modern gay scene. The tour concludes at the lounge, bar, garden, and pool of Lisbon’s biggest gay hotel for a ‘pub quiz' and prizes! (Don’t forget your swimsuit if it’s hot!).Book Tour →
Lisbon Food Tour – If you really want to experience the food culture of Lisbon with a knowledgeable guide, we highly recommend taking a Lisbon Food Tour. While not specifically an LGBTQ+ tour, it’s one of the best ways to enjoy the local gastronomy.. Book Tour →
Restaurants and Cafes
Comida de Santo – Here you’ll find Brazilian food, specifically from the state of Bahia. Some of their traditional dishes include vatapá, feijoada, and picanha. The menu is diverse, offering plenty of meat, fish, and vegetarian options, and the portions are sure to fill you up.
Grapes & Bites – This wine bar and restaurant is a great choice for wine lovers, featuring a large selection from various Portuguese wine regions. The food is also fantastic, with meat, seafood, and vegetarian options. To enhance the experience, there’s live music every night at 8 p.m. The venue is small and popular, so reservations are highly recommended. Visit their website to make your reservation.
Bota Alta – A charming, authentic restaurant in the center of Bairro Alto, serving some of the best Portuguese delicacies. Exquisite seafood is offered at affordable prices. The busy décor, small tables, and ornamented walls give it a cozy, homely vibe, making you feel as though you’re seated in a Portuguese living room.
Sea Me Peixaria Moderna – A modern Portuguese/Japanese fusion restaurant specializing in seafood. If you’re in the mood for oysters, sushi, grilled octopus, or ceviche, this is your spot. Reservations are recommended as it gets quite busy.
Zé da Mouraria – A traditional Portuguese restaurant serving dishes large enough to share. The codfish and cuttlefish are especially popular. There are two locations, one for lunch and one for dinner. Reservations are recommended.
Manteigaria – A small bakery and café in Camões Square that exclusively sells pastéis de nata, the classic Portuguese custard tart. These are among the best you’ll find in all of Lisbon. The tarts are continuously made fresh in front of you throughout the day, and the guy behind the counter is deliciously handsome. Standing room only.
Lisbon Gay Bars and Clubs
Purex –A mixed crowd of gays, lesbians, and the occasional straight couples or friends. It’s a great spot in Lisbon to enjoy a few drinks and perhaps a quick dance on the small dance floor. The interior features edgy décor but remains cozy and laid-back. It’s technically a gay-friendly bar and is very popular with the artistic, alternative, and fashionable crowd. Likely the most popular bar for lesbians.
Tr3s – Probably the most popular bear bar in Lisbon, with a happy hour from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. They offer a variety of drinks, including both Portuguese and Belgian beers. There’s outdoor seating, and it opens as early as 4 p.m.
Side Bar – A classic meeting-point bar in Bairro Alto. It’s a bit cozy, but every weekend you’ll find all the gays drinking outside, crammed into the streets because Bairro Alto is the place to be. Rua Barroca is the gay street—or rather, “gay corner”—in Bairro Alto, and this bar is in the center of it all. It also has a great range of cocktails to kick-start the night while rubbing shoulders with the international crowd.
Trumps – The largest gay club in Lisbon and one of the most popular. There are two separate dance floors—one plays house music, while the other plays pop. All ages and types are welcome, but it tends to trend on the younger side. Trumps is also the creator of Hot Season and the Hot Season Festival, the first international gay festival in Portugal. Entrance costs €10, which includes one drink ticket. Open Fridays, Saturdays, and any night before a bank holiday from 11:45 p.m. until 6 a.m.
Construction – A large club located in the Príncipe Real neighborhood. This space is very popular with bears, masculine guys, and older crowds. It features three different floors, with the top floor occupied by a very cruisy dark room. It gets busy around 2 or 3 a.m. and plays house music. Open Fridays and Saturdays, from midnight to 6:00 a.m.
Finalmente Club – One of the most popular and classic clubs in Lisbon, and the only one open during the week. It’s a small dance club and a longstanding institution in town, operating for more than 35 years and featuring popular drag shows. Open every day starting at 12:30 a.m. until 6:00 a.m., with shows beginning at 3:00 a.m.
Lisbon Gay Saunas & Cruising Bars
Trombeta Bath – By far the most popular gay sauna in Lisbon. It’s located in Bairro Alto near many of the other gay bars. This clean, newly expanded spot comes highly recommended by locals. Entrance costs €14, or €9 for students.
Gay Beaches in Lisbon
Beach 19 – A large, clothing-optional gay beach just outside of Lisbon. Located 30 km south of the city, you’ll need to drive or take a bus to get there. Without a car, the journey is longer—you’ll take a bus and then transfer to a small beach train to reach the destination. It can take nearly two hours, but the hot Portuguese guys make it worth the trip.
Gay Events in Lisbon
Lisbon Gay Pride – Each year, Lisbon hosts a gay pride march during the summer. This event is definitely more of a march than a parade. On a separate weekend from the march, the city hosts a pride village or festival, generally within two weeks of the pride march, featuring food, drinks, various booths, and concerts.
Queer Lisboa –A Portuguese film festival dedicated exclusively to screening gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual-themed films. It is held each year in September.
Day Trips from Lisbon
Belem – One of Lisbon's most historic areas, filled with monuments, landmarks, and impressive buildings. It’s located along the Tagus River at its mouth, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Popular attractions in Belém include the Tower of Belém, the Monument of Discoveries, and Jerónimos Monastery, just to name a few. Be sure to try the area's famous dessert tarts, Pasteis de Belém. Belém is located just outside Lisbon and is easily reachable using public transport. The most enjoyable route is taking tram 15 or 127 from Figueira Square or Comércio Square along the coast, which takes roughly 25 minutes. Alternatively, consider a bike tour from central Lisbon to Belém. Book Tour →
Cascais – Once a quaint fishing village, Cascais has become a popular resort town. It’s a colorful coastal destination with elegant pedestrian streets, luxurious villas, fashionable shops, restaurants, and bars. The historic center boasts great architecture, museums, and monuments, along with a beautiful sandy beach. To reach Cascais, take the train from the Cais do Sodré train station in Lisbon. The journey takes about 35 minutes and costs €4 for a round trip. You can also take Bus 403 from Sintra to Cascais and visit both places on the same day, if you have the energy. Book Tour →
Sintra – The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and well worth spending at least half a day exploring. If you’re adventurous, you could easily spend a couple of days discovering the many sites and attractions this charming town offers. While small, many of the sites are spread out, far apart, or located on the tops of steep hills. A bus service is available in town for just €5, offering a return journey to several of the most popular attractions in the area. To reach Sintra, take the train from the Rossio train station in Lisbon. The trip takes about 40 minutes and costs €5 for a round trip. Book Tour →
What interests you most about Lisbon? Would you consider visiting? Let us know in the comments below!
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