Lisbon by Night: a handy guidebook for exploring the city's nightlife

When you're researching what to do in Lisbon, don't neglect Lisbon's nightlife. The Portuguese capital has always boasted a bohemian and busy nightlife scene, especially in Cais do Sodré and the Bairro Alto.

In addition to nightlife, the Portuguese capital also has other attractions once the sun goes down. Its illumination gives it a particular beauty and strolling through its streets is one of the best things to do. In addition, several of its spectacular viewpoints offer unbeatable views at this time of day.

Although you've almost certainly arrived with a tour of the São Jorge and Alfama neighbourhood or on your own, if you get the chance I advise you to enter at a later hour to admire the views from its lookout point as the sun is setting.

This castle was originally built by the Romans, but was later completely rebuilt by the Visigoths and Arabs. Its hilltop position means that its silhouette can be seen from almost the entire historic centre. And from the castle you can see a large part of Lisbon and the Tagus estuary, a view that becomes even more magical when night falls.

Practical information

• How to get there: the quickest way is to take the castle's elevator from Lisbon's Baixa. Another way, besides walking, is to take tram 28 to the Miradouro de Santa Lucia stop and, from there, walk to the castle.
• Opening hours: in winter from 9am to 6pm and in spring and summer it closes at 9pm.
• Admission: Adults pay around €10 and children are free.

If you're spending more than one day in Lisbon, you can't miss a Fado show, the most typical musical genre in the country. Even if you don't know anything about this type of music, you're sure to enjoy the evening. You have several options:

Fado has been recognised by Unesco as Intangible Heritage of Humanity and is an authentic symbol of Portuguese popular culture born in the most humble neighbourhoods. This origin is reflected in the theme of the songs, generally marked by nostalgia and a certain sense of frustration.

As I explained in my article on the best places to dine while listening to fado, the Alfama neighbourhood is home to a large number of restaurants where you can enjoy a good meal while the singers perform various songs. However, here are a few options:

• Fado concert tickets in Lisbon, from CAD 30.
• Fado tour in Lisbon with dinner, from CAD 74.
• Private Fado tour in Lisbon with dinner, from CAD 197.

If you book a sailing trip on the Tagus you will enjoy one of the best cruises in Lisbon. Although this trip starts in the evening, the fact that you can watch the sunset from a sailing boat makes it an incredible experience for any visitor.

For around two hours you will sail along part of the Tagus River to see some of Lisbon's most important monuments from its waters, from the Belém Tower to the Jerónimos Monastery, passing under the 25th April Bridge.

The best moment of this river cruise comes when the light begins to change colour as the sun sets with the city in the background. When the sun sets, the boat returns to dry land so you can continue visiting Lisbon.

If a visit to see the Alfama district is always interesting, when the sun starts to go down, the tour can be even more interesting. In recent years, the whole area has been revitalised and is now full of atmosphere and numerous places to have a bite to eat.

With the lights on, the streets of the neighbourhood regain some of their old, almost, to say the least, rogue atmosphere. Walking through its steep, narrow streets on a guided tour of Alfama will take you to some spectacular viewpoints where you can spend some quality time:

• Santa Lucia viewpoint: it maintains a typical Lisbon look, with a mixture of romanticism and a certain decadent air.
• Mirador de Gracia: located near the castle of São Jorge, this viewpoint has become one of the favourites of Lisbon's young people when night falls.
• Portas do Sol viewpoint: very popular with tourists, this viewpoint has not lost the essence of the Alfama neighbourhood. The panoramic view is simply breathtaking, with the church of Sao Vicente de Fora escorted by pastel-coloured houses and the Tagus in the background.

Praça do Comércio is one of Lisbon's nerve centres and is the starting point for some interesting sightseeing bus tours. At night, in addition to the atmosphere, it is essential to walk around the square and go to the banks of the Tagus to see the illuminated Arco da Rua Augusta and, in the distance, the silhouette of the 25 de Abril bridge.

In this area you will find many restaurants and ice cream parlours, as well as one of the most famous cafés in the city: A Brasileira, located in one of the streets surrounding the square, in a historic art deco building.

It is said to be the first café in Lisbon to serve the bica, a small cup of very strong coffee. It was also the venue for gatherings attended by great intellectuals such as Fernando Pessoa. Do not hesitate, book your tourist bus in Lisbon and end up in A Brasileira.

Normally, a visit to the Belém neighbour hood usually takes place in the morning, when there are a lot of people seeing its main attractions at the same time. A good idea to avoid these crowds is to book a guided tour of Belém in the afternoon and extend the tour until the impressive monuments are illuminated.

I recommend you include it in the list of organised tours in Lisbon. The two most attractive sights in the neighbourhood are the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower, closely followed by the Monument to the Discoverers.

If you can stay until it gets dark, I recommend you don't miss the illuminated tower. With a little skill, you'll get one of the best pictures of your trip.

A great way to start the night in Lisbon is to eat something at the Mercado da Ribeira, more specifically at its Time Out Market. This market is the most popular in the whole city, especially for its wide range of fresh fish.

A few years ago, the building was remodelled and, in part, occupied by a large number of food stalls, terraces and venues for cultural events. The Time Out Market, as it is called, is located in one of the trendiest areas, Cais do Sodré, very close to the centre. In its stalls you will find many typical Portuguese dishes.

My recommendation is to try some of the cod specialities served in its stalls and, if possible, accompany the dish with a good Portuguese wine. For dessert, there are some places that serve freshly baked Belém cakes. Another option to really get into the culinary culture is to book a gastronomic tour of Lisbon.

Those who want to party the night away during their stay in Lisbon are in for a treat. Nightlife is plentiful and it is easy to find venues no matter what kind of atmosphere you like. If you want to move comfortably between the different areas, I recommend that you book the Lisbon Card.

The areas with the most bars and clubs are in Bairro Alto, Chiado and Cais do Sodré.

• Bairro Alto: in its streets you will find a large number of bars of all kinds. If you prefer a quiet place, you can opt for the terraces of Largo de Camoes or the area of the viewpoint of Sao Pedro de Alcantara. For a more lively and student atmosphere it is better to go to one of the bars with live music or to one of the neighbourhood's nightclubs.
• Cais de Sodré: the atmosphere in this area tends to be a little quieter than in Barrio Alto. However, there is no shortage of clubs and discotheques where you can listen to everything from rock to African music.
• Santa Apolónia/Jardim do Tabaco: going down from Alfama you will find an area with several restaurants, as well as some of the most successful nightclubs in the city. In particular, in Santa Apolónia you can try to get into Lux, a nightclub that usually appears in the first places in the lists of this type of clubs all over Europe.

If you are spending more than one day in Lisbon, you must explore Lisbon's nightlife, which is full of cultural events, especially concerts, theatre performances and dance. If you want to get a taste of the city's cultural life, you should try one of its theatres or auditoriums.

The Portuguese capital has several theatres: Sao Carlos and Dona Maria are historic buildings with architecture that are worth a visit, even if you are not going to go inside to see the plays. Both theatres offer a good range of theatre. Their performance schedule mixes Portuguese plays with plays by international authors. Although the performances are in Portuguese, the experience is very interesting.

If you prefer another artistic genre, perhaps the most recommendable in the Portuguese capital is dance. The best place is undoubtedly the Camões Theatre, home to the National Dance Company. The venue is located in the so-called Parque das Nações, very close to the Atlantic Pavilion (where many concerts are held) and the Lisbon Casino.

On your way to the Bairro Alto you will come across a strange iron structure that seems to come out of nowhere. This is the Santa Justa elevator, which connects Baixa with the Chiado district. It is one of the things to see and do in Lisbon and I recommend that you go up just before sunset.

This elevator was built in the neo-Gothic style with no disguised inspiration from other iron constructions such as the Eiffel Tower. The 45-metre-high elevator leads to a large terrace that offers wonderful views of the river, Baixa, Rossio Square and St. George's Castle.

There is a café on the terrace if you want to have a drink while you enjoy the view. Note that you may find queues to use the elevator in the afternoon, as many people want to watch the sunset and the lighting of the night illumination from the heights. And if you work up an appetite after the climb, it may be an ideal time to book a gastronomic tour of Lisbon.

Practical information

• Opening hours: 7.30am-9pm (November-April) and 7.30am-11pm (May-October).
• Price: about €5.30 return, including entrance to the viewpoint.

When choosing accommodation for a trip, several factors are always taken into account, from the area where you prefer to sleep to your budget. The Portuguese capital has a wide range of hotels, as well as many flats.

One tip to bear in mind is that if you go in summer, the high season, you should book your room well in advance. As for the areas, here are some recommendations:

• Alfama: The Alfama neighbourhood has become a favourite for many tourists looking for accommodation. In its favour is the charm of the neighbourhood and the large number of flats on offer. On the downside, the transport problems you may encounter to get to your hotel.
• Plaza de Comercio: around this square you will find several interesting hotels, although the prices are somewhat higher. The communication with the airport and other areas of the city is quite good.
• Near Avenida da Liberdade: in the area around this avenue, between Marqués de Pombal square and Rossio, you will also find several interesting places to stay.
• Baixa: this area stretches from Rossio to Praça do Comércio and has a good selection of hostels and hotels. It is also close to most of the city's points of interest.
• Chiado and Bairro Alto: the advantage of these neighbourhoods for accommodation is the presence of numerous shops, historic cafés and the best of the city's nightlife. However, the noise in some streets can be annoying.

During the day, there is no doubt that the tram is the best way to get around the most touristic places, especially the well-known ones:

• Line 28: runs through the entire historic centre and passes almost all of the city's must-see monuments.
• Line 15: this is the perfect option if you want to go to the Belém neighbourhood on your own, as it goes to the western part of the capital.

The main problem with these lines is that you will hardly be able to use them at night. Tram 28 stops running at around 21:15 on weekdays and at 22:30 on Saturdays and Sundays. The 15, on the other hand, leaves you a little more leeway: Monday to Saturday it runs from 5:45 to 1:00 and Sundays and public holidays from 6:05 to 1:00.

As for the city buses, it can be said that they are more useful at night, as there are several lines that start running at around 11:45 pm. There are two types of night bus: the Rede da Madrugada and the Night Buses. They are free and only operate at weekends. Also, keep in mind that with the Lisbon Card you can save time and money when visiting and getting around the city.