Explore the 6 best neighbourhoods in Lisbon

Come with us as we uncover the best Lisbon neighbourhoods in which to live. See why certain neighbourhoods are popular amongst internationals in Lisbon.

Ellie

7 minute read

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Updated on 27 Aug 2024

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Living

If you’ve decided to move to Portugal and Lisbon is the city for you, it’s a good idea to check out the best neighbourhoods in Lisbon before you start renting.

Lisbon has a range of diverse neighbourhoods suitable for international students and expats alike. So before you search homes for rental apartments in Lisbon, go through our recommendation of the best places to live in Lisbon.

• Neighbourhood vibe: Sophisticated, foodie heaven, pricey
• Accommodation: Expensive, but central
• Public transport: excellent public transportation connections, whether you need a metro, tram or bus.
• Ideal for: Young adults & students who want to live centrally

Chiado is an ideal location for expats looking to live in the heart of Lisbon. Chiado is also one of the safest neighbourhoods in Lisbon.

Chiado’s population is the perfect mixture of locals and tourists. With plenty of bars, restaurants and theatres close by, you’ll never be bored in Chiado. And if you need to head out of the neighbourhood, you’ve great public transport options in Chiado.

There’re plenty of supermarkets in Chiado, so you won’t have to go far for the essentials. However, it doesn’t have a lot of international groceries, so if you have specific ingredients in mind, you may need to head elsewhere.

Chiado is one of Lisbon's pricier neighbourhoods because of its safety, central location and amenities. Private rooms typically cost between €720 - €900 per month, while studios fall in the range of €1,000 - €1,300 per month. 1-bedroom apartments are the most expensive, costing between €1,500 and €1,700 monthly.

• Neighbourhood vibe: Vibrant, popular with students, party central
• Accommodation: Cheap if you share
• Public transport: Connected to all transport options, including the famous Gloría funicular
• Ideal for: Young adults & students who want to live at the heart of the action

Neighbouring Chiado, Bairro Alto is a popular spot for students. The abundance of bars, clubs and restaurants makes Bairro Alto a popular student party spot. The area tends to be busy at night with a vibrant nightlife. However, such a vibrant nightlife also makes Bairro Alto a noisy place to live.

Bairro Alto has a decent selection of supermarkets across the neighbourhood, so you’ll never need to venture too far. The area is also well connected with public transport links. Bairro Alto is a very uphill neighbourhood, so you may even use the famous Gloría funicular to get around conveniently! Otherwise, tram 28 services this neighbourhood well and you’ll be close to the Chiado metro station.

While the Bairro Alto neighbourhood is a very safe neighbourhood to live in, it’s wise to have your wits about you at night. As expected, where there’re people partying late at night, there’ll be some crime.

With such a popular and central location, the renting situation in Bairro Alto is tricky. It’s popular with students, so plenty of private room rentals typically cost between €350 and €420 monthly. However, should you decide to rent a studio or apartment, you’ll see less availability and higher prices. Studios in Bairro Alto cost about €1,200 per month to rent. 1-bedroom apartments will cost, on average, €1,500 per month in Bairro Alto. Studio and apartments in Bairro Alto cost more due to their limited availability.

• Neighbourhood vibe: Charming, cosy and peaceful
• Accommodation: Portuguese architecture, at a cost
• Public transport: Has trams and metros, but not ideally placed. Alfama is hilly!
• Ideal for: Young adults & families who want a quiet life in Lisbon

Alfama is to the east of Lisbon's centre and has a particularly cosy, small-town feel despite being close to the city. It’s known as Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood, and you can tell by the architecture.

Alfama has plenty of cafes and traditional craft shops, attracting both locals and tourists. It does lack bars and clubs, so there isn’t much of a party scene. Parts of Alfama have original buildings needing renovation, and the narrow, winding streets make Alfama a quaint but busy spot to live in. There’s also a severe lack of convenient parking, so if you need to drive, this is not the neighbourhood for you.

Alfama has plenty of Mini Mercados, which are like mini supermarkets—ideal for picking up the essentials. It also has a few larger supermarkets, so you’ll have no issue getting groceries.

Where Alfama excels in shopping options, it lacks in transport options. While the famous number 28 tram and number 12 tram operate through Alfama, they’re popular with tourists. These trams are often crowded, and pickpocketing is common. Alfama does have a metro connection, too, but the metro stations are at either end of the coastal side of the neighbourhood. To get around Alfama itself, it’s often quicker to walk than to take the tram. Walking the hills of Alfama will be your daily workout; there’s no need for a gym subscription!

Safety in Alfama is excellent outside of the trams. As mentioned before, there are some pickpocketers on the trams as they’re popular with tourists. Aside from that, Alfama is a very safe neighbourhood, with a visible police presence and well-lit streets. Alfama is expensive to live in, though. It’s one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in Lisbon, with room rentals range €650-€800 per month, studios range €1,100-€1,400 per month and 1-bedroom apartments range €1,500-€1,700 per month.

• Neighbourhood vibe: Quirky, diverse and a little shabby
• Accommodation: Some of the most affordable in Lisbon
• Public transport: Well connected with trams, metros and buses
• Ideal for: Students coming to Lisbon

North of Alfama is Anjos, a popular spot for local and international students. Anjos’ public transport options and proximity to Lisbon Central make it appealing to students. It’s incredibly multicultural, with many different cultures visible in the selection of restaurants, cafes, and shops. Anjos is one part of Lisbon that is less popular with tourists but is popular amongst expats. However, it’s not the most beautiful neighbourhood in Lisbon.

Anjos has several ethnic grocery stores but doesn’t have a huge selection of mini-markets or supermarkets. There’s a Lidl in the southern part of Anjos. Aside from that, there’re just a few mini-markets dotted throughout the neighbourhood. Although it’s unlikely you’ll have a market at your doorstep, Anjos has excellent public transport links, so you won’t struggle too much to get your groceries. Trams, buses and metros all pass through Anjos. There’s even the 208 night bus, which operates between 1 AM and 6 AM, so you can get home safely after partying or working late.

While some parts of Anjos look shabby and run down, it’s still a safe place to live. This area has less of a visible police presence, though, so keep an eye out for pickpocketers. The biggest appeal of Anjos for people looking to live in Lisbon is the affordable housing. Renting a room in Anjos ranges from €350 - €600 per month, while renting a studio ranges from €750 - €1,000 per month. Finally, renting a 1-bedroom apartment in Anjos ranges from €1,200 - €1,500 per month.

• Neighbourhood vibe: Futuristic, green and trendy
• Accommodation: Modern, well equipped and pricey
• Public transport: Connected with metros, trains and buses, close to the airport
• Ideal for: Young adults and families wanting peace and convenience

Heading further east from central Lisbon, you’ll find the modern haven of Parque das Nações. There’re many modern, white, high-rise buildings, a stark contrast to the short, colourful buildings of the centre. You could live in Parque das Nações and never really need to leave it if you wish. There’re many offices, co-working spaces, cafes and bars, gyms, green spaces, and tonnes of international cuisine.

One of the biggest appeals of life in Parques das Nações is convenience. This neighbourhood has shops and restaurants galore. There’s a large, modern shopping centre with a vast range of stores. There’re plenty of grocery stores, some of which are high-end. You’ll even find some ethnic grocery stores in the area.

This area has plenty of parking and is also well connected to public transport. Multiple bus routes operate throughout Parque das Nações. The car-friendly streets also mean you can easily catch an Uber or Bolt to get around.

Parques das Nações is a very safe neighbourhood to live in. There’s no huge tourist presence, so pickpocketing isn’t much of an issue in this area. Because of the availability of public transport and how inexpensive Ubers and Bolts are, getting around at night is also safe. The area is well-lit and well-maintained. But living in a safe, affluent, modern neighbourhood costs quite a bit. To rent a room in Parques das Nações, you’re looking at €600 - €700 a month for rent. Due to their limited availability, renting a studio in Parques das Nações will cost between €1,500 and €1,800 per month. However, there are many more 1-bedroom apartments in the area. Renting a 1-bedroom apartment in Parques das Nações costs between €1,750 to €2,000 per month.

• Neighbourhood vibe: Outdoorsy, chilled, nice views
• Accommodation: Expensive, but central
• Public transport: Plenty of services whether you need a metro, tram or bus.
• Ideal for: Young adults & students who want to live centrally

If you want to live outside of the hustle and bustle of the city while still keeping some classic Portuguese culture— Belém is the spot for you! Belém is a bit away from the city, and you can tell by the relaxed atmosphere. Belém is still quite touristy, but not nearly as busy as the centre of Lisbon. It’s right beside the sea, yet still has plenty of open spaces and greenery. However, this area is not known for its nightlife. After hours, Belém is pretty relaxed and a cosy place to live.

Belém has several supermarkets and mini-markets, but not as many as other areas. There’s not much diversity in the stores, so you may have to head elsewhere to get specialised or ethnic groceries. If you need to head elsewhere, it’s well-connected by train, tram and bus. Unfortunately, there’s no metro stop in Belém.

Belém is undoubtedly one of the safest neighbourhoods in Lisbon. Even with a heavy tourist presence, there’s not much crime reported in this area. While you should always be cautious at night in big cities like Lisbon, Belém doesn’t have much nightlife, so there’s very little crime. With its safety, seaside location and tranquil vibes— you’d expect renting in Belém to come at a high cost, but that’s not the case. Renting a room in Belém will cost between €450 and €500 per month on average. If you decide to rent a studio in Belém, it’ll cost about €1,250 per month. There’re a lot more 1-bedroom apartments, so the cost to rent one is similar. The average cost to rent a 1-bedroom apartment in Belém is between €1,250 and €1,600 per month.

One of the biggest steps you’ll need to complete to move to Lisbon is booking your accommodation. Now that you’ve explored a few of the best neighbourhoods to live in Lisbon, it’s time to search homes for rent in Lisbon.