Lisbon is famed for its pretty tiled buildings, flaky pasteis de nata and canary-yellow trams. However, the city has another side – a side that you might not expect from its pretty exterior. The city is home to a buzzing nightlife, a nightlife that only ends when the sun comes up. Here we give you the lowdown on all that this city has to offer after dark.
The Best Bars for Fado
The genre of fado began in 19th-century Lisbon, and has been popular in bars across the city ever since. Fados are identifiable by their melancholy nature and guitar accompaniments. For a truly Lisbon experience head to one of these intimate bars for an evening of live music.
A Tasca di Chico
This petite bar is situated in the bustling area of Bairro Alto, on one of Lisbon’s many hills. The space also serves as a restaurant so you can enjoy rustic traditional dishes while listening to amateur fado singers perform. Those looking to experience the music before hopping on to other plans will be happy to find that you can stand at the bar to listen, so grab a drink and enjoy!
View this post on Instagram
Clube de Fado
The Clube de Fado is a bar whose interiors are largely lit by candles, creating an ambience that only heightens the passion of the fado here. Fado begins late on in the evening, from 9:15pm onwards so settle in with a bowl of hearty grub and wait for some of Lisbon’s most famous performers to take to the stage.
View this post on Instagram
Tasca Bela
The Tasca Bela is the only spot on this list which doesn’t serve full meals, meaning that you can choose to eat wherever you please before settling in for an evening of entertainment. That being said, there is a minimum spend of €19 so be prepared to buy a glass (or five) of wine. Fado is performed from Wednesdays through until Sundays, and the space is taken over by poets and other performers for the rest of the week.
View this post on Instagram
The Best Bars with Dreamy Interiors
Nothing screams holiday to us quite like sipping cocktails amidst gorgeous surrounds. Here, we’ve rounded up the bars that will have you grabbing for your phones to take that all important Insta snap. Just remember to drink in he atmosphere too!
Pensão Amor
Pensão Amor is a bar with a rather tawdry history, it sits in a building that was formerly used as a brothel, and there are cheeky nods to this in the design. Think plush velvet chairs to sink into, painted frescoes of nude dancers and antique mirrors throughout. Add an excellent drinks menu into the mix and you’re onto a winner with this popular nightspot.
View this post on Instagram
Vestigius
Whilst Pensão Amor is all darkly lit rooms and a moody atmosphere, Vestigius in contrast offers up airy surrounds in a riverside location. The bar specialises in wine and gin, with over 40 gins on the menu. Sit out on the terrace to enjoy a refreshing G&T with views out over the River Tagus – what better way to spend a sunny afternoon?
View this post on Instagram
Cinco Lounge
The Cinco Lounge has the sort of sleek grown-up interior which would make it the ideal location for a date. Impress your partner with the expansive choice of fresh fruit-filled cocktails in sleek, dimly lit surrounds. The music is just loud enough to drown out the sounds of revellers on the next table, but not so loud that you won’t be able to hear one another.
View this post on Instagram
The Best Rooftop Bars
Lisbon is a city that is brimming with rooftop bars. When it’s a city that enjoys sunshine almost year-round, and with a hilly make-up that means there are dreamy vistas throughout, we can understand why. These rooftop bars have us reaching for our passports in search of sangria in the sun.
Rio Maravilha
The Rio Maravilha offers, potentially, Lisbon’s coolest photo opportunity. The bar’s vast terrace, situated on the fourth floor, enjoys vistas out over the River Tragus and Ponte 25 de Abril bridge – all of which is framed by the outflung arms of the Christ the King statue. This bar is not all hip exteriors though, there’s an impressive cocktail list to boot.
View this post on Instagram
PARK Bar
This popular bar in Bairro Alto is accessed from a rather insalubrious-looking car park. In fact, entry here requires a trip in a graffiti-laden lift. However, this lift opens up to reveal a rooftop bar with a chic decking area, and verdant plants throughout. There’s a casual dining menu, allowing you to enjoy a glass of wine and a burger while overlooking the city.
View this post on Instagram
Sky Bar
The Sky Bar, perched atop the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Hotel is the most glam on this list. Live DJs and musicians perform to a crowd who can enjoy sushi and cocktails in a vertiginous location. There are sleek white lines and pretty cushions throughout, making it a great spot for those looking to take a great sunset shot of themselves with a drink in hand.
View this post on Instagram
The Best Clubs
Lisbon’s clubs are famous throughout Portugal, offering up fresh beats until the wee hours each weekend. There’s something for every sort of reveller but we’ve rounded up the city’s most famous nightlife spots.
Lux Frágil
Perched on the banks of the River Tagus lies Lisbon’s most famous club, Lux Frágil. Upstairs there are sleek interiors, cool cocktail bars and a vast terrace out over the river. However, downstairs is where the party really starts as dance music sees people take to the floor throughout the night. This is a spot which starts late with locals arriving from 2am onwards but the door is (understandably) biased towards locals, so arrive between 12am and 1am for the best chance to get in.
View this post on Instagram
MusicBox
Located behind an unassuming door in a Cais do Sodré archway, lies the popular Musicbox. The space plays host to live music and DJs alike, and the music spans a whole host of genres with punk, dance and rock on offer on different nights. Open until 6am, revellers of all musical persuasions will be able to dance until dawn in these cavernous surrounds.
View this post on Instagram
Ministerium Club
Ministerium provides partygoers with the opportunity to dance in historic surrounds. The venue is a building that once housed the government ministry. Nowadays, there’s less bureaucracy and suits, and instead there is dance music until dawn. Aside from a buzzing dance floor, there’s a lounge to chill out in and a rooftop cantina for those looking for a bite to eat.
View this post on Instagram
