Every time I go to Madeira, it is such an excellent reset experience for me, and I always leave feeling so much more wholesome about life. My in-laws live a drastically different lifestyle from the one I grew up in (was mainly raised in America), and every time I visit, I feel like there is something new for me to learn.

Madeira is technically not a “blue zone,” but personally, I’ve watched the documentaries, and I feel like, particularly the area where my in-laws live, Ribeira Brava, fully embodies the qualities of a blue zone.

There is such a strong sense of community, slower living, movement, homemade food, purpose, and connection woven into everyday life.

So during my time of reflection, I wanted to share the lessons I learned from my most recent trip to Madeira. Afterwards, I will also share some tips and recommendations for visiting Madeira as a tourist.

Subscribe now

As I mentioned, when I travel to Madeira, I am fortunate to experience life as a local and become fully immersed in the Madeira experience. As Tony Robbins often says, full immersion is the best way to rewire your brain and body, and every time I leave Madeira, I feel a greater sense of calm and a much more regulated nervous system than when I arrive. Here are some of the lessons I have learned from my in-laws.

1. It’s the simple things that matter most

After dinner, almost every evening, we sit around the table and play family card games and /or dominoes (and by the way, these are much more complex card games than the ones I learned growing up).

This was a shocking experience for me, who is used to everyone going their own way after dinner, if they even have dinner together. Most people turn on Netflix, scroll on their phones, or disappear into separate rooms. But for my in-laws, sitting together after dinner is just… normal. It’s how they’ve always done things.

And I can’t even explain the level of bonding and belonging I felt from participating in these little nightly rituals. The jokes, the teasing, the side-eyes during the games, the competitiveness, the conversations that naturally flowed while we played — it created a type of connection that you just can’t get from watching Netflix or YouTube videos.

And in addition to this, it’s also such a protective habit for the brain. In a recent article by (Link Here), she explains how brain games don’t actually provide cognitive benefits unless they are played in social settings. And without knowing all of this scientific research or data, and just intuitively, this is how my in-laws live.

2. Perfectionism takes you out of the moment

Every time I go to Madeira, my in-laws love to teach me to make something new. Last time it was wine, this time it was traditional Madeira cookies called Broas de Mel. We were making a huge batch of cookies because, well, a lot of people wanted us to bring them back cookies. So once the dough was ready, the four of us — my boyfriend, his siblings, and I — started rolling the dough into little balls for the oven.

The three of them were doing it so naturally and effortlessly. Meanwhile, I was there sweating, overthinking every movement of my hand, trying to perfect the amount of pressure I was using, trying to “do it right”… and my dough balls were coming out absolutely terrible.

Finally, after they kept insisting I loosen up, I stopped trying so hard! I stopped overthinking it and I just…. rolled the damn dough! And well, my cookies started coming out perfect!

This made me reflect. I think many of us were raised in such a performance-based society that we constantly feel pressure to optimize, perfect, and prove ourselves. That’s exactly what I was doing in that moment. I didn’t want to disappoint my in-laws or be “bad” at making cookies, so instead of actually being present in the experience, I turned it into a performance, an “opportunity” to prove my worth.

I was trying so hard to get it right that I disconnected from the natural flow of it completely.

And I realized, how often do we do this in life? We grip too tightly. We overcorrect ourselves. We overthink. We pressure ourselves into exhaustion trying to perform perfectly, and in the process, we lose ease, creativity, and presence.

I feel I am taking this lesson with me as I continue to create in my favorite form of art: Writing!

Instead of obsessing over every sentence before it’s even finished or editing myself to conform to expectations or performance standards, I am allowing more space for the words to flow out naturally, for things to come out authentically imperfect, and to let it be.

Subscribe now

3. There is value in homemade

One thing I noticed again and again in Madeira is how much pride my in-laws take in making things themselves.

They genuinely do not love going out to restaurants because, to them, nothing tastes as good as homemade food. And well, to be honest, only my mom’s cooking can compete with theirs.

For context, they have a small farm. What I’ve observed is that when you plant something yourself, care for it, watch it grow, harvest it, and then turn it into a meal, there is naturally a completely different level of appreciation attached to it.

For example, my brother-in-law grows his own spicy peppers and then prepares this homemade dipping sauce from them. He was so proud to show me the process of how he makes it, starting from caring for the pepper tree all the way to mixing the ingredients in the kitchen. Then my sister-in-law got really into blueberries — I’d like to think thanks to me 😅— and she proudly showed me the tiny blueberry plant she recently added to the yard after researching how to care for it herself. She’s very optimistic it will grow abundantly, so she can send me some to Lisbon 🥰.

One night, we had a blackberry tart made entirely from blackberries they grew themselves, and there was such a deep sense of pride and appreciation around that dessert because it wasn’t just “food.” It represented time, care, patience, effort, and connection to the land.

Every evening with dinner, we had a glass of wine that we had made together last year during my visit, and I gotta say, I’ve never tasted such delicious wine in my life😋.

Of course, not all of us have farms or the ability to grow our own food, but I do think we sometimes live in such an automated world that we forget the satisfaction that comes from creating things ourselves.

Whether it’s making your own food, learning a skill, growing herbs on your balcony, baking bread, or even writing something from your heart instead of consuming endlessly — there is something deeply human and fulfilling about participating in the process of creation.

4. Homegrown food really is so much healthier

It’s fascinating to me how healthy many of the older members in their community are, despite not fitting into what modern culture would consider the image of “health” or “fitness.”

My parents-in-law, for example, are both well into their 70s. They love food. They do not care about dieting, protein intake, step counts, or wellness trends. They eat potatoes, rice, homemade bread, drink wine almost daily, and my mother-in-law never says no to a sweet treat. By modern standards, neither of them would be considered particularly “fit.”

And yet… they are incredibly healthy.

No diabetes. No hypertension. No heart disease. Their cholesterol isn’t even slightly elevated. As a nurse who worked primarily with the elderly population, this is remarkable to me because I am so used to seeing most people over 70 managing AT LEAST one chronic condition.

And I really do think this says something important about the way food is grown and consumed.

Most of the food my in-laws eat is either grown by them or traded locally with other farmers and members of the community. They eat very little, if any, ultra-processed food. Most of their meals are made from simple ingredients that come directly from the land, not from factories.

And, spending time there makes me question how much of modern disease is connected not just to what we eat, but to how it is made and processed.

5. Slow is Fast

One thing I always notice in Madeira is that there is far less urgency around time.

Some nights dinner was ready at 7:30 PM. Other nights it was ready at 9 PM. And yet… nobody cared. Nobody was stressed. Nobody felt like the evening was ruined because things weren’t happening according to some optimized schedule.

And it made me reflect on how much unnecessary pressure many of us place on ourselves every single day.

I’m someone who can very easily create rigid little schedules for myself without even realizing it: dinner by this time, shower by this time, in bed by this time, productive morning tomorrow, repeat. And while routines can absolutely be helpful, I think sometimes we become so hyper-fixated on controlling time that we forget how to actually experience life.

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law both work traditional jobs. It’s not that they live outside the reality of schedules and responsibilities. But there is still a softness to the way they move through life that feels very different from the constant sense of urgency I grew up around.

And ironically, they are somehow more productive than I am. This is what I mean by slow is fast. When you are working in a state of flow rather than a place of pressure, you accomplish things more smoothly, you are more regulated, and hence, you get more done.

6. Community might be one of the greatest forms of security

As I spend time with my in-laws, I see how embedded the community is in their lifestyle. It is so natural for them to trade food, skills, knowledge, favors, plants, tools, and support each other. I, on the other hand, don’t even know my neighbor’s name!

And watching them made me realize how protective and resilient that kind of lifestyle is, especially during uncertain times.

Recently, I listened to Professor Jiang — who has become well known online for making several geopolitical predictions that have since come true — talk about how, if global instability continues increasing, one of the smartest things people can do is strengthen smaller communities and become less dependent on larger systems for daily needs.

This really caught my attention because it aligns so closely with the Human Design conversations around “the new paradigm” — this idea that we are slowly moving away from dependence on large institutions and back toward local community, individual skills, and mutual support.

And while so many of us are still trying to figure out what that looks like… I feel like my family in Madeira is already living it. They do not feel the impact of rising oil prices or grocery store prices the way a lot of us do, because instead, they have built their own smaller protective network of connections and support.

While I can’t have a farm (for now), there are a lot of little steps I can take to live more like my in-laws and embrace more of these lessons! I have mentioned a few of these in essays before, but some of the things I’m working on are:

• Fostering a deeper sense of community in Lisboa

• Practicing more presence and slowness in my life

• Learning to make more food from scratch

• Focusing more on crafts and skills that light me up

• Focusing less on following a timed schedule and listening more to my body, and my natural rhythm

• Leaning into more traditions with my boyfriend ( like playing card games some evenings)

• Spending more time creating than consuming!

• Creating to create! Not for performance or perfection.

• Buying more food from the farmers’ market

  ---

  If you are interested in visiting Madeira, here are some tips from a wannabe local (and her local advisors):

  Share

Hikes

• Don’t book the hikes weeks in advance. Madeira weather changes erratically, and it is better to book the hikes once you are there, a day or 2 before.

• Some of the most famous hikes are beautiful, but also extremely crowded. It kinda ruins the vibe, in my opinion, so go for the less famous trails.

• Here are two of my favorite, less touristy trails:

  • PR17 Caminho do Pinaculo e Folhadal: This one is medium/hard and will include “infinity stairs” and last around 7 hours.

  • Levada do Moinho-Levada Nova: This is technically two trails in one, but it’s pretty easy and will take about 3 hours.

Carrinhos do Monte

I enjoyed this so much, but it depends on your preference. This is “one of the world’s 7 coolest ways to commute,” and before it became a tourist attraction, it used to be the way they carried bananas down the mountains. I’d recommend googling the days that cruises are docking and trying to go on a non-cruise ship day because all the tourists from the cruises love to do this! The ideal time to go is around 3-4 pm because it’s a little less crowded. However, keep in mind that they close at 6, but if the cue is already huge at 5, they will stop selling tickets!

Touristy places worth seeing

• Fanal Forest: It feels like walking into a fairy tale, filled with mist everywhere and ancient twisty trees! (first pic)

• The natural pools: These are so fun to spend the day in! They are pools that were naturally formed at the edge of the ocean, and if you sit at the edge, you will even get hit by the ocean waves (my favorite part). (middle row pics)

• Santana houses (“casinhas”): These are the old traditional houses in Madeira, and they are pretty cool to see, and also free. (second pic)

• The cable car: It has beautiful views, and a perfect way to get to the top of the mountain in Funchal, which is where you’ll find the Carinhos do Monte, btw. (third pic)

• Paul da Serra viewpoints: This area is just so special, filled with hikes, and beautiful viewpoints if you just want to drive around (but drive carefully — fog and cows are real hazards there😅 ). (last row of pics)

My favorite beach: Praia de Pedra de Eira, Canical

This beach is not as touristy, and I think it’s just such a fun beach. I especially love jumping off the cliffs into the water, but there are also stairs to access the water!

Rent a car

Unlike in Lisbon, where I definitely don’t recommend renting a car, I think Madeira is best seen with a car. The island is relatively small, and you can get almost everywhere in 30 minutes by car, and it’s so much easier to get to the hikes, to the viewpoints, and everything in between this way. They have also upgraded the roads a lot and have made it much easier (and safer) for foreigners to drive through the island.

Madeira’s microclimates are REAL

You can experience sunshine, rain, fog, heat, chill, and wind all within the same day, depending on where you are on the island. Always bring layers!! Also, Madeira usually doesn’t get truly warm until late June, but the warmer weather tends to last well into October.

Ribeira Brava

This is such an underrated area in Madeira, and sooo beautiful to drive around and just look at the scenery around you. You can drive to the plaza and grab a coffee or take a walk along the ocean, then drive up the hills and be blown away by the gorgeous scenery, and make a stop at my favorite Poncha place, Taberna de Serra, before driving higher up into the mountains for a hike or even just the viewpoints. The pics below tell the story better than I!

Foods to try: These are traditional drinks and foods that are very hard to find outside of Madeira (including Lisbon!)

• Poncha: This is a traditional Madeira alcoholic drink, made from aguardente (sugar cane alcohol), honey, and lemon juice. They have different variations, and my absolute favorite is Poncha de Maracuja (passion fruit). Look for places (like Taberna de Serra) where they make it fresh and on the spot rather than serve you a “premade” one. In the more traditional, less touristy sites, they serve it with a little snack at no extra charge. (see first two pics below)

• Espetada: This is probably the most famous plate to order in a Madeira restaurant, and they serve it in a pretty epic way. It’s basically beef skewered on laurel wood branches and grilled over a fire. They keep the seasoning super simple, and because of the way they source their meat there (free range cows in the mountains), and the way that it is cooked…. It’s delicious!! (third pic)

• Bolo do caco: This is a flat bread made with sweet potato and a garlic butter and parsley spread over it. I could literally eat this all day! (fourth+ fifth pic)

• Black scabbard fish with banana (espada com banana): This is madeiras national dish, and it is so delicious!! They use Madeira-grown bananas for this! (sixth pic)

• Bolo de mel (Honey cake): This is the infamous cake version of the traditional cookies I made with my in-laws, and you can only buy this in Madeira, you won’t find it in the mainland of Portugal. It is such a sweet delight and definitely worth a try! (last pic)

Lucy, my favorite Madeiransa dog, just wanted to say hi before this post comes to an end 🐕 Hope you guys have enjoyed this post, I could talk endlessly about Madeira, but this article is already too long 😅. Would love to know about your favorite parts in the comments below =)

Subscribe now

Share

Leave a comment

If you’re interested in knowing more about Portugal, I’ve linked a few more of my articles below =)

In case you missed it, I linked part 1 of this series below. Last week, we covered some of the most centrally located towns in Lisbon. Today we travel to Lisbon’s waterfront neighbourhoods, then climb some hills to visit its oldest neighbourhoods, and finally we will travel to the surrounding neighbourhoods on the outskirts of central Lisbon.

Hope you brought some comfy shoes 😉

P.S. The map makes it look like Oeiras, Cascais, and Sintra are on the other side of the bridge. This is not the case, but these towns are on the outskirts of Lisbon, so in order to fit them into the map, they ended up just kind of floating there.

In today’s articles, we will be visiting the following neighbourhoods:

Santos

Belem

Alfama

Graca

Parque das Nações

Caparica

Sintra

Oeiras

Cascais

Subscribe now

Share

Santos

Great for living

Great for staying during your visit

Good for tourist sites

This is what I like to call the brunch district of Lisbon!

• You will find so many popular brunch restaurants here, and a lot of them really are delicious! This neighbourhood is also close to the river, so it is a great area for walking along the river (or running, as many locals do).

• This is also a popular neighbourhood for expats. Based on my friends who live there, and my own search on idealista (the most popular rent website in Portugal), rent here is typically around €1300.

• This neighbourhood is also very close to Cais de Sodre and Estrela (two neighbourhoods I mentioned in my previous post).

There are no real “tourist sites” in this neighbourhood, but here are my recommendations:

• Green Street: This is a famous little street near Santos that is just very cute and cozy to walk down. It is filled with plants everywhere (true to its name) and has a couple of small restaurants. At night, they light it up with cafe lights! (First 3 pics)

• The Docas sit right by the river under the 25 de Abril Bridge—technically not in Santos, but just a short walk away and a popular spot to eat and drink by the water. (Middle 3 pics)

• Brunch Spots: If you love a good brunch, this is the neighbourhood to go. The brunch spots here are perfect for a good weather day, as they are very indoor/outdoor vibes. Two of my favorites are Fauna & Flora and Dear Breakfast. (Bottom left pic shows the vibe)

Belem

Good for living

Good for staying during your visit

Great for tourist sites

• I highly recommend you visit this neighbourhood if it’s your first time in Lisbon! (I will give all the major tourist sites below.)

• For living, this neighbourhood is a little less connected and farther from the center, and also quite touristy. However, it is right by the river and has a beautiful riverside walk! The average rental price here is around €1250 for a one-bedroom.

• I would not suggest this as a first pick for staying during a visit because there is no metro line here, and it’s a bit farther from the other neighbourhoods.

• Here are the best tourist sites in this area: (Pics below are in order)

  • Belem Tower: One of Lisbon’s most iconic landmarks, this beautiful historic tower sits right on the water and was actually used to protect the city during the Age of Discoveries. I have never been inside, but it’s beautiful just to marvel at.

  • Belem Riverside Promenade: I highly recommend you walk along the riverside from the Tower on the way to the next tourist site (below). The promenade is soo beautiful with amazing waterfront views on one side, greenery on the other, and an incredible vibe in between.

  • Padrão dos Descobrimentos: A large monument honoring Portugal’s explorers, with statues of key figures and the option to go up top for panoramic views (which is honestly not even necessary).

  • Jerónimos Monastery: You can then cross the street to check out this amazing monastery, which is actually part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is one of the most impressive buildings in Lisbon, known for its intricate details and historical significance.

  • Pastéis de Belém: After this, you will need a treat, so of course, you have to come here next😅—this is the original bakery where Pastéis de Nata (aka: Pastéis de Belém) were first made by the monks from the monastery. Although it is an experience to try out the pasteis de nata here, I personally think the ones in Manteigaria are much tastier😋 P.S- there is a Manteigaria across the street from here!🤫

Alfama

Ok for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Great for tourist sites

This is truly a gem! Lisbon’s famous and oldest neighbourhood, here you will get a taste of the old Lisbon and the traditional vibes. In This Post I provide details about the free tour in this neighbourhood, which I highly recommend if you have the time!

One of the cool things they explained on my tour is that a couple of years back, a photographer took portraits of several of the long-time Alfama residents and then placed them around the neighbourhood with a small description of them. I actually saw one of those residents—an elderly woman—walk by as I was looking at her portrait. A very cool detail to notice if you are in the neighbourhood.

• To live/stay here, however, I do not recommend. It has some of the oldest buildings in Lisbon, the streets are all very hilly and narrow, and it is not well-connected.

• In a future post, I will talk more about this neighbourhood as it is the epicenter for the month-long infamous Lisbon festival called “Santos”. This festival is such an incredible experience (a picture from last year below)

• This is also the neighbourhood where I recommend you try the famous Ginjinha Shots — traditional Portuguese cherry liqueur shots usually served in a chocolate cup. Sometimes, there are elderly women selling it outside their door, and those are honestly the best ones!

• This neighbourhood itself is a tourist site, but also here are some popular sites in this neighbourhood

  • Miadouro de Santa Luzia: As I am sure you have noticed, there are many miradourous (viewpoints) in Lisbon, but this one is particularly famous for its mosaic tiles. They say it’s the prettiest at sunrise, but I wouldn’t know because I don’t wake up that early! 😅

  • Lisbon Cathedral: This is Lisbon’s oldest church and a popular cathedral to visit! I do find it beautiful, but personally, I’m biased to the Basilica de Estrela Church I mentioned in Part 1.

Graca

Ok for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Good for tourist sites

• Getting to this neighbourhood is a journey, a very hilly one!! Haha, but because it is located so high up, it offers some of the best views of Lisbon.

• This neighbourhood is close to Alfama, and is also one of the oldest in Lisbon. There are a lot of locals here, and you can find some cheaper rent (1 bedroom for around €1100), but it is also at a cost. The apartments are a bit older, and you have to walk a lot of hills to get anywhere.

• One cool event in this neighbourhood is the yearly “Carnival” festival that they have in February. It’s basically like a much smaller version of the carnival in Brazil, and the theme is PINK! (Video below)

• Here are the major tourist sites:

  • Castelo de Sao Jorge: This is technically not in Graca, it’s in between Graca and Alfama, but I had to put it somewhere. It is the famous Castle of the city of Lisbon and was built by the Moors in the 11th century. Today, the Castle is visible from nearly every viewpoint in the city!

  • Miradouro de Senhora do Monte & Miradouro da Graca: These two are the most beautiful viewpoints from Graca, and arguably from the city. They are also a great vibe, with open-air kiosks and live music! Great around sunset time!

Parque das Nacoes

Good for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Ok for tourist sites

• This neighbourhood is already on the outskirts of Lisbon's center, but it is known as the modern waterfront district. This neighbourhood is not close to any beaches, but it is riverside and has a lot of newer construction, beautiful wide promenades, and a much more modern feel.

• The rent here can range because the older buildings are quite cheap, however the newer construction is beautiful but quite expensive. Living here definitely has its perks, as it is quieter and more spacious. However, it is also hard to get anywhere in the city from here, so it depends on your preference. I think, unlike in the center, if you live in this neighbourhood, you would benefit from having a car.

• Because it is so far from the center, I don’t recommend it if you are coming here for a tourist visit.

• This neighborhood doesnt have any major tourist sites, but the most popular sites are:

  • The riverside promenade: Really modern and beautiful to walk around. If you want to visit this area and have the extra time, I do recommend you rent a city bike from here ( 2-3 euros) and ride it down the riverside. You can ride it until Santos, or Cais de Sodre ( neighbourhood from part 1), and leave it at the bike stations there. It is very fun to do!

  • The Vasco de Gama Tower: This tower is what you think of when you think of this neighbourhood; it’s very futuristic-looking and towers over the whole area.

  • Vasco da Gama Bridge: This is the longest bridge in Portugal, and it is very beautiful and modern! It was the longest bridge in all of Europe until 2018. (Video below)

Caparica (The other side of the bridge)

Ok for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Good for tourist sites

• The other side of the bridge has many beautiful areas of its own, including Sesimbra and Arrabida ( but that would be a whole post of its own😅).

• However, I dont reccomend you stay here on your visit as the traffic to cross the bridge, combined with the Uber prices for the journey, are just not worth it.

• Living here, you will find rent significantly cheaper, though!

• I do recommend you take a day trip to this side if you are able to on your trip— here are the top things to visit:

  • Cristo Rei: The best way to get here is by crossing the bridge, as it is right after the crossing. This is Portugal’s smaller version of the Cristo in Brazil, inspired by it, and it’s a beautiful sight to see. They actually built it after WWII as a symbol of gratitude and peace. From here, you also get a great view of the bridge and the other side. (First pic and video below)

  • Parque da Paz and Ponte Final: This area is actually easier to reach by the ferry, but you can surely get here by car as well. Ponte Final restaurant is a traditional local restaurant that offers incredible views of the bridge and the city. If you’re not planning to eat there, you can have a sunset picnic at the park as well. ( Clearly I like sunsets and picnics😅 ) But here, as in many areas of Lisbon, they are always playing live music, so it’s a vibe! (Second and third pic)

  • Costa da Caparica: This is where you will find some of the most popular beaches in Lisbon, as well as beach clubs. In addition, the boardwalk is beautiful to walk around and is filled with lots of restaurants and bars. The sunsets on this side are truly incredible. (Last 4 pics)

Sintra

Ok for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Great for tourist sites

• Given that it is outside the city, I would not recomend stay here during your visit. To live here, rent is cheaper, but you are also a bit more isolated from things.

• Sintra is most famous for having a lot of beautiful castles, which were built over time as a retreat for the Portuguese royalty.

• It also has some of the best hiking trails in the greater Lisbon area, many of which lead to beaches.

• Some of the most popular sites to visit here are:

  • Pena Palace: Beautiful, red and yellow castle, you’ll see in the pics below! (First 4 pics)

  • Initiation Well: Going down this well, you feel you are entering a Disney movie. It has a spiral staircase and a garden area; it truly feels like magic! (Middle 3 pics)

Oeiras

Great for living

Good for staying during your visit

Ok for tourist sites

• This is where I now live, so clearly I am biased. Just like Sintra and Caparica, this neighbourhood has a lot of its own towns. Depending on the town, you can find cheaper rent, €1000 for a one-bedroom, or much pricier rent for the more renovated/newer areas. This is a great neighbourhood to live in if you like a little more quietness (it’s much less crowded and loud than the inner city), the beach, and prioritize great schools. It was recently awarded as one of the top municipalities to live in Portugal. 🌞

• Here you will find cheaper Airbnb’s than in central Lisbon, and it is right outside the center, so you can take the train to go into the city. It depends on what your priority is during your stay, but if you want to enjoy the beach, it is a great area for that.

• My favorite beach in this neighbourhood is Santo Amaro, you will find me there all summer! But Carcavelos beach is also very popular. Anyways, I’ll just let the pictures do the talking.

Cascais

Ok for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Great for tourist sites

• This neighbourhood is further outside the city than Oeiras. If you take the train from the city, you will pass Oeiras to get here. It is considered the most expensive neighbourhood in Portugal, which is why I put it as “Ok” for living, but if you have the budget, it is a beautiful and peaceful neighbourhood to live in.

• Given that it’s farther out from the city center, I wouldn’t recommend staying here on your visit, but it all depends on personal preference.

• Typically, people visit here for a day trip, which is more than enough. I think the best way to explore this town is to walk along the waterfront. While you are walking, you will come across the most popular sites in the order I present below: (P.S if you are here around the holidays, they also have a very cute waterfront Winter market here)

  • Cascais Marina/ Port: Beautiful marina, filled with shops, restaurants, bars, and of course boats!

  • Santa Marta Beach & Lighthouse: This lighthouse is very picturesque, you’ll see in the pics below! (first pic)

  • Boca do Inferno: This is a cliffside area famous because it creates very powerful waves as the ocean crashes against the rocks. It's truly a sight to see! Highly recommend you visit, the pictures just don’t do it justice! (last pic and first video below)

Well, we have officially finished our tour of Lisbon!! I hope you guys have enjoyed visiting all the neighbourhoods in these last two articles. I would love your feedback, please comment below and tell me which is your favourite neighbourhood🌞💗

Subscribe now

Share

And if you are coming to Portugal for the first time, I think this article will really help you to prepare!

Leave a comment

About the Author

Hi, I’m Lia. Thank you for being here and reading my article. I was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, and two and a half years ago, I moved to Portugal. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of deep inner healing, transformation, and embodied wellness. I’ve taken back the driver’s seat of my life, built a community here, found my soulmate, and am slowly designing a life I truly love. In this space, I write about life abroad in Portugal, the inner work, and science-backed wellness and longevity through the lens of my nursing background.

And it’s funny, this is an article that has been on my mind for a while, and that several subscribers have requested, but that I have admittedly, procrastinated to write. As I reflected on why, I realised that it was because my perfectionism was kicking in, and I felt the need to know everything about every neighbourhood in Lisbon so as to provide a perfectly curated article that doesn’t miss one detail😅. Talk about setting unrealistic standards!

But then I realised, that is not why you guys are here, you guys are here for my subjective perspectives that are based on my lived experience. And writing from this angle is way more fun anyway! So while I dont mention every single neighbourhood in Lisbon (believe it or not!), I capture all the most popular ones!

P.S: As I was working on this article, I realised it was getting too long, so I ended up splitting it into a two-part article. The second part will be out next week, Tuesday =) . Additionally, I want to give a disclaimer that any price ranges I provide on here are based on my rent/my friends’ rent/ and what I found on idealista (Lisbon’s most popular site for renting).

Share

Subscribe now

Since this will be a 2-part series, here are the neighbourhoods we will visit in today’s article. If you look at the map, you’ll notice that if we start in Campo Orique we can walk from there to all the neighborhoods I mention, in order :

Campo Orique/ Estrela

Rato

Marques de Pombal (Santo Antonio)

Avenida da Liberdade

Rossio

Chiado

Praca de Comercio (Baixa)

Bairro Alto

Cais de Sodre

Campo Orique/ Estrela

Great for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Not a top neighbourhood for tourist sites

This is technically two different neighbourhoods, but I bundled them together because they are right next to each other and blend easily. I used to live here, and a lot of my friends still do, so of course I had to start here! I absolutely love this neighbourhood, particularly if you are looking to move to Lisbon.

• This neighbourhood is quite central, as you can see on the map, and it is very local. Here you will find a lot of Portuguese families with children (there are a lot of good schools nearby). Overall, it’s a very beautiful and peaceful neighbourhood, and you can get to a lot of other neighbourhoods on foot from here. Additionally, you will feel a great sense of community living here. For living, it is one of my favourites! Its also one of the flatter neighbourhoods of Lisbon.

• However, there is no metro station here, although they are currently working on building one in Campo Orique. It is also not the most touristy location. I would not suggest this as the top pick spot to stay during a visit.

The rent here is not cheap (but not the priciest), although Lisbon rent in general is quite pricey, averaging around €1350 for a one-bedroom apartment.

Although not one of the top tourist areas in Lisbon, I would recommend a visit if you have the time on your trip. Here are the top 4 places to visit on your trip in the neighbourhood.

• Jardim de Estrela: One of my favorite parks in Lisbon! Here you will see people sunbathing, reading a book, playing sports, walking their dogs, or having a drink in one of the two outdoor kiosks. During the summer, they also have free outdoor movie nights (pictured below)!

• Basilica da Estrela: This church is directly across from the park, I am not a huge church person, but wow this one is sooo beautiful, and I actually really love going inside.

• Mercado de Campo Orique: This is very similar to Time- Out Market ( popular tourist spot in Lisbon, mentioned later in this post), albeit not as popular. But it was recently modernized and has a nice combo of traditional fresh produce stands, gourmet stalls, restaurants, and bars.

• Campo de Orique — Jardim do Parada: This is really not touristy, and more if you want to get a feel of the local vibe. You will see groups of elderly people gathered in tables playing dominoes, futbol (soccer) enthusiasts watching the game around the kiosk, and kids playing in the playground. It gives you a true feel of the real Lisbon! (Last picture)

Rato

Good for living

Good/Great for staying during your visit

Not a top neighbourhood for tourist sites

• This neighbourhood has a similar price range to Estrela/Campo Orique but you can find some slightly cheaper apartments! For touring, it doesnt offer much, but it is quite central and has a metro station that connects you almost everywhere, so I would consider staying here on a visit.

• It is also good for living, as again it’s easy to commute from here, and this area has a lot of popular workout studios. On the other hand, it’s a louder/busier area than Estrela/Campo Orique.

• Not really much to see here if you are touring the city! But great area if you want to get some workouts in while on your trip ( they often offer class passes), and there is also a really cool speakeasy here called Red Frog, and this is also where the Tasca Restaurant that I recommended in this post is located.

  Marques de Pombal

  Good for living

  Good/Great for staying during your visit

  Great for tourist sites

• Ok, so this is technically not a neighbourhood, this is that center circle you see on the map that has a monument of Marques de Pombal, and the neighbourhood that this area belongs to is called Santo Antonio, but I really wanted to focus in on this particular area because it is great for tourism.

• The rent here is about €1300 for a one-bedroom , and it is very central, but also a lot louder than other areas. This neighbourhood has a larger expat/ business community and a couple of more hills.

• To stay during your visit, it is very central but a bit more pricey than Rato (right next door).

• To tour during your visit, this is a must!

• Here are the most popular sites:

  • Parque Eduardo: This is the most famous park in Lisbon, and truly beautiful. It is on a hill, so come prepared!

  • But when you get to the top, you have a beautiful view of the entire city. It also has a few restaurants in the park — some more fancy and others more open-air/ local vibes. (P.S Taylor Swift stayed in the Four Seasons right around here when she came on her Eras Tour).

  • Another fun thing about this park is the events they have throughout the year. During the winter, they have the Winter Wonderland Fair , and in the late spring, they have an open-air book fair, which is just amazing!

  • Marques de Pombal statue: This monument is really beautiful, historical, and located right in front of the park. Marquês de Pombal was the prime minister who led the reconstruction of Lisbon after the truly devastating 1755 earthquake.

  • It’s a great area to walk around, not so great to drive around! P.S. I can often see this monument from the plane, so be on the lookout for it when you’re landing.

Avenida de Liberdade

Good/Expensive for living

Good for staying during your visit

Great for tourist sites

• This is a famous boulevard right off of Marques de Pombal, on the other side of the park

• One-bedroom apartments go at around €1600-1700, it is a very fancy area and beautiful to walk around. If you have a higher budget, it could be a nice area to stay in during your visit as well.

• Walking down this boulevard, you will see all the nicest shops in Lisbon, but you will also see kiosks, lots of people sitting outside in restaurants, and quite a few rooftops.

• On weekends, I love coming to this area for their fair market “Feira na Avenida” where people sell handmade crafts, jewelry, etc (pictured below)

• During the winter season, they also decorate this avenue very beautifully, and during June, they have a famous Santos festival parade in this boulevard. More to come about the infamous, city-wide, free Santos festival in a future post— truly an incredible month to be in Lisbon.

  Rossio

Good/Expensive for living

Ok for staying during your visit

Great for tourist sites

• This area is also a must to walk around if you’re touring, the Rossio center square is beautiful, and right off the Avenida da Liberdade. This is also where the world’s second largest Zara is, by the way. During the spring, this area is filled with beautiful flowers, and during the winter, they have a very popular winter market in this area.

• This is more of an area than a neighbourhood, so I have no exact rental ranges here, but it is around the same as Avenidas de Liberdade.

• To stay during your visit, it will be on the pricier side, just like Avenidas, but these areas have a lot of hotels as well.

• The two big spots to visit here are

  • Rossio Center square that I described above

  • The train station here is quite beautiful to look at, and to just pop inside quickly (first picture- but it doesnt capture its beauty to be honest).

Chiado

Good/VERY Expensive for living

Good for staying during your visit

Great for tourist sites

• This neighbourhood starts right after the Rossio square ( I’m sure you’ve noticed this pattern by now) . This is a great shopping neighbourhood, but it is also a really beautiful area to walk around, and has some popular tourist spots.

• As for pricing, it is one of the most expensive areas, averaging around €1700 per one-bedroom apartment.

• It is also a very popular tourist area, so very crowded and loud.

• As a tourist, I would definitely take some time to walk around this area. There are also lots of bars/restaurants/rooftops right by the miradouro.

• Personally I love going to the bookstore, grabbing a coffee from Brasileria and then watching the sunset in the Miradouro. (All these sites are mentioned below)

• Here are the famous spots :

  • Brásileria Cafe: one of Lisbon's oldest and most iconic cafés, famous for its association with the poet Fernando Pessoa and its known as the birthplace of the "bica" (Portuguese espresso). (Pictured in the second row on the right)

  • Livraria Bertrand: (First two pics) This is the oldest library in the world!! So I hihgly recommend you stop by, it has books in all languages, and make sure you ask for a stamp at the register.

  • Miradouro de Alcântara: This is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Lisbon, and a great spot to hangout, watch the sunset, or have a drink. (Bottom two left pics)

  • Elevador de Santa Justa: A historic elevator built in 1902 (third picture in the first row), famous for its beautiful views. It also links Chiado to Baixa ( where the following neighbourhood is located).

Praca do Commercio

Not an area to live/stay in

Popular tourist site

• This is not really a neighbourhood, but it is considered the central plaza of Lisbon, and it is a very popular tourist spot, so of course I had to include it. It is located in the neighbourhood of Baixa.

• The center square is truly beautiful and faces the river, it’s a great spot to watch the sunset in the evening, and there is always a street performer there in the evenings, which really adds to the vibes (videos below).

• The streets nearby are also beautiful to walk around, especially during the holiday season! This is also where they light up the Christmas tree in early December.

• You can take a riverside walk/ bike ride from here as well.

• Two things I suggest when coming to this area are to come by foot or metro (theres a metro stop right in the center square) because even though Uber is cheap in Lisbon, this area is always so crowded with pedestrians, it’s not fun to come by car! And more importantly, I would not eat in any restaurant in this area- they are extremely overpriced and not authentic food, or of good quality. You are much better off eating in Chiado, which is nearby!

  Bairro Alto

  OK for living

  OK for staying during your visit (depending on preferance)

  Great for night life

• This neighbourhood is true to its name, it is up on the hill, so prepare yourself !

• The average prices here are around €1100-1200 euros for a one-bedroom, it is cheaper, but that is also because it is a very rowdy, probably the most rowdy neighbourhood!

• This neighbourhood is famous for its bars and the nightlife. When you walk around here in the evenings/ nights, you will see people everywhere having drinks outside the bars and socializing. It’s a very indoor/outdoor vibe.

• If you are in Lisbon for the party scene, than its a great and cheaper location to stay, otherwise I would not recommend.

• However, it is worth giving a visit one evening if you are interested in seeing the nightlife in Lisbon. There are also some good restaurants in that area. My favorite bars here are:

  • Bubbles (Russian Bar, it’s a chill vibe and has great drinks), but you’ll see the real reason why I love it in the video that I took of my friend below!

  • Ache Cohiba, Ache Latino, and Ache Barroca ( These bars are owned by 3 Cuban brothers, they each have a different vibe but they are all great for dancing)

    Cais do Sodre

    Not an area to live/stay in

    Popular tourist site

  • Another very popular touristy area of Lisbon, not really an area to live in, though! This neighbourhood is right along the riverside, so the views are beautiful.

  • It also has a lot small green spaces, and it’s always filled with people and energy.

  • This area also connects to everything — train/ metro/ and the ferry to go across the river to the other side (will talk about the other side in next weeks post)

  • This is a must-visit area on your trip to Lisbon, as it has many popular spots:

    • Time Out Market: A bit overrated but still fun to visit, and extra fun if you sign up for the “make your own pastel de nata course” like I did ( sooo good, pictured below). This is a famous food market in Lisbon where you can try a bunch of different popular dishes.

    • Ribeira da Naus: This is the riverside area, really beautiful to walk around, have dinner, or visit a rooftop.

    • Pink street: This is a very famous street in Lisbon that is, yeap, painted in pink. It’s very cute, and filled with bars and restaurants. If you’re going to go to any bar here, I reccomend Pensao Amor.

Ok guys, that was a lot😅! And that was only half of the neighbourhood, but I hope you found this useful, and please leave a comment below about which neighbourhoods you are most excited to visit!!

Subscribe now

Here is a post about visiting Lisbon for the first time, if you are curious:

And here is one incase you are interested in moving to Portugal!

About the Author

Hi, I’m Lia. Thank you for being here and reading my article. I was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, and two and a half years ago, I moved to Portugal. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of deep inner healing, transformation, and embodied wellness. I’ve taken back the driver’s seat of my life, built a community here, found my soulmate, and am slowly designing a life I truly love. In this space, I write about life abroad in Portugal, the inner work, and science-backed wellness and longevity through the lens of my nursing background.

This post isn’t really a “top 10 things to do in Lisbon” kinda guide, although I do give some recommendations for free things to do/ places to eat in the city. However, as I started to write this post, I realized that I had way too much to say for one post, so instead I wrote down a few working topics for my future posts.

Check out the poll at the end to vote for what topic you would like me to write about next!

Subscribe now

Let’s get started!

Food & Drink

There are sooo many popular restaurants in Lisbon, which you can surely go to. Many of them are very “Instagrammable” and offer good food. They are also not where you will usually find your authentic Portuguese cuisine or local prices.

My recommendation is to try at least one Tasca.

Tascas are small, traditional Portuguese restaurants. They are very simple, and not in the least bit fancy — but the food is delicious and authentic! And bonus: It’s usually half the price of the trendy spots!

You can just go to Google Maps and type “Tascas,” and it will pull up all the Tascas near your location.

Some of my favorite Tasca recommendations are:

• Forninho Saloio: Located in Marquês de Pombal (central Lisbon neighborhood) RESTAURANTE FORNINHO SALOIO, Lisboa - Comentários de Restaurantes, Fotos & Número de Telefone

  • I recommend ordering the house wine, Bife na Tabua (very shareable plate), and chocolate mousse for dessert!

• Restaurante Rodas: Located in Rato (Quite close to Marquês de Pombal) Restaurante Rodas, Lgo do Rato 10A, 1250-186 Lisboa

These restaurants will not be impressive from the outside, but if you’re trying to do Lisbon like a local…this is where we are at!

• Zé Varunca:

  This restaurant is technically not a Tasca, and it is also located in Oeiras, which is outside the central city BUT in front of the beach. Av. Eng. Bonneville Franco 22A, 2770-062 Paço de Arcos

Although it is not a Tasca, I recommend it because it is authentic food from Alentejo (the south of Portugal). The cuisine is very unique and delicious. My recommendation is that you order anything with “migas” in it!

The inside is also beautifully decorated in traditional Alentejo style.
It feels like stepping into another part of Portugal.

Some foods/drinks I highly recommend trying anywhere in Portugal

• Bacalhau (Cod): Do you know that the Portuguese have over 365 ways to cook bacalhau? Yeah! That’s one for every day of the year! My favorites are:

  • Bacalhau com natas

  • Bacalhau a Bras

• Vinho de casa: House wine. This is sometimes a gamble, but they are often surprisingly good and very cheap.

• Vinho Verde: “Green” Portuguese wine that is bottled early and meant to be enjoyed “young” rather than aged. It’s fizzy, light, and fresh (perfect for a sunny day)!

Subscribe now

Transportation

• The most important advice I can give you is to use Google Maps! When I first moved here, I used Apple Maps and sometimes Yelp, and on multiple occasions, I made plans to go to a restaurant that no longer existed😅. It is also common for restaurant owners to close for a month for vacations, and although not 100% reliable, Google Maps is the most reliable option for checking whether restaurants are open/hours.

• Skip the car rentals if you are staying in the city! Traffic can be quite bad, and public transportation is faster and cheaper. Here are other options:

  • Train rides: Especially beautiful along the coast from the city to Cascais.

  • Metro

  • Ubers: Incredibly affordable in this city. You can use either the Uber or Bolt app.

  • Bus lines

  • Trams: This is a unique way to see the city for cheap — Tram 28 is the most famous for riding through historic parts of the city.

  • Walk: In my opinion, this is the best way to really see the city, but keep in mind that it can also be a bit exhausting, as this city is extremely hilly and also known as “The city of Seven Hills”.

    

    

    How to incorporate this into your everyday life

    Take a slow walking tour in a new neighborhood around your city, and pay attention to the small and unique details about that neighborhood.

    If it is available for you, you can take a beautiful coastal walk or drive to capture that relaxed, seaside feeling Lisbon has.

    Try replacing one short car ride a day with a walk if you can!

What to pack

• Bring layers!!

  • If you are coming in the Summer: It often gets chilly in the evenings, no matter how hot it is during the day. In some parts of the city, it also gets windy!

  • If you are coming in the Winter: There will be moments when you are walking up the hill under the sunny Lisbon sky, where you will want to remove layers, and then moments when you will be walking on a street with more shade and will want to put all your layers back on.

• Bring sneakers and preferably chunky heels.

  • Lisbon’s cobblestone streets are beautiful, but they often make it difficult to walk. They can be uneven and filled with tiny gaps. Add hills to that, and most people walk around with sneakers or low chunky heels.

Communication

• Most people here speak English, but you will be appreciated for saying a few basic Portuguese phrases, such as:

  • Bom Dia/ Boa Tarde: Good morning/ Good Afternoon

  • Boa noite: Goodnight

  • Obrigada/o: Thank you —If you identify as female, you use obrigada, and if you identify as male, you say obrigado.

  • Casa de banho: Bathroom

  • Com licença: Excuse me

  • De nada: You’re welcome

  • Por Favor: Please

Free things to do

The city offers two free walking tours, one in the downtown area and the other in the historic city of Alfama. I have never done the downtown one, but I can tell you that the Alfama one was amazing; they even took us to a local spot where a grandma made us Ginjinha shots.

Special note: While the tour is free, the guides do rely on tips.

Alfama Walking Tour Lisbon - Explore History & Culture

Bairro Alto Walking Tour Lisbon - Experience Culture

Miradouros: The city has a bunch of Miradouros, which are completely free and offer beautiful views. If you visit at sunset, you will find many people hanging around enjoying the sunset, and there is almost always a musician performing as well. It is a beautiful way to enjoy the city, the views, and the vibes — all for free!

Some of my favorite Miradouros include:

• Miradouro de Santa Luzia (In Alfama and pictured below with blue tiles) — They say this one is the most beautiful at sunrise, but I wouldn’t know because I don’t wake up that early😅

• Miradouro de Senhora de Monte (In Graca and pictured at Sunset)— This one also has a secret outdoor restaurant/bar/hangout spot called “Secret Garden”. It’s a small entrance with stairs leading down, and it’s easy to miss if you don’t know to look for it!

• Miradouro São Pedro de Alcântara (In Chiado and pictured in the center) — This one is a must-do!

Parks: The city has so many beautiful parks, and we locals love to have picnics, do outdoor yoga, or just lie down and read a book in these. My favorites are: (pictured left to right)

• Parque Eduardo

• Jardim Estrela

• Jardim do Torel

I could go on, but I think this will be too long. So below I’ve added a poll for topics I can further discuss! Please vote 🥰

Subscribe now

Share

Thank you for reading! And if you have enjoyed this post, here is my other article focused on the logistics of moving to Portugal!

Leave a comment

About the Author

Hi, I’m Lia. Thank you for being here and reading my work. I was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, and two and a half years ago, I moved to Portugal. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of deep inner healing, transformation, and embodied wellness. I’ve taken back the driver’s seat of my life, built a community here, found my soulmate, and am slowly designing a life I truly love. In this space, I write about life abroad in Portugal, the inner work, and science-backed wellness and longevity through the lens of my nursing background.

Because making the decision to uproot my entire life in Miami and move abroad alone, while still relatively young, and without a large amount of savings… completely changed my life and its trajectory.

I often think of it as the great divide in the story of my life.

There is the Lia that existed before Portugal.

And there is the Lia that exists after Portugal.

The Lia I am now.

Today’s post will focus on the lessons and emotional growth that came from that transitional period. The in-between of those two Lia’s.

Because, as I was saying, the decision to radically change my life was the greatest decision of my life.

Subscribe now

But it did not come without its dark moments, without heartbreak. And maybe this won’t be what it looks like for you if you ever make a leap like this — I hope it isn’t — but it was my experience.

I grew up in a very big, very close-knit Cuban immigrant family. I love my family. I love my culture. But here’s the truth, at least in my family: we are very codependent.

So when I made the decision to leave behind the “American dream” that had been projected onto me by my father, my brothers, my cousins, my grandma… it was not received well.

Because here’s one of the first things I learned: sometimes, people can love you and still not know how to let you belong to yourself.

Lesson 1

In codependent relationships, yes, people may love you. Yes, they may mean well. Yes, they may want what’s best for you. But very often, what they actually want is their perspective of what is best for you. And when your decision no longer aligns with that perspective, suddenly, you become a problem. Something that needs to be corrected, controlled, convinced, fixed.

Cue the random Wednesday night intervention I got bombarded with shortly after making this announcement.

So that was my first big lesson, and it taught me a lot. I learned to identify patterns of codependency, how toxic they can be, and how dangerous it is to keep handing other people that much power over your life.

It taught me how easy it is to confuse love with control when you were raised around both living side by side.

But here’s what that lesson gave me: The clarity to take the driver’s seat of my own life. And this time, no one will take that wheel from me again!

Lesson 2

And it taught me something else too, something a little brutal but very freeing:

In life — and in the words of Taylor Swift — you’re on your own, kid.

And that doesn’t mean you can’t have the help of others, or the support of loved ones. You should have that because humans are social beings who thrive in community and with the help, resources, and emotional support of community.

BUT we are also individuals. We are meant to walk our own unique path in this life. Not the path our parents want. Not the one our friends can understand. Not the one society finds more acceptable, or more impressive.

Our own.

And that means we have to make our own decisions. And we, alone, have to live with them. We, alone, have to be accountable for them.

What did that lesson give me? Freedom! The freedom to release myself from the shackles of society, and to walk my own path, regardless of how unconventional it may be.

Lesson 3

With so many people projecting their fears and opinions onto my choice, I had to learn how to really listen to my own inner voice.

That doesn’t mean I don’t take perspective into account. I do. I listen. I reflect. I consider. But then I go inward and decide what is best for me.

This was not a skill I accomplished overnight. It took a lot of journaling, meditation, reading, processing… but eventually I learned to discern. To differentiate the real me from my ego, from societal programming, from my family’s projections.

I am still working on this, and probably will be for the rest of my life

But here’s what it has taught me: How to peel back the layers of myself that were created out of fear, out of protection, conditioning — and to lean into my true soul’s desire, my authenticity.

Lesson 4

By many standards, even my own, I was not prepared to take this leap as quickly as I did.

I did not have a backup job, I only had 6 months of savings, I knew no Portuguese or anyone in this country, and I had never even been here.

But here’s the thing: I was completely miserable. I had peered through the window into my future, and I knew I was walking down a deadly path, I knew I had to make changes before it was too late, and I knew that if I waited until I was “ready”, I would still be waiting.

And this is where my spiritual part comes in, because this decision didn’t feel impulsive; it felt very much guided.

I had this deep knowing within me that I can’t fully explain. And at the same time, that knowing was often questioned— by my family, by fear, by reality, by my own logical side. But I had this certainty, deeper than anything I had ever felt before, that this was the right move. That I was meant for something other than the life path I was walking down.

And I had to listen to myself… for once!

What did this teach me: Sometimes, you have to take a leap of faith.

Lesson 5

As much as I am advocating here to believe in yourself and listen to yourself, I will not pretend this was not the scariest transition of my life, because it was.

The day I told my family, I was terrified.

My last day at work, and when I realized that I now had no steady paycheck to rely on, I was terrified.

The day I sold my house and realized that I was now essentially homeless, I was terrified.

The first day I landed in Portugal, completely jet lagged and feeling hazy, and looked around at my new neighborhood, I was terrified.

This did not come without its fair share of tears, anxiety, and questioning myself.

But I pushed through the fear; each time, I kept moving forward.

And that taught me that stepping through fear is the single most powerful thing you can do. Because when you step through fear and embrace the discomfort, your nervous system starts to learn that the unfamiliar is not always unsafe. It learns that change and the unknown do not automatically mean danger.

But the biggest thing I gained from this was the confidence in myself to overcome difficult things, to step through fear, to believe in myself and in my dreams. My eyes are getting watery as I write this because it has been the single most powerful realization in my life. Because on that other side of fear, I have found the life I always wanted and didn’t imagine I could ever have.

Your story will be different than mine. Moving countries may not fix all of your problems

But here’s what I will tell you:

If you have something you are afraid of, do it. And I don’t mean the anxiety, the irrational fears, the intrusive thoughts. I mean that thing that lights you up to think about, that feels freeing but incredibly intimidating.

Maybe it’s opening up your own bakery, or signing up for a marathon, or leaving that relationship/friendship that no longer serves you (I did that one too), or writing a piece on Substack that is controversial but true to you. I encourage you to step through the fear (so long as you are safe and not putting yourself or anyone in danger).

Because if you're brave enough to face the unknown, then you will be forced to grow out of your comfort zone. And shed all that isn’t serving you.

And sometimes, through that kind of radical change in environment, your soul wakes up.

Your life opens up.

And it becomes filled with things that once felt unimaginable.✨

Subscribe now

Sunset hour in my beautiful city

P.S. I do think I’ll write another post about the emotional growth that happened after the move, once the dust settled and I actually started designing my life here. So if that’s something you’d want to read, let me know in the comments.

And if you’re currently working on stepping through a fear, please feel free to share in the comments. Let’s keep lifting each other up in this lovely community.💗💗💗

Read my post about the practical parts of moving to Portugal here:

Or if you’re looking for more pieces on the process of healing, read this post:

Subscribe now

Share

Leave a comment

I’m Lia, and a bit over 2 years ago, I made the life-changing decision to move to Portugal. At the time, most people questioned my sanity. I had a 6-figure job, I was a relatively new homeowner, and I was driving around in my brand new BMW. From the outside, I’m sure my life looked great, but from the inside, I was miserable.

While I can write a whole separate post about the emotional rollercoaster that came with this decision and all the personal growth that I have experienced since then, that is not what today’s post is about.

Today’s post is a practical guide on all the things I wish I knew- and now you can know- before I moved here! I am going to provide an overview of the major topics, but of course, there is a lot more I can write about each one, so please feel free to comment with any questions or any topics you would like me to cover in the future 🥰

Side note: I moved from the U.S to Portugal using my U.S citizenship. If you are not from the U.S, you will still find all of this relevant, minus some of the details in the Residency and Visa section.

Subscribe now

So let’s begin!

Residency + Visa

Portugal is considered one of the more accessible countries to move to in the EU, which is part of the reason why it has such a huge expat community. Over recent years, however, as it has become increasingly popular for expats to move here, policies and discussions around this have changed, and they have tightened some immigration pathways. While moving here is still very doable, there is more paperwork and more competition than there was before.

And Americans, specifically, really are coming! The U.S citizens legally residing in Portugal went from 9,794 in 2022 to 19,258 in 2024- that’s a huge jump!

The two most common Visas to apply for are:

D7- Passive income route: This is the route to take if you have some sort of stable passive income. They typically require you to have the financial resources to support yourself for at least one year.

Right now, the widely used baseline to meet this requirement is tied to Portugal’s minimum wage. For 2026, the national minimum wage is €920/month.

So a simple way to estimate the minimum is:

- 1 adult: ~€920/month

- Couple: ~€1,380/month (920 + 50%)

- Each dependent child: add ~30% (so a couple with one child ≈ €1,656/month)

Digital Nomad/ Remote Work (D8) route. For this visa, you typically need to show that your average monthly income over three months is equal to 4x the Portuguese minimum wage. So, if the minimum wage is €920, then your monthly income needs to average out to €3,680/month

My process (D7) — what it actually looked like

I did the D7 route, and from start to finish, it took me about 6 months (this was in 2023).

April: I scheduled my appointment through VFS for August (my jurisdiction was Washington D.C., but you can find yours here- areas-of-jurisdiction.pdf).

April–August: I gathered documents (FBI background check + apostille, certified copies, statements, etc.). During that time, I also got a NIF (Portuguese tax number), opened a Portuguese bank account, and signed a rental contract (these are commonly required for approval in the process). Honestly, this paperwork is the hardest part as the policies do keep changing, and there is no clear instruction guide, so while it is very possible to do this alone, my suggestion is to use Home - Boots on the Ground Portugal. This is not at all sponsored by them, but I recommend them because they truly facilitated my move here. I started with a free 30-minute consultation with Heather on the website, and it really helped to orient me on the right path. (P.S Feel free to use my name when reaching out to them- they still remember me!)

August: Appointment day. Yes, I had to physically be in Washington, D.C. for this, and I was soo nervous at the time, but it was actually quite simple. They collected my paperwork and asked me, maybe one easy question, and that was it.

October: I got the approval email after about two months of waiting (SUCH A HAPPY DAY!!)

Timeline reality check: Officially, Portugal states the deadline to decide a residence visa is 60 days, but real timelines can feel longer depending on how fast you can get an appointment + how long document collection takes.

The two most common cities for expats to move to in Portugal are Lisboa (the capital, most popular choice, and where I live) and Porto (second largest city in Portugal, located in the North of the country). Most of the topics I will cover next have a few general applications, but are also quite specific to Lisbon.

Housing – This one is very specific to Lisboa

The housing prices here in Lisboa are one of the biggest struggles for Portuguese citizens. To put things into context, the median rent in 2024 was €13.06 per m², one of the highest in Europe. And at the same time, the average salary is on the lower end for Europeans- approximately €1,741monthly in gross!

I say this because I do try my best to be mindful of the privilege I have here, as I have a remote job and make above the average salary.

Where to look:

Site to rent Apartment-Flats & Rooms short/long term | Spotahome – I was unable to come to this country to look for rental properties in person prior to moving here, so Spotahome was my best option. It provides a lot of guardrails for foreigners, including real people verifying the properties, and all transactions are done through the website. It’s also easier to rent a place in advance from this website.

idealista — Moradias e apartamentos, arrendamento e venda, anúncios gratuitos- Idealista is the best website to use if you are able to come and visit the homes yourself. This is what I use now, and what most Portuguese and expats already living here use.

An important note I will make here is to be careful with huge deposit demands. Many realtors do take the opportunity to request sometimes 6-month or 8-month deposits from foreigners. The last time I had a realtor request a 6-month deposit, I kindly reminded them that, according to Portuguese law, I am not required to provide more than 2 months of advance rent payment with a written contract, and the security deposit also cannot be greater than 2 months’ value.

Another thing to consider in Lisbon is which neighbourhood in the city you would want to live, I was going to include this here, but I felt the post was getting too long, so comment below if you would like another post on this!

Conveniences

Slow Living is truly embodied here. And personally, I love it, but I have come to realize that it is not for everyone.

A few things that may surprise you:

• Most supermarkets close around 8-8:30 pm. Additionally, they don’t offer such a wide variety of options as in the States. I often have to go to 2 different supermarkets to get all of the specific things I want.

• Many pharmacies aren’t 24/7 and often close for lunch breaks, weekends, and evenings.

• Bureaucracy takes… a long time. 😂 (Example: it took me two years to finally get my Portuguese driver’s license approved.)

• Unless you can afford the newer apartments, many of the apartments here do not have dishwashers, air conditioning, or laundry drying machines. You can find apartments with all (or at least some) of these appliances, but it will take some extra searching.

• It is common for restaurants to close for a month at a time.

• There are no one-stop shop stores like Target or Walmart here. If you want something, you have to go to the specific store that sells it. Again, I enjoy this as it reduces the urge for over-consumerism, but not everyone may agree.

  Its all about how you view things. Personally, I love opening my windows for fresh air, and I have a little portable heater for winter. I also have really romanticized the ritual of hanging my clothes to dry, and I feel my clothes last longer this way.

Transportation- This is also Lisbon-specific

To be completely honest, Lisbon is not a very car-friendly city. The streets are tight, parking can be stressful, and scratches or minor dings feel almost inevitable. If you are thinking of bringing your car here, just know that it can be a lot of cost, paperwork, and effort for a city where many people get by perfectly well without one.

The good news is that Lisbon’s public transportation is genuinely useful:

The metro, buses, trams, and trains make it easy to get around the city and beyond. A standard Metro ticket is €1.90, a 24-hour Metro ticket is €7.25, and the monthly Navegante Metropolitano pass is €40 for unlimited travel across the Lisbon Metropolitan Area.

Uber and Bolt are extremely affordable anywhere in Portugal, and when compared to the rest of the EU or the U.S. Right now I can get to the other side of the city for approximately 8€ in an Uber (This may change now with the recent war driving gas prices up globally).

And, I saved the best for last.. Walking! Lisbon is an incredibly walkable city, and it’s also the best way to really enjoy it. Additionally, I want to say that as a woman, I feel very safe in this city (much safer than I did in Miami). Portugal is ranked the 5^th safest country in Europe, and the 7^th in the 2024/2025 Global Peace Index- and the reality matches the statistics!

Language

Portugal is one of the easiest places to live in as an English speaker. Portugal ranks among the top countries in the world for English proficiency (EF’s index had Portugal 6th worldwide in 2024).

So it really is ok if you don’t know any Portuguese, although I encourage everyone who is seriously considering moving here to learn it, as it is a beautiful language and helps you to understand and integrate with the culture better.

Here are some examples of how accessible life is here for English speakers- Specific to my experience in Lisbon:

• Restaurants and social scenes: So many restaurants offer an English menu, and waiters commonly ask if you prefer to order in English or Portuguese.

• Movie theatres: They don’t dub movies (unless it’s a kids’ movie), they only sub. What this means is that if the movie was originally in English, the movie will be played in English in the theatre with Portuguese subtitles.

• Workout classes: The fitness scene is huge here, and there are so many options for yoga, Pilates, run clubs, cycling, bootcamp classes and 90% of them are offered in English. I have been to quite a huge list of studios here and have always had English-speaking teachers.

Culture

There’s a joke that in Lisbon, there are two types of people- those who are leaving the club at 6 am, and those who are running past the club in their morning jog at 6 am. And I find this to be quite true! You can find all sorts of people in Lisbon, especially, but the one thing we all have in common (across the whole country) is that we love being outdoors!

In the summer weekends, you will find EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE, at the beach- specifically from 2 pm-9 pm (so we can eat lunch at home first). It is so common for friends to ask you, in all seasons, if you’d like to go for a walk around the neighbourhood, or in a park. There are also so many green spaces and parks in the city, and you will always find people lounging around, reading a book, doing yoga, etc..

Additionally, one common activity is to go to one of the MANY miradouros in the city for the sunset hour. There’s always someone playing music, and you can just sit down and enjoy the beautiful view and vibe with friends.

Just a few of the many pics I’ve taken from Miradouros of Lisboa

I have both Portuguese and foreign friends (and a Portuguese boyfriend), and I don’t know if it’s the weather, but I find that everyone is overall very nice and friendly. People are more than willing to help if you ask.

Sports and fitness are also very popular here, oftentimes friends bond over going to workout classes together, followed by dinner. In the summer, many people are playing racquetball, futbol (soccer), or volleyball on the beach. In the wintertime (or sometimes all year), many play Paddle tennis- a very common sport to play here, or we go for hikes along Sintra and many of the hiking trails in the country.

Making friends

When I landed in Lisbon, I knew no one! And now I have a whole community here, so it is definitely possible. Here are my best suggestions

Bumble for Friends is how I met most of my friends. I met expats from all over the world, as well as Portuguese friends. While I matched with some of my friends directly, there are always girls on this app who coordinate group brunches, and it is in these brunches and dinners where I ended up meeting most of the friends I have now. (Note- I have heard feedback from men that this app is not so successful for them, sorry 😒)

Meetup App: This is a great way to find events (and there are always lots of free events in the city) that you are interested in. Here you can connect with a group and set up a meet-up to do anything from a Bairro Alto bar crawl to a Saturday Morning crochet class.

Run Club: These are so popular here, and a great way to make friends. My favourite is this one Rookie Run Club Lisbon (@rookierunclub_pt) • Instagram photos and videos . They are very friendly (free) and often all hang out together after the run (newbies are always welcome).

Taxes

Taxes are probably the least glamorous part of moving abroad… but they are one of the most important.

Depending on your situation, taxes in Portugal can be costly, and this is something I do not think enough people talk about. If you become a Portuguese tax resident, Portugal generally taxes residents on their worldwide income, and the personal income tax system is progressive, with general rates currently going up to 48% at the top band.

Self-employed people may also have Social Security contributions on top of that, which can make the overall cost feel heavier than many newcomers expect. I do not say this to scare you, only to say: make sure you understand the financial side before you move, because this is one of those practical realities that can affect your budget more than you think.

Personally, I am a freelancer who is still benefiting from the youth tax cut they offer: Young IRS: tax exemption for young professionals residing in Portugal - Know-How - RFF Lawyers, tax and business law . Taxes can get very nuanced, but I just wanted to put this on your radar as it’s important to do your research on this before moving here.

Ok! Phew! That was a lot!! But if you’re still here, thank you for reading, and I hope that it helps you!! I have so much more I can say, so please comment below with any questions or topics you would like me to write about.

With Love,

Lia

Subscribe now

Leave a comment