Book somewhere you can walk home from

The reception's own neighbourhood. Wine bars, garden cafés, boutique hotels and leafy squares. Quiet at night without being dead.

Worth knowing
The priciest area on this list — but you'll never pay for a taxi.

Right on top of the reception, and home to the nearest metro station (Rato, yellow line). Less charming than Príncipe Real, better value.

The old-town grid that turns into a street party after 10pm. Bars, tascas and fado houses on every corner.

Worth knowing
Genuinely loud until about 2am on a Friday. Brilliant if you're out in it, rough if you want to sleep.

Elegant shopping and restaurant district — cafés, theatres, the good bookshops. Very central and quieter than Bairro Alto.

Worth knowing
Downhill on the way out, a proper climb on the way back.

Lisbon's grand boulevard — the full-service hotels are here, along with smarter restaurants. The walk is gentle, which matters more than you'd think.

Quiet, handsome and residential, with a big garden and very good bakeries. Mostly flat walking, calm nights.

Villagey and far less touristy, with a lot of small restaurants and bars. Good value apartments.

The flat grid between the river and Rossio square. Unbeatable for transport — the Sintra train leaves from Rossio station, and three metro lines meet here.

Worth knowing
Restaurants are touristy, and the walk back up to Príncipe Real is a real climb.

Riverside, with the Time Out Market, the Pink Street bars and late-night everything. Metro, the Cascais train and the ferry all leave from here.

Worth knowing
Allow 25 minutes coming back — it's uphill the whole way.

Where Lisbon locals actually eat. A proper market hall, family restaurants, cafés everywhere and pleasantly flat walking.

Worth knowing
No metro station, though buses and taxis are plentiful and cheap.