112
Emergency number. Not 911.
Bolt
The ride app here. Download before you land.
Adapter
Portugal uses Type F plugs at 230V. Your US charger will not fit the wall.
Option 1 Option 2Comfy shoes
Cobblestones and steep hills all day, every day. This one is a mandate.
MONEY
CardsWork almost everywhere. Keep €50–100 cash for cafés and tips.
The breadBread and olives you didn't order is couvert — you get charged. Wave it off.
TippingNot America. Round up or 5–10%. Nobody's offended.
ATMsUse ones inside banks. Skimming is common in Baixa.
THE LEGAL STUFF
WeedDecriminalized, not legal. Up to 25g is a fine, not an arrest. Buying and selling are still illegal.
In publicSmoking in public is prohibited and fineable. Keep it inside.
DispensariesDon't exist here. No coffeeshops, no menus. Not Amsterdam.
Street offersThe men selling in Rossio aren't dealers. It's oregano, and the pitch is cover to lift your phone. Don't stop walking.
STREET SMARTS
Tram 28Highest pickpocket concentration in the city. Bus 737 covers the same route, empty.
Baixa & RossioPetitions, free bracelets, street games. All the same play.
ViewpointsDon't set your phone on a ledge for the shot.
Airport taxisBiggest rip in the city. Book Bolt before you leave arrivals.
Fake policeReal officers never ask to inspect your wallet.
TRAVELING WHILE BLACK
Lisbon is one of the better cities in Europe for us — and that's not a low bar graded generously. Mouraria and the streets named for Angola and Cape Verde are living communities, not exhibits.
Two things to know. Portugal outside Lisbon is one of the most homogenous countries in Europe — expect stares in small towns, mostly harmless. And it isn't racism-free; there's real history here around policing. Both things are true at once. In the city, in a group of six, at the places we're going — you'll feel good.
SMALL THINGS
ObrigadoMeans thank you. Men say obrigado, women say obrigada — it changes with who's speaking, not who you're thanking.
Dinner8pm is early. 9 or 9:30 is normal.
SunsetAround 7pm in October. Rooftops earlier than you think.
Door policyThe good clubs enforce dress-to-impress. No athletic wear.
Tap waterSafe. Skip the bottled upcharge.
EnglishWidely spoken in Lisbon. You'll be fine.
HOME BASE
ME LisbonMarquês de Pombal. Av. António Augusto de Aguiar. Rooftop pool, KORPO Spa downstairs.
BreakfastIncluded in the room. Dinner is not.
Check-inOct 11. We land at 10:45am, so rooms may not be ready — plan to drop bags.