CHILLIN` SHARK - HOTELS - DEALS - DESTINATIONS - PLACES - TRAVEL GUIDES

Lisbon

Gay marriage has been legal in Lisbon since 2010 and the locals are accepting and tolerant.

Most of the gay bars, clubs and restaurants are located at Príncipe Real, Bairro Alto and Avenida 24 de Julho/Alcantara. It’s not always clear which bars are gay-friendly or hetero-friendly because the crowds can get quite mixed. The best time to go out to bars in Bairro Alto is between 11pm and 2 am. The bars in Príncipe Real are frequented more exclusively by gays and later at night.

An important note: drugs are decriminalized all over Portugal, which means that it is legal to carry five grams of hash, two grams of cocaine or one gram of heroin. You might be stopped by the police and have your stash confiscated but you won't go to jail but to a commission which offers education on drugs and offer help. It is still illegal to sell drugs in stores so the market is controlled by drug dealers.

Costa da Caparica is a long popular beach south of Lisbon. The most northern part is where families go to and the further south you go the trendier and more nudist it gets (beach 17 & 19). There is some cruising in the dunes but only before sunset because it becomes unsafe at night.

Lux is one of the most popular clubs in Lisbon for straights and gays.

Chaido is Lisbon’s gaybourhood.

The annual events in Lisbon are the Gay Pride Festival (Arraial Pride) in June, Gay and Lesbian Film Festival every September.

The best time to visit Lisbon is in spring as the summers tend to be too hot even though the evenings are pleasantly cool. Winter is Lisbon’s rain season.

The most popular food in Lisbon is seafood since the city lies on a coast. You'll find plenty of clams with garlic and coriander and various forms of delicious fish. For dessert indulge in Portugal's favourite egg custard tarts so beloved by its people that there's a festival dedicated to it!

Every Tuesday and Saturday there's a flea market in Campo de Santa Clara where you can find pretty much anything. 

Be careful when going into a taxi especially if you don't know Portugese fluently. You have to check if the meter is on, otherwise you will get charged a lot.