World City Guide

Nightlife

With whole areas of the city being turned over to the pursuit of pleasure and traffic jams at 0400-0500 at the weekend (and increasingly during the week as well), it is obvious that Lisbon is a city that takes its nightlife seriously. Traditionally, the nightlife centre has been Bairro Alto, with its fado clubs, traditional, canteen-style bars and upscale discos. The simplest thing is to walk in and out of a number of them, ordering an imperial (half pint), or a caneca (pint) if the place looks especially inviting. The bars are open until 0400, often with lock-ins. The average price of a beer in Lisbon is ¬2 and the minimum age for purchasing alcohol is 16 years.

A few years ago, much of the action moved on to the Docas (Docks) district, situated just to the east of Ponte 25 de Abril. One bar after another occupies a row of converted warehouses at the Doca de Santo Amaro, with a crowded promenade and tables out front. Back towards the city, the Doca de Alcântara is another favourite with Lisbon’s moneyed professionals and the ‘in’ crowd, although there have recently been problems with drugs that have led to tough and off-putting door policies. The current en vogue spot is around raffish Santa Apolonia, although things are a bit more hit and miss than they are at Biarro Alto, despite the presence of Lux, Lisbon’s most renowned nightclub (see below). At around 0200, many locals head to the multitude of discos, which rock until 0600 or later. Some Lisbon clubs leave the cover charge to the doorman’s discretion and entrance can cost anything from zero to ¬5-12 (often including some drinks).

The Time Out website (www.timeout.com ) is a good source of information on new bars, clubs and restaurants in Lisbon.

Bars: Along the row of buildings east of Ponte 25 de Abril, you can take your pick of the competing bars, including nightlife delights such as the popular Celtas Iberos Irish Bar, Doca de Santo Amaro. Finding a place in Bairro Alto is a bit more complicated – the best thing to do is to walk uphill from the Praça Luís de Camões, just to the west of the Chiado metro station. Clube da Esquina, Rua Barroca 30, is a trendy, minimalist bar that is popular with the local cool crowd. Rua da Atalaia is one of the more lively streets and the welcoming Portas Largas, Rua da Atalaia 105, is a good place to start, although it is sometimes taken over by private parties or DJ events that demand a high cover charge. Di Vino, Rua da Atalaia 160, is a haven for wine lovers, with occasional live music, while the Instituto do Vinho do Porto, Rua de Sao Pedro, claims to have over three hundred different varieties of port. Arroz Doce, Rua de Sao Pedro 117-119, is a traditional canteen-style bar and a good place to order a pontapé na cona. Fátima Lopes, Rua de Sao Pedro 36, is a swish bar with funky sofas and dancefloor. Punters can also shop for the eponymous designer’s fashions until 0400. Work in Progress (WIP), Rua da Bica Duarte Belo 47-49, is a more laid-back place with exposed brick walls and ambient music.

The current fashion in Lisbon is for restaurant/bars and one of the most hip spots at the moment is Bica do Sapato, Avenida Infante D Henrique, in the Santa Apolonia district. Housed in a revamped warehouse on the waterfront, this lounge bar cum restaurant cum sushi bar attracts the local smart set and Portuguese celebrities. American actor John Malkovich is said to be one of the investors.

Casinos: Casino Estoril, Praça Jose Teodoro dos Santos, Estoril (website: www.casino-estoril.pt ), is one of the largest and best-known casinos in Europe. There is a charge of ¬2.50 for the gaming rooms (excluding slot machines) and visitors must be over 18 years, wear smart-casual attire and provide ID.

Clubs: There are a number of clubs around Doca de Alcântara. There is not a huge difference music-wise between them. Kings and Queens, Doca de Alcântara, attracts boys and girls of all persuasions. Kremlin, Rua Escadinhas da Praia 5, and nearby Kapital, Avenida 24 de Julho 68, are both popular – the former plays techno in Egyptian-style surroundings, while the latter has three floors, each with a different style. The city’s hottest spot is still the ultra stylish Lux, Rua Gustavo Matos Sequeira 42, with John Malkovich said to be among those behind the funky mega-club. There is now a ¬12 cover charge but this includes the same value of drinks. Lux can be ticket only when big international DJs come to visit. In addition to the dancefloor, attractions include a lounge area with voluminous red latex beanbags and an outdoor terrace with views over the river.

Live Music: Fado is a form of music that developed in Lisbon’s sailor bars during the late 18th century. It is a mournful, romantic singing style that fits somewhere between blues and flamenco and bemoans the death of Portugal’s great Golden Age. These traditional sounds are best heard at one of the casa de fado, from about 2100-2200. Fado houses include Adega Machado, Rua Norte 91, Adega Mesquita, Rua Diàrio de Noctícias 107, A Severa, Rua das Gàveas 51–61 and Clube de Fado, Rua S. João da Prça 92-94. Visitors should be aware that most fado clubs charge at least a ¬10 entrance fee and increasingly are becoming the sole preserve of tourists in the high season.

Hot Clube de Portugal, Praça de Alegria 38-39, is a favourite for jazz sessions. On Thursday, live jazz is also played at Catacumbas Jazz-Bar, Rua da Rosa 154. For African and Brazilian music, try Lontra, Rua de São Bento 157, in Bairro Alto, and Pê Sujo, Rua Madalena 102-8, near the cathedral in the Alfama district. Large concerts can be seen at the Atlântico Pavilion, Rossio dos Olivais (tel: (21) 891 8409.; fax: (21) 891 8413.; e-mail: info@atlantico-multiusos.pt; website: www.atlantico-multiusos.pt ), in the Parque das Nações (see Sightseeing).