Lively Lisbon is a Queer Traveler’s Dream

by Paul Heney
Last updated: 8:15 AM ET, Wed November 27, 2024

Portugal is widely considered as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in the world, having made same-sex marriage legal way back in 2010—the eighth nation to do so. Today, it ranks as the 13th most queer-friendly country in the world according to Equaldex’s World Equality Index, ahead of countries like Australia, the U.S., and France.

As such, queer travelers have flocked to the country’s dynamic capital, Lisbon. The city boasts more than half a million residents, with almost three million in the metro area, fully one-quarter of the country’s population. And Lisbon has an intense LGBTQ scene, with lots for travelers to experience.

Stay Right

While Lisbon has endless lodging options, two particularly queer properties will leave travelers feel connected to both the city and the community.

On our recent visit, we stayed at (and loved) The Late Birds Lisbon, which bills itself as a gay urban resort. This welcoming guesthouse, run by Carlos Sanches Ruivo and General Manager Assistant Filipe Cruz, is a clean property with a minimalistic design ethic and picturesque outdoor pool area. We also appreciated the relaxed, comfortable public areas. All rooms come with highspeed internet and a widescreen iMac—not to mention gorgeous hardwood floors. Guests also enjoy a fantastic buffet breakfast (prepared by Carlos' husband, Charles) each morning.

This welcoming guesthouse, run by Carlos Sanches Ruivo and his husband Filipe Cruz, is a clean property with a minimalistic design ethic and picturesque outdoor pool area. We also appreciated the relaxed, comfortable public areas. All rooms come with highspeed internet and a widescreen iMac—not to mention gorgeous hardwood floors. Guests also enjoy a fantastic buffet breakfast each morning.

We were impressed by the staff’s friendliness, as well as the property’s central location, making it easy to play tourist as soon as we walked out the door. And The Late Birds is a short walk from most of the queer nightlife in town. The property also features a wonderful library of queer books and art. Plus, an optional sunset cruise in conjunction with the property gives guests another way to see the city amongst friendly faces.

Across the river, we also visited Villa 3 Caparica, a high-end gay male resort hotel that’s popular with the Bear community. Owners Eddy Van Wallendael and husband António Marcos were inspired by gay resorts in Palm Springs, Provincetown, and Fort Lauderdale—and decided to replicate the concept in Lisbon. Their vision is impression, and we loved the expansive pool area. The resort opened in 2019 and includes a large sauna and steam room; a popular local beach is a short Uber ride away.

There are 13 rooms for guests, with another building to be constructed shortly, bringing the total up to 20 rooms. Most guests stay a week or two, especially in the summertime. Van Wallendael explained that comfort and friendliness are their key focuses, and they promote comradery amongst guests. Day passes are offered, ranging from 20-25 Euros. The owners also run Bear-oriented Tr3s Lisboa in the city, which recently celebrated its 14th anniversary.

Supporting the Community

Lisbon’s queer nightlife is fantastic, and we were able to experience so much in a short time, as there are many bars and clubs to experience.

Construction Bar is located on the site of one of the city’s first LGBTQ bars, so the site is revered by locals. The bar is long and takes up a large swath of the space. The space is modern with a metallic industrial vibe. The small dance space was used well by those in attendance and there was a nice, varied crowd of both men and women.

Side Bar is owned by husband who founded it in 2003. It’s a riot of pink and glitter and disco balls crammed into a space that somehow feels way bigger than it is. We loved it! It was crowded the Saturday night that we visited and people were so friendly here. We Americans from New Mexico and Colorado who were eager to talk about their favorite Lisbon places.

Shelter Bar attracted a very diverse crowd, with people from the bear, leather, and puppy communities and some women. It was crowded inside, and more than 100 people spilled onto the sidewalk outside, where people socialized, for a very fun vibe.

Finalmente, considered a heritage queer spot in Portugal, hosted a dynamic drag show at 11 p.m. on Saturday, with a nice stage area and some talented queens. Another iconic local queer bar to visit is the long-popular TRUMPS (in spite of the name), which is a disco spot.

Two other queer-owned businesses to check out are a local sauna and a surprising restaurant.

SaunApolo 56 is run by the lovely Alexandra “Kiki” Pais de Sousa, a trans woman who was a trans pioneer in Portugal and a bit of a local icon—not to mention a stunning fashionista. Unlike many gay-oriented saunas, this one forbids drugs and smoking, is welcoming to straight and bisexual clients, and is clean and modern. Opened in 2011, Kiki renovated the space during Covid, and it features a Turkish bath area with hot and cold showers and even a cinema room that holds a dozen or more guests. Many of her clients are foreigners.

And plan to have a meal at Bistro Edelweiss, a Swiss restaurant run by husbands who hail from the central European country. Marc Lupien deftly runs the restaurant while his chef husband Ädu Wahlen prepares fantastic and authentic cuisine. The restaurant always seems to be bustling, and you’ll feel transported by the fun and eclectic interior, ranging from skis on the wall to ancient CRT televisions, arranged as unique art.

Tour Around

We decided to get out of town for one day, and selected a tour to Obidos, Nazare, and Porto through The Tour Guy. We departed from central Lisbon on a luxurious bus early in the morning. Our guide, Ricardo, was bilingual and excellent (and interestingly, a former contestant on The Voice-Portugal). He mixed history, personal stories, and just the right amount of humor as we explored the three stops. And he smartly let us all nap during some of the longer stretches on the road—we’ve been on plenty of tours where the guide never stopped talking, but Ricardo understood his audience’s needs.

We visited Obidos, a fascinating medieval walled city, Nazare, a coastal surfing hotspot that also features a historical center, and Porto, Portugal’s second city and former capital. (Not to mention home of port wine, and the starting spot to the popular Douro river cruises.) There was a nice combination of guided time and free time, where we were free to explore, grab food or coffee, and shop.

The Tour Guy also features a nice variety of tours in Lisbon (and around the world), including city tours, food and wine-focused tours, art and culturally focused tours, and various day trips.

Lisbon will be hosting Euro Pride in 2025, the first time the country has done so—thus, consider that a perfect opportunity to visit this fascinating destination next summer, if not sooner.

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