Lisbon is Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city. From imposing São Jorge Castle, the view encompasses the old city’s pastel-coloured buildings, Tagus Estuary and Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge. Nearby, the National Azulejo Museum displays 5 centuries of decorative ceramic tiles. Just outside Lisbon is a string of Atlantic beaches, from Cascais to Estoril.
To get from the Airport into the city you can use the metro. Purchas tickets from one of the row of machines in the Metro entrance. A single ticket costs €1.80, plus €0.50 to purchase the card. You can re-load multiple single tickets or day tickets starting from €6.60. The tickets can be used on the Metro, buses trams & funiculars. Tap your ticket on the machine as you get on. Single tickets are valid for 60 minutes after first validation. Day tickets last 24 hours after validation.
Funiculars etc {"Gen" provided by great friend and fellow "beer geek" Valerie Hollows}
Bica Funicular (Portuguese: Elevador/Ascensor da Bica)
It will cost you two transport tickets for a return journey on this funicular (as long as you return within 60 minutes) or €4.10 each way. Tap your transport card on the machine just inside the bottom station. It connects the Rua de São Paulo with Calçada do Combro/Rua do Loreto. It opened in 1892 and is powered by electric. Expect queues?
Glória Funicular (Portuguese: Elevador/Ascensor da Glória)
Connecting the Pombaline downtown (at the Restauradores Square) with the Bairro Alto (Garden/ Overlook of São Pedro de Alcântara) the Gloria funicular will cost you 1 travel ticket or €4.10 for a return journey. Tap your card on the machine just behind the driver. It was inaugurated on 24 October 1885, propelled by a water-powered counterweight system, and replaced with a steam-powered mechanism by 1886. It is now run on electricity. There are queues to get on at the weekend, but it's quieter during the week.
Lavra Funicular (Portuguese: Elevador/Ascensor do Lavra)
Opening in 1884, Lavra is the oldest funicular in Lisbon. The 188m-long funicular connects Largo da Anunciada to Rua Câmara Pestana in the parishes of Santo António and Arroios. To travel on it it will cost you 1 transport ticket or €4.10 return. Tap your ticket on the machine on entry.
Santa Justa Lift (Portuguese: Elevador de Santa Justa)
Located in the historic centre of Lisbon. It connects the lower streets of the Baixa with the higher Largo do Carmo (Carmo Square). It opened in 1899. Expect queues for this most of the time, as its very popular with tourist's, Elevator: € 6 (£ 5) (round-trip ticket) the Viewpoint is an additional € 1.50 (£ 1.20) although we cannot be certain we believe it costs 1 transport ticket to travel on it? The Elevador de Santa Justa stands 147 ft (45m) tall and the structure is built in the same style as the renowned French architect, the Eiffel. The similarity between his designs and this Elevator is not accidental, as it was built by Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard, who was an admirer of Gustave Eiffel and applied the same techniques used in some of the funiculars in France of the time. The Lift has a stunning observation deck at the top and offers magnificent views over Baixa. Since it was opened to the public, it has become one of the most popular viewpoints in Lisbon. Curiously, this lift can carry 20 people upwards, but can only take 15 people down. Nevertheless, when it was first inaugurated, it held up to 24 people.
So back to the beer. Lisbon has 14 (November 2024) breweries and quite a few decent bars to keep your thirst quenched for a few days vacation. So as normal lets start with the breweries;
Dois Corvos Marvila Tap Room Rua Capitão Leitão 94
Open:Tues-Thu: 15:00 - 23:00, Fri & Sat: 15:00 - 01:00
Nice taproom (and brewery) on a side street in dodgy area of the town. Located in an old warehouse/factory this is one of the better breweries in the city. The interior has a "funky" décor with about 10 tables for seating and the bar is in front the brewery. Its a mix of local's and beer-geek's. There are 12 beers on tap and some bottles, the staff speak English, card payments are accepted and flights served (flights are for their own beers only, so guest taps are proper size portions). You can combine visit here with Musa taproom (Same bus, same stop) Overall a cool vibe.
Dois Corvos Intendente Taproom, Rua dos Anjos 16B
Open: Wed - Mon 16.00 - 00.00 Tues Closed
Great craft beer from the one and only Dois Corvos Brewery in Lisbon right in the centre of town. 12 taps of beers ranging from lagers to barrel aged stouts and and an amazing assortment of beers in bottle and cans. There's a kitchen also, you can get some amazing cheese plates that goes really well with beer.
Pravda Craft Mission, R. Afonso Annes Penedo 18
Open: Tues - Sun 15.00 -23.00
Ukrainian beer in Lisbon! Opended September 2024. A great opportunity to try quality craft beer, brewed in Ukraine. Good choice, quality and price. Excellent service, atmosphere and team. Good location, next to the taprooms of some other Portuguese craft breweries in the so-called Beer District of Lisbon. This is a small cosy bar with around 10 beers on tap supplemented by a few more bottles in the fridge. A nice addition to this area of Lisbon.
Fermentage, R. Cap. Leitão 1B
Open: 15.00 - 23.00 Daily
A true Portuguese brewpub with awesome beers, good variety and well made. It's a cosy place where you can go with a group of friends, play some games, attend quiz night or just chill on your own :) The staff is nice and friendly, willing to help you choose the perfect drink. Either craft beer, or a non-alcoholic drinks like kombucha or the special organic sodas. Super relaxed and fun vibes. A cool concept here. Friendly service and yummy food.
Duque Brewpub, Calçada do Duque 49-51
Open: Sun-Wed:15:00 - 00:00, Thu-Sat:15:00 -01:00
Located halfway up the Colcado do Duque flights of steps that start at the railway station and finish halfway to heaven! (so you are definatly in need of a good beer after the climb) It's a small cosy place with a handful of tables inside, maybe 6 outside and if the sun is shining the outside tables are the best place to sit and sink a few cold one's. Flights of their beers are available, although a tad pricey. There are around 9 different craft beers on tap, many of which are their own, and around 50 different bottled craft beers.
LisPoa Craft Beer, R. Nova do Desterro 29D
Open: Wed - Sat 18.00 - late?
A super cosy Brewpub with beers brewed on site. The beers🍺 here are tasty and satisfying. Worth the walk out of the main routes into a neighbourhood. A welcoming owner and patrons. A tiny bar inside with only 3 tables and a couple of shelves with high stools. The brewery is next door and can be seen through a window. There are 7 beers from Lispoa on sale plus 3 guests from other Lisbon breweries. Nearest metro is Interdente. Also not far from the top of the Lavra funicular.
Cerveja Independente Musa, Rua do Açúcar 83
Open: 16:00 to late daily
This is probably the nicest and trendiest off all the brewpubs. With a great atmosphere, really friendly staff and great ambiance, music and architecture, it is divided in two parts, tap room and brewery. If you go up stair you can have a look of the brewery area. Service is OK. The food is decent and of course the 12 taps (+flights) make it well suited to while away lots of time tasting beer. The best way to get here is to take bus No. 728 from central. It brings you pretty much to the front door .
Musa da Bica, Calçada de Salvador Correia de Sá 2A
Open: Mon - Thurs 17.00 - 01.00 Fri - SUn 13.00 - 02.00
Musa beer is everywhere in Lisbon and this is the Brewery Tap. I'm not sure too much about the history of the brewery or why it's so successful, but it is the provider of one of the most consistently decent pints out there. A nice cosy bar with outside benches tilted at a comically jaunty angle. The staff are super friendly and it has a decent buzz about it going into the evening. Bus 774 will take you there or one of 3 funiculars that can be found in Lisbon.
AMO Brewery, R. Bernardim Ribeiro 53
Open Wed - Sat 17.00 - 22.00 or later?
A tiny microbrewery located in a residential neighbourhood (not in the tourist district) with a dozen or so distinct brews from across the spectrum (IPAs to stouts, and in between). They even do freshly baked pretzels to enjoy with your beer! The brewery itself is quite small. Plus the owner may give you a tour if you are lucky? Seating is on picnic benches right outside on the sidewalk with a nice mix of locals with some tourist's. Nearest metro is Picoas
Quimera Brewpub, Rua Prior 6,
Open: Sun 17:00-0:00 Wed - Sat 17:00-01:00 - Closed Mon-Tue
Situated in Alcântara, in a tunnel/cave that is very cosy, plus there is a little seating area outside. The bar has 12 beers on tap, all Portugese micros including 2 house beers. Flight of 3 are served. (Cellphone reception is non-existent in this tunnel) this specialist craft beer pub usually and is definitely one of the best in town, as the owner is very passionate about beer. A good mix of locals and beergeeks make this a must do bar.
Musa de Marvila, R. do Vale Formoso 9
Open@ Tues - Fri 17.00 - 00.00 Sat - Sun 13.00 - 03.00
Maybe one of the coolest breweries around? The place is really cool. An outside area, two floors, fusball table and you can also take a peek on the brewery itself. Having a bar inside (base level) and on the rooftop, each with their own beer and food menu, is a fun concept. They have 9 beers from their own brewery, 9 beers inside in the brewery and 15 beers in the taproom. Some of the same beers are available on all 3 bars. One downside if you wish to talk: the music is very loud inside. Located a little further north from Dois Corvos / Fermentage / Pravda and also on bus 728 route.
Canil, R. dos Douradores 133
Open: Daily 11:00 - 02:00
A new (early 2019) and very different concept in Lisbon, located only a short walk from the Rossio Metro station, down one of the quieter roads in central Lisbon. With 32 taps and tons of bottles this is very aggressive for Lisbon (where the best bars have around 12 taps normally). Tasters, flights and half pours available which is of course great for ticking. There own beers are contract brewed at the moment and are not the greatest? Service is adequate. Go for the ticks, but be wary as some of the beers may be stale?
Sant’Ana LX Brewery, Rua Bernardim Ribeiro 53
Open: Only open Fri 14:00-22:00
To actually find this small garage brewery that is well off the beaten tracks is like the "Crystal Maze" itself! It is hidden on a tiny street and the only access is through a narrow passage, luckily it is sign posted, but still...!? This place is definitely a hidden gem, but if the main gate is locked, just go back around the corner. The inside is cosy and there’s a tiny outdoor seating area. Very quaint and you can tell they work hard in this space. The brew dude has a real passion for brewing and is old school and knows the scene very well. The beers show a high degree of dedication and promising quality. You can try the beers from 4 taps, and also bottles. We worth making the effort to find this place. Its also a home-brew shop. Otto says a highly recommended place to visit if you're in Lisbon.
Taproom 8a Colina, Rua Damasceno Monteiro, n 8A
Open: Mon - Fri 16:00 - 23:00 Sat - Sun 12:00 - 23:00 (or later)
Located high up a hill with a nice view of the city. Get ready to break a sweat if you are walking. A busy little local, quite spartan more like a 1960'2 cafe with 3 window seats outside and a few basic tables and chiars inside, but hey its all about the 10 taps serving some of the best beers in town, cheap flights and fun food (Definitely go here for lunch!), this is a unique craft brewery with a cool vibe. Excellent beers, that cover a wide spectrum of beer styles! The staff are always available to give you a tip on what to drink. Well worth going back and back again.
............ and so to the craft beer bars of Lisbon;
Cerveteca Lisboa, Praça das Flores 62
Open: Sun-Thu 15:30-01:00 - Fri-Sat 15:30-02:00
This is a small beer bar located on a corner near a pocket sized park, slightly off the town centre in the 'cool' part of town? close to hip cocktail bars, restaurants and coffee shops (and possibly the first specialist beer bar in Lisbon). It's an unassuming beer bar not obvious from the outside, and easy to walk past. Expect a good tap list, with half foreign options, half Portuguese beers.A nice range of bottles both shelf and fridge, very well chosen, lots of Belgian, UK, US. plus flights of 5 are available, there are 6 taps and 2 cask beer engines! (quite a rarity) They serve beer nibbles, friendly staff make this a great place to chill out.
Flor de Lúpulo, R. Passos Manuel 102C
Open Mon - Sat 16.30 - 22.30
This is a multi-tap cellar bar. Mainly comfortable seating and a couple of tables with stools only. 10 beers on tap and plenty of cans and bottles in the 2 double fridges. Bartender is super nice and lovely
Sputnik Craft Beer, R. Andrade 41A
Open: Daily 17.00 - 00.00
If you love a great beer and why not? Stop at Sputnik Craft Beer 🤪. A large selection of Portuguese craft beer on draft at reasonable prices, and loads of cans and bottles from all over. Nice vibes here!
Outro Lado, Beco do Arco Escuro 1
Open: Tue-Thu: 16:00-01:00 - Fri-Sat: 16:00-02:00 - Closed on Sun - Mon
Quite central located in the heart of Lisbon on a bit hidden street Lisbon style? Quite a spacious big cave! The cave vibe is very cool, you enter through the huge warehouse style doors the bar is up to your right hand side.There are 15 taps or so and seemingly quite a few bottles with a big Portuguese selection. Previously known as "Lisbeer" this has place been taken over and re-fitted by a couple of friendly young Good service. Foreign beers included basic selections of breweries like Chimay, Flying Dog, De Molen,… Potentially exciting for Portuguese people I suppose but not for beergeeks but well worth seeking out.
The Queen Ale, Largo do Tab. 9
Open: Daily 12:00 - 00:00
Great discovery for a craft beer fan. Nestled up and away from the main touristy areas, one can find excellent local (Portugal) craft beers along with imported brews. It's quite a small cosy bar, with seating for about 8-10 inside all though a good amount of seating outside. About 8-10 taps with mostly Portuguese beers It's a pleasant place to sit in the sunshine, (might be somewhat difficult if the weather is bad).
Crafty Corner, Travessa de Corpo Santo n15
Open: Daily 4pm - 2am
A small comfortable friendly bar which was just one street from the waterfront near Pink Street. They have 12 taps of quality Portuguese craft beer, flights of 5 different beer's, which seemed to be popular are available. The food is very good. They also have a selection of bottles you can buy to take away. A great quiet spot when you want to chill out
Brew!, R. Nova do Almada 14
Open: Daily 12.00 to late?
Another great Cervejaria in Lisbon. A great selection of beers on tap (they are on the untappd app). The pizza is decent, and the service is great. They have tasters, which aren't on the menu, and worth doing to try several of the beers. Grab a seat next to the open windows if you can, as it gets warm there in the summer sun. A bit of a "BrewDog" clone! Located on the tram 28 line. Easily walkable too.
Delirium Café Lisboa, Calçada Nova de São Francisco 2A
Open: Mon-Thu 12-1, Fri-Sat 12-2, Sun 16-24
The entrance to this is up a flight of steps (Calcada) just a short walk from the huge Baixa Chiado Metro Station. Yes it is in tourist trap central, surrounded by restaurants but it does off something a little different for Lisbon. It is smallish for this chain but friendly welcoming. There are Portuguese beers on offer, and the Belgian beers were fairly generic, (about 18 taps). It was good to get a table by one of the balconies for a view along the shopping street below. It is what it is.
Cervejaria Trindade, R. Nova da Trindade 20C
Open: Daily 12.00 - 00.00
Located not far from Duque Brewpub in the Bairro Alto district. It's a true gem that masterfully blends exquisite Portuguese cuisine with a stunning ambiance. From the moment you step inside, you're surrounded by the beautiful and thoughtfully curated décor, which sets the perfect tone for an unforgettable dining experience. The atmosphere is both elegant and inviting, making it an ideal spot for a relaxed evening out or a special celebration. They also have 4 local beers on tap. Really good place you you fancy treating yourself to a good meal.
Libeerdade, Rua de Santa Marta 27A
Temporarily closed November 2024?
Probably the best beer shop in town, this is a little place just what every neighbourhood needs. Located just 2 minutes from Avenida Metro on Avenida Da Liberdade, this is a well positioned beer shop for central Lisbon. The owner is passionate and tireless about her shop and the beers. There is a excellent hand selection of 150+ bottles, from Portuguese craft breweries such as Musa, Barona, Oitava Colina, Bauer Lopes & Passarola as well as bottles from English, Belgium & Spanish breweries. Events, beer releases and finding the latest and greatest solo is no easy task, her shop is tiny, but she carries what she knows and she knows good beer. Four taps of stuff hard to find beers and a large selection of UK craft.
Lisbon Beer Tours (tour) – Offers several tours and workshops, including a workshop where you learn how to make your own craft beer.
Ground Burger Santa Apolonia, Av. Infante Dom Henrique 9
Open: Daily 12.00 - 00.00
Located close to Santa Apolónia metro station. They serve 20 beers on tap from breweries in Portugal and around the world and a further 190 beers in bottles or cans as well as cider and kombucha.On the 728 bus. Basically a burger cafe with great views of the sea. Note also another location at;
Ground Burger, 148 Av. António Augusto de Aguiar
A similar set up and with the same amount of beers, worth a stop if passing.
I hope you found my guide to the brewpubs and bars in Lisbon useful?
Now you just need to get yourself out there and start the beer adventure for yourself!
Go grab a locally brewed pint (or 2) and support your local brewers!
R.I.P.
21 Brewpub Gallas, Rua Angelina Vidal 53A
A small and cosy little bar with half a dozen small pine tables and seating at the bar and in the window. There is a great selection of craft/local beers to Lisbon & Portugal plus flights so enough to keep a ticker happy. G. Gallas has won multiple awards for design, however the taste is easily the best aspect of the brew. Really nice staff and if visiting Lisbon I would highly recommend this place. Reasonable price and great service.
Cerveja Lince, Rua do Açucar 76, Armazém 8
Only accessible by calling first to arrange a tour. The brew dude is also the owner and is very friendly and welcoming. It is a small brewery and they usually have 4 tap with their beers on for you to sample, also their beers are sold nearby.
Cervejaria Artesanal Adamastor, Rua Marechal Saldana 13
A small dark bar with no patio but with air conditioning and a very welcoming German-Portuguese owner. The best way to get here was on the 28E Tram which stops just round the corner. It is friendly inside but the streets nearby are somewhat edgy with dodgy dealings going on. They have their own beers available plus some interesting guest Portuguese craft beers (Musa, Marafada, 8a Colina, Pato, Dois Corvos, etc). It's trying hard to be among the best in town and is worth the time and effort to get there.
Cervetoria, Avenida Rovisco Pais 6A
Great craft beer place, close to a lot of public transports and, most important, Three taps with one local craft brewery and has a great variety of craft beers from all around the world. The place has a cozy feel to it and even tops it with great snacks and foods. Recommended for a chill time with friends, or with co-workers after working hours.
Zymology, Av. Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro, 12, Pav 16, Bloco B
A craft beer shop owned by Rolim Carmo, who’s also the head brewer at Mean Sardine. The shop is based in Mafra, which is around 45 minutes outside of Lisbon..