I first fell hard for this city in the summer of 2019. The pastéis and crisp Verdejo went down far too easily poolside at my adorable little gay boutique hotel called the late birds lisbon. If you can’t get a reservation hotel you can still get a pool pass for the day. And really that’s all you need, but the rooms are as beautiful as the staff are friendly. And the local eye candy? Let’s just say the scenery was doing the absolute most. But what really did me in was the sheer volume of art being made and the major installations scattered across this vibrant place. If you’re used to New York, this gorgeous neighborhood mecca—just a hop, skip, and a flirt across the pond—has everything you’re craving. Skip the typical expat haunts, though. Stay off the well-trodden circuit and you’ll get the real thing: an authentic, art-soaked experience that sticks with you long after you’ve flown home.

The murals and frescos that cover the city’s walls are a draw all on their own (pun fully intended). Each one tells a different story and throws another splash of color and attitude onto the urban stage. And that’s only the start. Nearly every park comes with a charming little kiosk where you can nurse a steaming coffee, a cold beer, a glass of that same perfect Verdejo, and a plate of something delicious while the city hums around you.

You cannot leave Portugal without at least one pastel de nata. Once a friend introduced me to these golden, custard-filled miracles that surely the gods invented on a particularly generous day, I was ruined for ordinary breakfasts. You’ll go to bed already excited about waking up just so you can have another. Yes. They’re that good.

Waterside Cais do Sodré is still my favorite stretch to wander. By day it’s relaxed and sunny; by night it turns into a lively dining-and-drinking scene. The food court in the 19th-century Mercado da Ribeira is pure chaos in the best way—eclectic stalls serving everything from international plates to Portuguese classics. Traditional fado drifts out of the restaurants and bars along “Pink Street,” and the Ribeira das Naus promenade along the Tagus is pure magic when the weather cooperates.

One afternoon, walking down Rua Poiais de São Bento, I finally found exactly what I’d been looking for: the work of Nicolae Negură at the UMA Galleria . His pieces mix expressive figuration, vintage comic-book energy, and vivid emotional storytelling. Working in acrylics, Indian ink, and mixed media, he creates intimate portraits that dig into identity, vulnerability, and what it feels like to be human right now. Standing in front of them felt like the perfect full-circle moment—Lisbon’s art scene at its most personal and magnetic.

So pack light, bring an appetite (for both food and beauty), and give yourself over to the city. Lisbon doesn’t just rival New York’s creative pulse—it seduces you into staying a little longer than you planned.

Do a double check for times and days as they can change on a whim.