During our month in Lisbon we spent most evenings watching the sunset or grabbing a drink before dinner—usually both. May was the perfect time to visit. The days were warm and sunny and sunset was late. Although there were plenty of tourists, it wasn’t as busy as the summer months.

Catch the Sunset & Grab a Drink in Lisbon

If you’re planning a trip to Lisbon, here are some of the best spots we found for sunset views and adult beverages.

CATCHING SUNSET

MIRADOURO DA GRAÇA

Here you can order drinks at the cafe or wander to the little shop down the street for cheap beers to enjoy with this panoramic city view. We came here often and twice we were lucky enough to be serenaded with live music. Show up a little early to get the best seat and enjoy the people watching.

MIRADOURO DA SENHORA DO MONTE 

The view is a bit higher up and we actually preferred Miradouro da Graça over this spot for sunset. Both get busy, but with less places to sit here it felt a bit over-crowded. If you’re looking for a place to relax with a view during the day, this is it.   

MIRADOURO DE SANTA CATARINA 

This was where the locals hang out. Everyone bought beers at the store down the street to share while listening to live music, dancing, and catching up with friends. I recommend grabbing food at Ink—the falafel shop nearby—for a spectacularly scenic picnic. 

GRAB A DRINK

 O CORVO

Grab a cold drink on this adorable little outdoor patio nestled in between beautifully tiled buildings. If you haven’t tried vinho verde, you’re missing out. It’s a lightly sparkling Portuguese wine made from young grapes. It’s crisp, refreshing and perfect after sight-seeing on a warm afternoon.

RIO MARAVILHA

Head to the LX Factory for rooftop drinks at Rio Maravilha with views of the 25 de Abril Bridge and Christ the King statue. Afterwards, check out this industrial complex where you’ll find book stores, art galleries and trendy clothing stores.   

CAN THE CAN

You’ll find this fun restaurant, CAN the CAN, in the busy Praça do Comércio. Everything from the food to the inside decor is made from aluminum cans. They have great appetizers and small plates, but this champagne sangria was the highlight on a hot day. Being in a tourist area makes this place pricier than the others on our list, but here you’re paying for the location and unique decor. 

PARK

To access this cleverly named bar you’ll have to go to the top of a large parking garage until you reach the rooftop. It had a nice garden atmosphere, tons of young people–both locals and tourists, decent drink prices, and a great view of the city!

GINJINHA

Ginja is offered all over the city–little old ladies even sell it outside their homes in the neighborhood of Alfama. This famous spot, Ginjinha, usually has a line out the door. Here you can get a shot of the famous cherry infused wine for around 1 euro. It’s a tradition you just can’t skip. Although this is the most popular spot, our favorite was in Alfama at a little bar that served the drink in a shot glass made of chocolate. I prefer all my beverages come in an edible chocolate glass if we’re being honest here.

HAVE A DRINK ON YOUR OWN PATIO

Wine is fairly inexpensive at bars and restaurants in Lisbon in comparison to US prices, but it’s even less at the grocery store. On our walking tour of the city, our guide explained the Portugal wine situation to us.

“If you go to the store and buy a bottle of wine for 1.50 – 3 euro, it will be decent, probably even good. Spend 5 euro, it will be good, maybe very good. But, if you spend 10 euro, you will unpack your bags and never leave Portugal.”

He was right. The wine is fabulous, inexpensive and made me never want to leave Portugal. Vinho verde is our favorite, but the rosé is a close second. 

While these are some of our favorite places, there are endless opportunities to watch the sunset and find a fabulous restaurant or bar everywhere you turn in this amazing city. Chances are, whatever you stumble across, you won’t the disappointed.

Do you have any favorite spots I missed?