The Ultimate City Guide for Lisbon

Making the move to a new place can be nerve-wracking, and you may find yourself doubting whether you’re making the right decision.! But one thing is for sure, you won’t ever regret your choice of moving to sunny Portugal to study, especially in the city of Lisbon! There are so many things to do in Lisbon to keep you inspired throughout your study time and even more to keep you entertained and relaxed during that all important down time. So much so that you might not even miss home!

Portugal is known to be one of the least expensive destinations in Europe and as a result there’s loads of fun and free things to do in Lisbon for students that are perfect for enjoying student life without breaking the bank.

There are countless fun things to do in Lisbon for students. A few of the must-do and must-see fun things to keep you on your toes are:

Lisbon’s aquarium (or oceanarium) is one of the largest of its kind in the world – holding almost the equivalent of four Olympic swimming pools in the main tank! It’s also relatively unique in that it is a home to over 25,000 different sea animals. Here you can marvel at the stunning sea turtles, or you can catch a rare glimpse of the beautiful giant sunfish. It’s not very often you get to visit animals from four different climates in one day, so why not take a trip to Oceanário de Lisboa? It’s definitely one of our top things to do in Lisbon if you’re a student.

For an art lover’s guide to Lisbon, you are at the home of a world of different museums to spare that inspiration inside of you for your next projects or simply to help you wind down at the end of the day by gazing into a dreamy piece of art to take you away to your own little world for a few moments. The Berardo Museum and National Museum of Tile both offer student discounts on entry every day of the week.! The Berardo Museum is also one of the best free things to do in Lisbon as a student, especially if you visit on a Saturday for the special weekend events. Visiting a museum is the perfect way to enjoy Lisbon, whilst staying out of the summer heat!

The Carmo Archaeological Museum is also one of our top things to do in Lisbon for students, because you can marvel at the artefacts and beautiful ruins of the Carmo Church (damaged in 1755 by a big earthquake) for just €4.

What could be more fun than sailing along the Portuguese coast and partying at the same time? This is a must-do on our guide to Lisbon for students because it’s a great way to unwind and take a well-deserved break from studying or a reward for hitting that deadline! You can see the true beauty of the city with the wind in your hair, whilst meeting new people and enjoying music from some of Lisbon’s greatest DJs.

We know that budgeting is a key part of student living. As a result, we’ve compiled our best free things to do in Lisbon:

Easily one of the top things to do in Lisbon is visiting the viewpoints around the city where you can see some amazing sites and take some fantastic photos. One of the easiest to get to is Miradouro das Portas do Sol, which is centrally located and gives a panoramic view of the Alfama neighbourhood, there is also the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, Miradouro de Graça and Miradouro Sao Pedro de Alcantara viewpoints where you can see far and wide across Lisbon including the beautiful castle.

Fado is a fantastically lively Portuguese music genre that’s definitely worth a listen, and there’s always plenty of free shows to attend making it super budget friendly night out for students, especially when friends and family come to visit. We recommend catching a free Fado show at Tasca de Chico in Alfama, which is a firm local favourite. Although be sure to reserve a table or arrive early to avoid missing out! These types of shows usually also have some of the best Lisbon cheap eats if you fancy a snack while you’re there.

A free Lisbon walking tour is the perfect way to see the city as a student and learn more about the history, culture, and hidden gems of Lisbon to help inspire your student life here.

There are plenty of free walking tours on offer, most of which have themes like Portuguese history or architecture, making them a fantastic way to learn about your new home and surroundings.

Hopefully you’ve got a good idea of what Lisbon has to offer for your student life in Portugal. 

At Nido Living, we aim to provide you with the best student living experience. If you want a comfortable, modern and community-centred student accommodation in Portugal, check out our Lisbon student accommodation or get in touch to see how we can help you kick start your student life in Portugal.