Why Lisbon Is A Top Sustainable Destination

By Eduardo Lera Latorre

Lisbon, a destination in the south of Europe, known as one of the oldest cities in the world, offers visitors a mix of tradition with modernism which is accompanied by good weather all year round. It’s 2020 and Lisbon is probably one of the best destinations to visit if you are looking for an eco-friendly break.

Every year dozens of cities all over Europe compete for the award of becoming the European green capital, and in 2020, it was Lisbon’s turn. From transportation to accommodation and local food, this destination offer a wide range of options for all the budgets that want to travel in an environmentally friendly way.

Here Is Why Lisbon Is A Top Sustainable Destination

1. Lisbon’s eco-friendly transportation choices

The city of Lisbon offers a lot of options to get around and all of them are really affordable. In Lisbon, it is possible to find three different forms of public transport:

The first one is the bus. This is the best way to move around the city, as it has an extensive network of lines, with a total of 88 lines, that bring you to any point in the city.

The second option is the tram, it is the most recommended if you are a tourist, because these trams are old and picturesque, and are in all the postcards of Lisbon. I really recommend taking the line 28 from St. George’s Castle, this line will transport you for 10 kilometres through the most beautiful areas of the city.

Did you know that the first tramway started in Lisbon In 1873?

The last option of public transport is the subway. This is the fastest way to move around the city, although the lines are not very extensive. So if you want to go to certain tourist spots, this is not the best option.

Other options if you want to move around the city in private transport but at the same time want to respect the environment are:

Electric scooter, you can find them all over the city, just download the application to unlock it. Finally, if you want to go longer distances, the company live electric cars offers small cars that are 100% electric.

“O mundo agora é uma sala cheia de fumo.” – RAFAEL LOUREIRO

Which translates into: “The world is now a smoke-filled room.”

2. Lisbon sustainable accommodation choices

After a long day visiting the city, what better than to rest in a place where you can be sure that they take care of the environment you have just visited. You can find many hotels with environmental policies. But I am going to tell you about two that really care about the environment:

Inspira Santa Marta Hotel, as they say on their website: “Sustainability is part of this green hotel identity and this is reflected on the low impact materials and daily operation, reducing its own ecological footprint.” Rooms from € 119. (https://www.inspirahotels.com/en/).

The second hotel is NEYA Lisboa Hotel, “Is a sustainable hotel project with an efficient and responsible business model which reflects its concept of tripartite sustainability: environmental, social and economic. All activity is driven daily by a model of efficient management and huge respect for the environment and society.” Rooms from € 70. (http://www.neyahotels.com/en/).

3. Sustainable food ideas Lisbon 

One of the best things about this country is the food, Portuguese food is characterized for being really good, healthy and very affordable. You can find a lot of typical Portuguese home cooking restaurants all over the city.

The Food Temple: This is the oldest vegan restaurant in town and one of the locals’ favourites. The good thing about this restaurant is that you can go every day since the menu changes each day and also it is possible to taste local craft beers.

An essential stop during your stay in Lisbon is LX Factory, a former industrial area converted into a creative and cultural space. In this area, you will find a great variety of restaurants, bars and shops. A highly recommended restaurant in this area is 1300 Taberna: There you can find contemporary cuisine with Portuguese roots. They only use national products and seasonal organic ingredients from small farmers.

The last restaurant I recommend is Jardim dos Sentidos. This vegetarian restaurant has a buffet option at lunchtime for about 10 euros. And an eco chef specialized in vegetarian, vegan macro and raw is in charge of creating the menu.

At the end of a journey, naturally, you will want to take some souvenirs to remember this trip. Lisbon is full of shops made for tourists where you can buy cheap souvenirs and most of them are made outside Portugal. Try to find places where you can buy 100% Portuguese products, such as shops specialized in cork products, good Portuguese wine or Portuguese tiles to decorate the house.

Obrigado!

This article is one of a series about Lisbon. To discover more and get excellent information about this city, head over to the Lisbon Portugal Travel Guide.

As the topic of sustainability is so important, you may be interested to learn more about Why Lisbon Is A Top Sustainable Destination by Eduardo Lera Latorre

If you are considering relocating or retiring to Portugal, you may find this article about relocation and retirement to Portugal of interest. It is written by a relocation expert. Doctor Valentino Coletto.

Other articles featured in this Lisbon series are:

• Lisbon ceramics – how azulejos are a huge feature in the city
• Lisbon as a romantic destination
• Lisbon sports destination
• Lisbon solo travel
• Lisbon with children
• Instagrammable Lisbon
• Sustainable Lisbon
• Lisbon for Millennials
• Lisbon Girlies Weekend
• Lisbon Local Dishes & Top Places To Eat
• Fado in Lisbon (typical Portuguese music)
• Lisbon Architecture
• Lisbon  After The Earthquake
• Heading 150 km north of Lisbon – be sure to check out the article on the Silver Coast Portugal – written by my Portuguese partner!!