Planning a trip to Portugal’s sunny capital and wondering if Lisbon is a safe city to explore? You’re not alone—thousands of travellers ask this exact question every year. In this guide we’ll unpack official crime figures, local insights, and practical tips so you can roam Lisbon’s colourful streets with genuine confidence.
Lisbon regularly appears in the top 10 of Europe’s safest capitals, recording just 27 crimes per 1,000 residents in 2023—that’s lower than London, Paris and Barcelona. The city’s compact historic centre benefits from strong police visibility, friendly locals who look out for visitors, and a culture where late-night walks for pastries are completely normal.
Of course, no destination is entirely risk-free. Petty pickpocketing can happen on the famous Tram 28 or in busy squares like Praça do Comércio. Picture this: a distracted tourist leaves a phone on a café table, and within minutes it’s gone. The good news? Simple habits—zipped bags, front pockets, and avoiding headphone isolation—drop your risk dramatically.
Is Lisbon a Safe City?
Planning a trip to Portugal’s capital and wondering “is Lisbon a safe city?” The short answer is yes, but safety feels different depending on where you go, what you do and even the time of day. By learning the main safety categories you’ll know exactly how to adapt your plans, stay relaxed and make the most of every pastel de nata moment.
High-footfall tourist centres: lively but watch your pockets
Tourist-heavy zones such as Baixa, Chiado and Alfama are generally safe, yet petty theft spikes when visitors let their guard down around cameras and phones. Police patrol visibly, but the sheer volume of people gives nimble pickpockets room to operate.
- Pickpocket hotspots on trams 28 and 15
- Crowded squares like Praça do Rossio at night
- Popular viewpoints (miradouros) after dark
Ideal para: First-time visitors who want iconic sights without giving up common-sense habits like zipped bags and avoiding back pockets.
Evening entertainment hubs: fun after dark with sensible exit plans
Nightlife districts feel vibrant until the early hours, yet alcohol plus crowds can tip into rowdy behaviour. Security staff at bars and clubs cooperate closely with police, so serious incidents are rare, but solo walkers may hear unwanted comments when venues empty.
- Quiet streets late at night in Cais do Sodré
- Occasional drunk-related scuffles near Pink Street
- Well-lit riverside walk with CCTV coverage
Ideal para: Partygoers who stick with friends, use registered taxis or ride-shares, and keep an eye on their drinks.
Residential and business quarters: everyday calm with local routines
Leafy residential and business areas boast some of the lowest crime rates in Europe. Streets are well lit, neighbours know each other and random attacks are virtually unheard of, making them feel almost suburban even though you’re minutes from downtown.
- Leafy districts like Príncipe Real and Lapa with low crime stats
- Family parks where locals jog at dawn or dusk
- CCTV on residential streets and regular police patrols
Ideal para: Travellers renting Airbnb flats, digital nomads with laptops in cafés and families who like evening strolls.
Public transport safety: smooth rides when you outsmart rush-hour thieves
Public transport is clean, modern and patrolled, yet rush-hour crushes create classic pickpocket conditions. Off-peak journeys are relaxed and safe even late at night, with bright lighting and emergency buttons on trains.
- Historic trams and funiculars with onboard cameras
- Metro stations served by guards and clear signage
- Pickpocket rings work in teams during rush hour
Ideal para: Sightseers who travel outside commuter peaks, keep bags zipped and use contactless cards instead of wallets.
Day-trip escapes: safer scenery if you leave nothing on show
Day trips to beaches and palaces feel worlds away from city bustle and crime levels drop sharply. Nature spots are safe for solo travellers, though leaving valuables visible in a hire-car can invite smash-and-grab incidents.
- Cascais coastal path ideal for solo sunrise runs
- Sintra forest trails with clear waymarks and mobile signal
- Occasional bag-snatch at empty beach car parks
Ideal para: Day-trippers who pack light, use hotel shuttles or Uber, and keep belongings within sight while swimming.
Is Lisbon a safe city? Real benefits that make your trip easier
Safety isn’t just about low crime figures — it’s about how those figures translate into everyday freedom. With Lisbon ranking in the top 10 safest capitals in Europe (Global Peace Index 2024), visitors spend less time worrying and more time enjoying alfresco dinners, late-night tram rides and sunrise beach walks. Below are the concrete ways this city-level security improves your trip from the moment you land to the final pastel de nata.
Stroll home late without draining your wallet
Night-time confidence without the taxi splurge Lisbon’s well-lit Baixa-Chiado axis and 24-hour police foot patrols mean you can walk back to your flat after a midnight Fado show instead of paying €15 for a ride. Solo travellers, in particular, report feeling at ease even at 2 a.m., saving an average of €60 over a long weekend.
2023 Tourist Safety Survey showed 87 % of visitors rated “evening strolls” as comfortable or very comfortable.
Let kids explore the metro while you relax
Family-friendly metro rides minus the pickpocket panic Unlike cities where parents clutch bags on every train, Lisbon’s CCTV-covered stations and platform guards slash pickpocket rates to just 0.4 incidents per 100 000 journeys. Kids can clutch their own snacks while you focus on spotting azulejo art instead of scanning pockets.
Carris annual safety report 2023.
Leave your laptop unattended and still find it there
Digital nomads gain productive café hours Co-working-friendly cafés in Príncipe Real stay unlocked and buzzing until 23:00. Thanks to neighbourhood safety scores 35 % above the EU urban average, laptops can remain on tables during quick loo breaks, adding an extra billable hour to your day.
Lisbon City Hall neighbourhood safety dashboard, Q1 2024.
Turn solo nights into instant travel mates
Solo female travellers tap into spontaneous hostel friendships Hostel walking tours departing after dark report zero safety incidents in the past 24 months. This record means you’re more likely to join a rooftop BBQ at 21:00 instead of hiding in your dorm, turning one solo night into a weekend-long crew of travel mates.
Hostelworld safety logs for Lisbon properties, 2022-2024.
Dawn shots without arranging a safety buddy
Photographers capture sunrise at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte without escorts Tripod shots at dawn are hassle-free thanks to early-morning police cycles and local joggers creating natural surveillance. The payoff: golden-hour images that rack up triple-digit likes while rival destinations still warn against solo hill climbs at dawn.
Instagram geotag analysis shows 92 % of sunrise posts from this spot are solo-taken.
Tutorial: build a real-time “is lisbon a safe city” dashboard in under a week
This hands-on guide walks you through turning the question “is lisbon a safe city” into a living safety project you can launch in under a week. In roughly six focused hours you’ll build a simple digital dashboard that shows real-time crime stats, safe-route maps and emergency contacts for any neighbourhood in Lisbon. No coding degree needed—just a free Google account and a willingness to paste, drag and click.
Tutorial: build a real-time “is lisbon a safe city” dashboard in under a week
1. Collect up-to-date crime and safety data for Lisbon districts
Gather trustworthy open data sources for Lisbon safety metrics
Dicas:
- Start with the PSP Public Security Police open-data portal and the Lisbon City Hall transparency page.
- Download CSV files that list crimes by district, time of day and type.
- Stick to the last 12 months of data so your dashboard stays current.
2. Build a tidy data sheet with risk scores for each area
Create a Google Sheets database and clean messy entries
Dicas:
- Open a new sheet, rename the first tab “RawData” and paste the CSV contents.
- Use the TRIM function to remove extra spaces and the UNIQUE function to delete duplicate rows.
- Add a new column called “RiskScore” and enter a simple formula: =(Number of Crimes ÷ Local Population) × 1000.
3. Plot crimes and safe paths on an interactive city map
Design a free Google My Maps safe-route layer
Dicas:
- Visit mymaps.google.com, click “Create a New Map” and title it “Lisbon Safe Routes”.
- Upload your cleaned sheet; plot crimes as red pins and police stations as blue shields.
- Draw green walking routes that avoid high-risk pins; save the map as public so locals can view it.
4. Launch your live “Is Lisbon Safe?” website in 30 minutes
Embed everything into a simple public dashboard
Dicas:
- In Google Sites click “Insert > Embed” and paste the My Maps link so the map appears live.
- Add a second embed that links to your Google Sheets chart showing weekly crime trends.
- Finish by inserting an emergency contact section: 112 for police, 808 24 24 24 for tourist support, and the SNS health line 24 24.
Is Lisbon a safe city? The clear comparison you need
Deciding where to travel or settle always starts with one question: is lisbon a safe city? Safety is personal, so we’ve compared four lenses—tourist, expat, student, and solo female—to show what “safe” really feels like in everyday Lisbon life. This breakdown is perfect for first-time visitors, new residents, and anyone weighing a move to the Portuguese capital.
| Perspective | Overall safety rating | Key risks | Typical precautions | Local support | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist | Very safe (9/10) | Pick-pocketing on Tram 28 & Belém | Money belt, zip bags, avoid phone on table | Tourist police speak English | Short city breaks with cameras & cash |
| Expat family | Safe (8/5/10) | Residential burglaries at night | Alarm systems, join neighbourhood Facebook groups | English-speaking estate agents & schools | Long-term living with kids |
| Student | Safe (8/10) | Late-night drink spiking in Bairro Alto | Stick with mates, use Bolt/Uber after 02:00 | University security escorts & Erasmus networks | Budget-friendly nightlife & study |
| Solo female | Safe (9/10) | Unwanted catcalling after dark | Busy main streets, use Pink Taxix app | Women-only co-working spaces & Facebook groups | Independent city exploring & remote work |
Is Lisbon a safe city? Quick FAQ
Wondering is Lisbon a safe city to visit or live in? Below are the questions travellers and new residents ask most often, together with clear, up-to-date answers.
Is Lisbon a safe city for tourists at night?
Yes, Lisbon is generally safe after dark. Tourist neighbourhoods such as Baixa, Chiado and Príncipe Real are well-lit and busy until late. Pickpocketing is the main risk, so keep your bag closed and avoid empty side streets on your own.
Which areas should I be more careful in?
The historic districts of Alfama, Mouraria and Intendente are charming by day but quieter after sunset. If you stay around Cais do Sodré or Bairro Alto for nightlife, simply watch your pockets near the train station and on the tram lines.
How common is violent crime in Lisbon?
Violent crime is rare. According to the 2023 Lisbon Metropolitan Police report, physical assaults on tourists are under 0.5 % of reported incidents. Most problems are petty theft, solved quickly if reported to the nearest police station.
Do I need to worry about scams or rip-offs?
Scams are uncommon. The only frequent trick is overcharging in taxis; make sure the meter is on or use ride apps like Uber or Bolt. Restaurants display menus with prices outside, so check before you sit down.
Is the public transport system secure?
Yes, the metro, trams and trains are safe. Keep your backpack in front during rush hour, especially on the famous Tram 28 where pickpockets sometimes operate. Staff and CCTV are present on all metro platforms.
What should I do if something does happen?
Call the national emergency number 112 for police, fire or ambulance. For non-urgent theft reports, visit the Tourist Police at Praça dos Restauradores; they speak English and give you a crime number for insurance claims.
Any top safety tips that locals follow themselves?
Locals keep phones out of back pockets, never leave bags on café chairs, and use the inside pocket of a jacket on busy streets. Follow their lead and you’ll feel as safe in Lisbon as you do back home.