77 Best Nightlife in Portugal

The quality of both the food and the singing is dependably good at this family-run establishment, and the setting---which calls to mind the dining room of a well-traveled older relative---is always welcoming. It's a fado vadio ("vagabond") spot, meaning the night often ends with amateur singers lined up outside, raring to perform.

This under-the-radar spot draws an extremely enthusiastic crowd for live Brazilian music. The excellent caipirinhas help get the party spirit flowing, and traditional snacks from Brazil keep energy levels from flagging.

A19th-century chapel might be the last place you'd expect to head to for a night out, and indeed the name of this beautiful wine bar translates to "unusual chapel." The interior space is a cozy retreat in winter, but in summer everybody moves to tables set out on the flagstones outside. Wherever you choose to sit, wine can be ordered by the glass or bottle and enjoyed with a feast of Portuguese cheeses and cured meats. Book in advance if you're coming here on the weekend.

Occupying three stylish terraces beneath the ruins of the Convento do Carmo, this bar is in a prime location next to the Santa Justa elevator. The cocktails and views are the main attraction, but there’s also a tempting array of light meals like salads and homemade burgers, and a fashion market takes place here until 9 pm each Saturday. Regular open-air cinema screenings take place in the warmer months.

A bar-restaurant inside what used to be the boiler room of Universidade de Coimbra's hospital, Casa das Caldeiras is the epitome of industrial chic. Two enormous boilers, brought to Portugal from the UK in 1939, sit in the middle of the bar, and the exposed brick walls add to the effect. There are snacks and small plates, but it's the cocktails and the dramatic design that make this place a hit with the hipster crowd.

Porto may be awash with opportunities to enjoy a craft beer, but Catraio is where the trend began. Leading the charge for a new wave of laidback spaces serving Portuguese and international artisanal beers, Catraio opened in 2015 to an enthusiastic welcome from Porto's hop-loving community. You can hunker down in the cozy interior during winter, or enjoy the lively beer garden when the sun shines.

With moody lighting, rococo furnishings, and creations that look (almost) too good to drink, this spot is frequently cited as Lisbon’s best cocktail bar. It's an intimate space, so book in advance. CINCO Lounge also runs cocktail workshops for those who want to learn how to shake and stir their own boozy showstoppers at home.

On Lisbon’s famously rowdy Pink Street, Collect is a space for those who take their music as seriously as their eating and drinking. With an on-site vinyl store and its own radio station, the spacious bar attracts a hip crowd of partiers keen to discuss their latest film and music obsessions over a craft beer, hard seltzer, or cocktail. The burgers are crowd pleasers, too.

A former bakery, this cool restaurant, bar, and concert venue is one of the best spots in Lisbon for live music. Local and international bands and DJs take the stage around 11 pm every night of the week.

Open since 1976, the city's oldest gay club remains a hugely popular hangout, thanks in no small part to the wonderfully flamboyant drag shows. The biggest star is Deborah Kristall, who regularly calls on audience members to join in the onstage singing and dancing. In addition to its famously packed dance floor, the club now has a restaurant and table service. Book in advance if you want to catch the show.

One of Funchal's best-kept secrets, this tiny bar doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's full of character. There's an enormous world map and colorful posters plastered to the walls—and it's one of the few places in town where you'll find an entire menu dedicated to craft beer, which is why the locals hang out here all night long.

Downstairs, Clube Sesimbrense is a social club for locals keen to learn new dance steps or musical skills but upstairs has been transformed into a funky bar and exhibition space with regular live DJ sessions spinning everything from jazz to obscure Brazilian tropicalia tracks. Grab an outdoor table for light meals and drinks on a scenic village square, then head indoors to dance.

For live music from international acts as well as rising stars of the local music scene, head to this club inside a magnificent 18th-century market hall. There are three rooms, hosting events that range from standup comedy to all-night techno raves. There's also an exhibition space on the ground floor, and an airy café upstairs that attracts a hip young crowd.

Europe’s oldest jazz club started in a tiny basement in 1948, and all these decades later Hot Clube de Portugal remains the place for live jazz performances. It features local and international acts and has almost daily performances.

This hip joint is where twenty- and thirtysomething vinyl lovers gather to chat (or shout) to the pumping sound of dance music. Some of the hottest DJs in the city take turns on the decks, and live music performances (think hip hop, punk, and Brazilian funk) draw big crowds at weekends.

For a sophisticated sundowner before a night out in Bairro Alto, head to this leafy roof terrace with sweeping city views. The cocktails are excellent across the board, whether you order a classic margarita or a signature drink like the Lumi Negroni (made with infused gin, Portuguese vermouth, and Madeira wine). Soak up the alcohol with light meals and snacks, which are prepared with seasonal ingredients by Chef João Silva.

This small restaurant is one of the most authentic venues in Lisbon for listening to mournful and soulful fado music. On the site of the former house of famous fadista Maria Severa, the venue hosts regular concerts, sometimes luring big-name singers to perform. You can dine in the restaurant, which serves traditional Portuguese dishes, while you listen, or try your luck arriving just for the concert, but tables may be sold out.

A meeting place for Porto's leading artists, intellectuals, and alternative types, Maus Hábitos—meaning "Bad Habits"—is a gallery, restaurant, and cultural center—and also the hippest nightlife spot in town. The mixed bag of nightly events ranges from DJ sets to live theater to dance parties.

The best time to head to Mercearia Dona Mécia is early evening when there's still enough space to sit at a table under the shady trees. This tiny bar stands in a white-cobbled courtyard, where smartly dressed locals stop for a quick tipple on their way home from work. Start with a cerveja and a bowl of olives before switching to poncha as you watch the locals come and go.

All the rage among local fado lovers, this performance space is housed in a tiny, azulejo-lined former chapel. The traditional Portuguese food is perfectly palatable, and the music and atmosphere are always top rate. You can slip in at the end of the night, order a drink or two, and enjoy the show.

Under the arches on the famous Pink Street---you can find it by the enormous mural overhead---MusicBox is one of the best spots in Lisbon to catch well-known bands and popular DJs. The musical menu is quite eclectic, so check listings in advance, and be prepared to dance until dawn.

This little club has been owned by fado legend Argentina Santos since the 1960s, and although she no longer sings, she sits by the door most nights greeting newcomers and listening to other highly rated singers. Chef Jaqueline Silva ensures the food, which includes rich seafood stews and other traditional dishes, is as appealing as the music.

For a quiet drink in an intriguing setting, you can't beat this speakeasy-style lounge. Its five rooms are filled to the brim with fascinating junk collected over the years—from old toys to miniature statues—and it has two snooker tables where locals just might challenge you to a game. Cocktails and service are spot-on, and you may be reluctant to leave once you've settled into one of the comfy chairs.

Housed in a former bordello, this offbeat hangout recalls its decadent past with velvet armchairs, tassled curtains, and a huge mural across the ceiling. Its warren of rooms houses an erotic bookshop, a bar, a café, and a dance floor. Burlesque shows add to the racy appeal, but it's more suggestive than sordid.

A tantalizing range of cocktails are on the menu here and they're concocted with skill by the bartenders. A rooftop terrace has wonderful views across Lagos, and the bar serves great food too—don't miss the burrata.

This stone-walled wine lodge was first established in 1924, and it doesn't feel like much has changed in the past century; the timber-framed ceiling, the bar made with wine barrels, and the moody lighting make you feel like you're stepping back in time. Dusty bottles of Madeira line the walls, and an old wine press stands in the corner. It's a great place to visit in the evening when locals pile in, especially for a glass of their renowned poncha.

At this sophisticated wine bar, passionate sommelier Diogo Amado offers perfect suggestions for the best beverages to pair with plates of carefully chosen petiscos. The gorgeous space with stone walls and bottles displayed like works of art hosts frequent live music performances.