An Expat Talks about Living in Lisbon, Portugal

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What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Lisbon

How long have you lived there?

two weeks

What activities, clubs and organizations would you recommend to newcomers to help them meet others?

Americans in Portugal, Democrats Abroad

Expats living in Portugal interested in expat health insurance should take a minute to get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA. Get a Quote

Expats living in Portugal interested in expat health insurance should take a minute to get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA.

In terms of religious, racial, economic and cultural diversity, are the people of this city or town diverse? Are they accepting of differences? Describe.

Lisbon is very diverse. While the vast majority of the population are Iberian (Portuguese & Spanish), there are immigrants from all over the globe (former Portuguese colonies in Africa, Brasil) Ukrainians make up the largest immigrant group (after Brasilians). While certain groups tend to stick to themselves, people appear accepting of everyone here.

What are the main industries in this city? What types of career opportunities commonly exist? How do most people find new jobs?

Job employment agencies are the best way to go for looking for work. However, most require fluency in Portuguese. If you come from the United States, the UK, or any other English-speaking country, your best bet is to look for companies from your home country that are specifically looking for English-speakers.

In general, what are peoples' priorities in this city? For example, do lives revolve around work, family, socializing, sports, etc.?

There's a little bit of everything in Lisboa (Lisbon). Public transportation is a must in this city. There are a number of outdoor cafes where you can enjoy a coffee and people-watch. However, sports is the priority in Lisbon. Futebol (Soccer) is king here. Sporting and Benfica are the top soccer teams in the city. Be careful about wearing green (Sporting colors) in the Benfica neighborhood.

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If a friend of yours was thinking of moving to this city or town from far away, what other advice would you give them.

Grab a Portugese phrase book, and spend time focusing on learning crucial phrases that will help you in conversing with the locals.

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Write a Comment about this Expat Report

Comments about this Report

guest

Apr 5, 2011 15:14

Didn't I read this about a year ago, or does it just seem familiar?

guest

Jun 25, 2012 16:12

Hi Lily, Just got back from 2 weeks in Lisbon. I went 3 years ago bymyself but this time I took my son and his wife. There were afew chnages I noticed. The people of Lisbon were friendly and helpful and courteouson my last trip here. Pretty much they were impatient andnot courteous drivers. One big change is now taxis and busesand regular drivers will stop for you even if you just look likeyou are going to step off the curb into a marked crosswalk. Iam not in a hurry when I am in Lisbon so this doesn't reallymatter to me but I am sure the the locals and most visitorsreally appreciate the change. Now if they can just pick up aftertheir dogs. One other change was a few more beggars and lots more streetpeddlers. No one I asked seemed to know if this was because ofmore tourists coming to Lisbon or just because of the economy.It is not something that bothers me though because I am usedto seeing tons more here in cities like San Francisco, California. I had another fantastic time in Lisbon and my son and daughter-in-law fell in love with the pLace also. Now I will see if I can getthem to follow your blog too. One last thing Lily. You have a link to the Spotted by Localswebsite. I would encourage anyone traveling to Lisbon to checkout their website for different or new places to eat or visit.

Expatriate Health Insurance

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