Ask a tourist about Lisbon and they'll mention Alfama, Chiado and Bairro Alto. Ask an expat who's been here a while, and they'll often point somewhere quieter: Lapa and Santos. Two connected neighbourhoods that sit between the hilltop of São Bento and the Tagus waterfront — calmer, more residential, and full of charm.
Where exactly is Lapa?
Lapa occupies a hillside to the west of Santos, running between Rua de São Paulo (at the bottom, by the river) and the Assembleia da República at the top. It's home to several foreign embassies, some of Lisbon's finest 19th-century palaces, and elegant streets lined with azulejo-tiled buildings. Walk its quieter roads and you'll rarely encounter tour groups.
The neighbourhood has a genuine residential feel that parts of Lisbon have lost to short-term rentals and tourism. Families, diplomats, creatives and a growing expat community call Lapa home.
Santos — between Lapa and the river
Santos sits at the foot of Lapa, stretching along the waterfront. It's known for antique shops, a handful of design studios, and easy access to the riverside cycling and walking path. On weekends it gets livelier — particularly along Rua do Alecrim, which climbs up to Bairro Alto.
The connection between Santos and Cais do Sodré (five minutes on foot) gives the area surprising accessibility — you're quickly connected to the rest of the city without living in the middle of it.
Wellness in Lapa
LX Portalon Rua das Trinas 44 is the neighbourhood's boutique yoga studio — and one of the few places in Lisbon where every yoga, pilates, sculpt and barre class is taught entirely in English. It's become a community hub for the expat residents of Lapa, Santos and the surrounding area who want to maintain a consistent practice without a language barrier.
The studio is stocked with premium Manduka equipment, keeps class sizes intentionally small and offers six different class formats to suit every body and schedule. New clients can try 3 weeks unlimited for €30.
Getting around
Lapa is walkable from Príncipe Real (10–15 minutes), Madragoa (5 minutes) and Chiado (15–20 minutes). Several bus routes run through the area. Street parking is generally available in Lapa, though busier closer to Santos.
The Tagus waterfront is a short downhill walk — one of the nicest routes in the city for a post-class stroll or a cycle along the river.
Why expats love it here
Lapa and Santos offer something increasingly rare in Lisbon: a proper neighbourhood feel. You get to know your local pastelaria, your building neighbours, the greengrocer on the corner. Combined with easy access to the centre and the waterfront, it's become a natural home for expats who want to feel like they actually live in Lisbon — not just in a tourist version of it.