Bairro Alto translates to “High Neighborhood” in English and is a central district in Lisbon just Northwest of the town center. As it’s name implies, the entire neighborhood is located high above the rest Lisbon on top of a large hill. Originally developed in response to the swelling population of the city in the 15th century, this space is dominated by numerous residential apartments crammed into tiny, narrow streets. Over time, the area fell into disrepair; and as part of a revitalization process years ago, numerous shops, bars, and restaurants opened throughout the neighborhood.
This day in age, Bairro Alto, is now renowned for its thriving, energetic nightlife and is a go to place for anyone looking for live music and cheap bars. Being a bunch of budget-conscious backpackers, this was our kind of place. We rallied the troops and managed to get a group of six for a night on the town.
The moment we arrived I felt immediately at home - it was as if someone had transported the “dirty” part of Sixth Street in Austin all the way to Portugal. Bairro Alto is a delightfully trashy labyrinth of narrow streets lined with bars and restaurants on both sides. From the street, everything is so crammed together that each of these establishments has only enough space to accommodate a door and small window to display the drink specials of the night. It doesn’t take much effort to find a drink under two euros, and much like Austin, you can go out with a 20, have a great night, and maybe even come back with change.
My kind of town.