According to Eurostat , the overall crime rate and in particular robberies are on the rise in Portugal.
Some areas on the outskirts of Lisbon are becoming more dangerous, but it is unlikely the average tourist will visit these areas. The most common crime against tourists is pickpocketing and theft from rental cars or on public transport. The metro carriages can become crowded and opportune for pickpockets but simple precautions are enough to maintain your safety while travelling on them.
There are some episodes of violent crimes (i.e. robberies) and some drug related crimes in places such as Bairro Alto and Santos, especially at night. Chances are you'll be approached at least a few times by certain types offering 'hash' or 'chocolate', especially in the downtown area on and around Rua Augusta. If you are of fair complexion or obviously a tourist you are more likely to be approached. It's also encouraged to be wary of the Intendente-Martim Moniz area. Intendente is a well known area for prostitution, and even though it has changed in the past couple of years (there's always police nearby, whereas before you couldn't say the same), it's still a problematic area. Martim Moniz is also notorious, at night the area occupied by shifty crowds that more often than not will cause some trouble. During the day Martim-Moniz is quite a safe and pleasant area.
Criminals in Lisbon are very quick and witty and think of scams about how to get money from you (like pretending that they need to "borrow" money from you promising to pay you back in a few hours). In cases they might work in pairs, one offers the chocolate, while a second approaches you and the first pretending to be a cop, and asking you to pay a "fine" if you don't want to go to jail. Just walk away and avoid any interaction from the first moment, if you are approached. Remember that Lisbon is a big city and is very different from the rest of Portugal. Young tourists should be especially advised as they will likely be approached by many people especially near the Chiado Plaza. A firm 'no thank-you' or "não, obrigado", if you're a male; "não, obrigada", if you're female should be enough to deter them.
Also be careful with bank machines in the city center. Groups of adolescents occasionally stay close to the multibanco and wait until you have entered your pin. They then force you away from the machine and withdraw the maximum amount from the machine (€200 maximum per withdrawal; however, two withdrawals of €200 per day per bank card are allowed). Try to withdraw money earlier in the day and try to avoid some of the train stations late at night, especially Cais do Sodre station.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Lisbon
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Lisbon - updated Apr 2024
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Lisbon Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
