Latest news and stories about expat wellbeing in Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
Students from Portuguese-speaking African countries (Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa or PALOP) are reporting significant hardships due to visa delays and high living costs in Portugal. Many students arrive months after the academic year begins, which severely impacts their mental health and academic performance. The delays are described as a systemic barrier for international students entering through special quotas.
Público reports Brazilian businessman and former Big Brother Brasil contestant Vagner Lara was robbed by around a dozen men after a family dinner at Lisbon's Praça do Comércio; he described feeling traumatised and said there was no police presence in the area. The incident underlines risks in busy tourist spots at night and has prompted calls for better local policing. Visitors and residents in central Lisbon should take standard safety precautions, especially after dark.
Vagner Lara is a man named in the report who said he previously lived in Lisbon and was robbed by a group of 12 men after a family dinner at Praça do Comércio on 17 February. He told the outlet there was no police presence in the area during the incident; those in Lisbon should note this when thinking about street safety and how to report crimes.
Psychologist Juliana Ribeiro de Souza Revoredo is researching the emotional and professional impact on Brazilian lawyers following the sudden termination of the reciprocity agreement between the Brazilian and Portuguese Bar Associations in 2023.
The Brazilian Consulate in Lisbon has initiated a campaign aimed at raising awareness and providing guidance on women's rights and combating gender-based violence. This initiative involves posting videos on social media twice a week, focusing on outreach and public safety for women.
Lisbon firefighters' union says the Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa (RSBL) is in 'utter disarray', citing delays in promotions, organisational failures and that more than 10% of operational personnel lack proper uniforms. Staff are considering issuing a pre-strike notice as a warning that industrial action could follow if complaints over safety, logistics and career progression are not resolved. The union warns these problems undermine emergency response and public safety and is calling for urgent management and municipal intervention.
What does it mean to be a mother today? In this series of testimonies, we start from this question to explore motherhood in its various dimensions - personal, cultural, and political - and the constantly changing role of women in society.
Omar was coming from Largo do Carmo when he was assaulted by a group of youths, without understanding the reason. He did not hear racist insults, but questions the suspects' intentions. The PSP has already identified 11 minors.
A Carris bus driver was accused of preventing a Muslim woman from boarding the bus.
Omar Al-Hayali, a 27-year-old Iraqi refugee and Psychology student at ISCTE, was assaulted early Saturday morning by a group of youths in the Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques area.
A human blue ribbon will be formed today at Quinta das Conchas in Lisbon. A large blue ribbon that symbolises protection, safety, and hope in the fight against child abuse, a field in which reports have been increasing.
The Brazilian consulate in Lisbon is already the largest in Europe. The representation, responsible for a jurisdiction with more than 360,000 Brazilians, has created the Brazilian Women's Space and is hiring.
Omar Al-Hayali required 22 stitches to his head. He was visited in the hospital by representatives of the Iraqi embassy in Lisbon.
The registration deadline for the 'Friends of Brazil' competition has been extended to 8 May following requests from schools in Portugal. The initiative, promoted by the Consulate-General of Brazil in Lisbon in partnership with the Guimarães Rosa Institute and the Brazilian Embassy, is open to students from the 5th to 12th grade living in the country. The competition encourages reflection on the friendship between Brazil and Portugal, as well as themes of interculturality and integration. Groups of two to five students, including at least two different nationalities, can submit entries in categories such as handwritten essays, videos, or drawings and paintings. Prizes can reach €500 per group, and teachers from schools with high participation rates are eligible to win a trip to Brazil.
The consulate has pushed back the deadline for entries to the Amigos e Amigas do Brasil competition to 8 May.
Portugal has become a country of immigration while remaining a country of emigration. It imports low-skilled labour and exports skilled labour: it is a recipe for impoverishment.
What is the place of friendship in the lives of the Portuguese today? On April 14th, ISCTE hosted the presentation of the study 'Friendship in Portugal. What is it like? What has changed?'
Danielle Tavares, who has lived in Lisbon for eight years, promotes courses on the human development system created by Chilean psychologist and anthropologist Rolando Toro Araneda between 1968 and 1973.
Second part of the 'Investigação CM' programme, from 20 April 2026.
A journalist, historian, and tour guide, the Belgian divides her time between Ghent and Lisbon, where she lives between friends' homes. She welcomes Observador in an apartment on the top floor of Villa Sousa.
A social or cultural group based in Lisbon dedicated to the followers or supporters of Fabo.
Jamily Santos, Flávia Gonçalves, and Ana Carolina Soares are leading Florescer Juntas, a project for welcoming and exchanging information about motherhood. A meeting will be held in Olivais on the 26th.
A woman used the “Red Signal” to ask for help. Consulate staff in Lisbon recognised it and activated the protocol. The assistance lasted 2 hours and ensured an “environment of protection and guidance.”
Home News Lisbon braces for first summit dedicated to expats navigating a lifestyle across borders. Lisbon braces for first summit dedicated to expats navigating a lifestyle across borders.
The Mayor of Lisbon highlighted that this initiative “concretely reflects the municipality's social intervention model.”
Paulo Rangel highlights the poor conditions of the citizen who arrives in Lisbon today. Also, the PSD guarantees that the agreement for Constitutional Court judges is between the three largest parties.
For a few minutes, I thought that now it is the city itself that clings to any glimpse of a future in which it can still be a place for the immigrant and for the Portuguese who still live there. Opinion by Dieison.
This Monday, April 6, marks World Physical Activity Day and the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. These simultaneous observances highlight the importance of regular exercise for health and the role of sport in social inclusion, education, and peace. In Portugal, the occasion is marked by initiatives from local authorities, academic institutions, and public bodies. Notable events include a joint programme by the municipalities of Lisbon, Oeiras, and Cascais, featuring the partial closure of the Avenida Marginal on April 12 for running, walking, and cycling. The Champalimaud Foundation is also hosting a community walk, while the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth is promoting the #BEACTIVE programme to encourage movement in schools and workplaces. Despite these efforts, the article notes a contrast between physical activity levels and alcohol consumption in Portugal compared to other OECD countries.
An exploration of the Brazilian community living in Lisbon's Avenidas Novas, highlighting their diverse professional roles, cultural impact, and the challenges they face with the Portuguese bureaucracy regarding residency and citizenship, while comparing the social dynamics between the two nationalities.
Click here and follow the DN Brasil channel on WhatsApp! Subscribe to DN Brasil on YouTube and Spotify so you don't miss any shows! The Radar DN Brasil airs every Friday at 8 am on the DN Brasil YouTube and Spotify channels, featuring a weekly summary and everything that matters to Brazilians in Portugal. DN Brasil is a section of the Diário de Notícias dedicated to the Brazilian community living in or planning to move to Portugal. The texts are written in Brazilian Portuguese. Nationality Law returns to parliament on April 1st. Watch this Friday's Radar DN Brasil, March 27th.
In Lisbon, walking through the streets, even in less busy areas, is usually an experience of contemplation and beauty. There is no need to be constantly checking your phone or your bag. Opinion by Tatiana Nascimento
