Your first month, step by step
Week 1
NIF (tax number)
The NIF is the first number you need in Portugal: to rent a flat, open a bank account and sign a contract. Request it on the Portal das Finanças or at a tax office.
Portal das Finanças
Weeks 1–2
Residence (AIMA)
AIMA is the agency that handles residence permits. Its official site has the information about living in Portugal and the appointments.
AIMA
Weeks 1–2
NISS (Social Security)
The NISS is your Social Security number, needed to work. The official page explains what it is and how to request it.
Segurança Social, NISS
Weeks 2–3
SNS user number
Your ID in the National Health Service. Ask at the health centre for your area; SNS 24 has information and contacts.
SNS 24
Weeks 2–3
Navegante pass
The Navegante card works on metro, buses and trains in the Lisbon area. Check card types and prices on the official site and request the personal card.
Navegante · Metro de Lisboa, cartão personalizado
Weeks 3–4
Your first plan to meet people
Lisbon's municipal libraries run programmes open to everyone, and Agenda LX lists the city's events. Or go to one of the events below, picked because it is easy to go alone.
Bibliotecas de Lisboa (BLX) · Agenda LX
Rules change: always confirm on the official page before you go.
Where to practise languages and meet people
Free or low-cost places, open to everyone, where you can chat, practise a language and make friends. Check each page for upcoming dates.
Lisbon's municipal libraries run Portuguese courses, workshops and conversation groups, in person and online, for different levels. Check the page for upcoming groups and how to sign up.
Book clubs at Lisbon's libraries, in person or online, open to anyone who likes reading and talking about books. A relaxed way to practise Portuguese and make friends; see the clubs on the page.
The BLX network has libraries all over the city and thousands of activities a year: author talks, workshops, theatre and more. Check the agenda to find something near you.
Lisbon's official culture guide lists concerts, exhibitions, workshops and outdoor events, many of them free. Great for getting out, practising Portuguese and meeting new people.
This week: events to go to alone
Sun15Nov
MusicLisbon
15:00–17:30
10th Gala de Fado at A Voz do Operário, Lisbon
A Voz do Operário
On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 15:00 A Voz do Operário in Lisbon holds its 10th Gala de Fado in its festival hall. Presented by Inês Carranca and Tiago Góes Ferreira, the show has two parts: performances by guest fado singers and the presentation of awards to people who have played a prominent role in fado. The performers are Bruno Alves, Catarina Dionísio, Cristina de Sousa, José Fernandes Castro and Teresinha Landeiro, with José Manuel Duarte on guitarra, Pedro Soares on viola de fado and Nuno Lourenço on bass guitar. Aldina Duarte receives the Prémio Tributo, among several other honours listed. The event is a co-production of Museu do Fado and EGEAC, with the support of Antena 1. Tickets range from 7.50 euros to 15 euros. A fado gala is easy to enjoy alone, since the audience is there to listen together.
«Com apresentação de Inês Carranca e Tiago Góes Ferreira, o espetáculo divide-se em dois momentos»
Starts 15:00, ends about 17:30. Source: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa — Agenda Cultural de Lisboa, dados abertos (CC BY). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing gives the price as 7.50 euros to 15 euros.
Sun15Nov
MusicLisbon
17:00–19:00
O Bolero de Ravel, Orquestra Metropolitana, CCB, Lisbon
Centro Cultural de Belém
On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 17:00 the Centro Cultural de Belém in Lisbon hosts O Bolero de Ravel, a concert by the Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa under the musical direction of Yue Bao. The listing recalls that in the original choreography the Bolero sounds in an Andalusian inn, and that the music has since become a popular icon. The programme brings together four orchestral works: Paraísos Artificiais by Luís de Freitas Branco, La mer by Claude Debussy, the Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé by Maurice Ravel, and Ravel's Bolero. The listing says these pieces recreate fantasy worlds with precision, fluidity and apparent simplicity. A pre-concert talk by Rui Campos Leitão starts at 16:30. Tickets cost between 20 and 40 euros, and the listing gives no end time. An orchestral afternoon like this is easy to attend alone, and the talk beforehand is a natural way to settle in.
«Conversa pré-concerto por Rui Campos Leitão às 16h30.»
Starts 17:00, ends about 19:00. Source: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa — Agenda Cultural de Lisboa, dados abertos (CC BY). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing gives the ticket price as 20 to 40 euros and the start as 17:00.
Sun15Nov
CultureLisbon
18:00–19:15
Theatre at Chapitô: 'Um Instante'
Chapitô
In a bakery that doesn't sell dreams, people cross paths every day; a lost man asking for directions finds himself inside a symphony of gestures, sounds and silence. Part of a Brazilian theatre season.
Sun15Nov
MusicLisbon
20:30–22:00
The Tiny Musician, violin and loops, at Paraíso 45, Lisbon
Paraíso 45
On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 20:30 Paraíso 45 in Lisbon hosts The Tiny Musician, the stage name of the violinist Joana Carvalhas. The listing describes her as an innovative violinist and artist of many styles who travels the world with her violin and a loop machine, showing that music has no borders and can connect people from all walks of life. Her debut album, Indoor Thoughts, from 2023, mixes jazz, folk and the singer-songwriter tradition, and the listing calls the concert an intimate one. The price is 10 euros. The listing gives 20:30 as the start and no end time, so the end shown is estimated. A small, intimate concert is an easy way to spend an evening alone, with other listeners nearby.
«No dia 15 de novembro, The Tiny Musician atua no Paraíso 45 num concerto intimista.»
Starts 20:30, ends about 22:00. Source: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa — Agenda Cultural de Lisboa, dados abertos (CC BY). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown here is estimated. The listing gives the price as 10 euros.
Sun15Nov
CultureLisbon
21:30–23:15
Hugo Sousa, stand-up Aqui Entre Nós, at Aula Magna, Lisbon
Aula Magna
On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 21:30 the Aula Magna auditorium in Lisbon, on Alameda da Universidade, hosts Aqui Entre Nós, a stand-up comedy show by Hugo Sousa. The listing describes it as a show where every story seems familiar, every detail awakens memories and every laugh brings the audience closer to the unique universe of Hugo Sousa. The listing gives no end time, so the finish is estimated at around 23:15. The listing does not give a price, and it does not describe any booking arrangement, so interested visitors should check the venue contact before going. The Aula Magna is listed as an auditorium, with a phone number of 210 113 406 on the page. Stand-up comedy is easy to enjoy alone, because the whole room laughs at the same jokes and nobody needs a companion to join in.
«Um espetáculo onde cada história parece familiar, cada detalhe desperta memórias e cada gargalhada aproxima ainda mais o público»
Starts 21:30, ends about 23:15. Source: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa — Agenda Cultural de Lisboa, dados abertos (CC BY). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing names the comedian, the venue and the 21:30 start but gives no price.
Mon16Nov
CultureLisbon
19:00–20:30
Selma Uamusse, Como um dia de Domingo soirée, at Capitólio, Lisbon
Capitólio
On Monday 16 November 2026 at 19:00 the Capitólio auditorium in Parque Mayer, Lisbon, presents Selma Uamusse in a soirée of the series Como um dia de Domingo. The listing explains that after the success the series had in the village of Cardosas, it now comes to the capital. The idea is described as infallible: the artist is challenged to do whatever they wish, and the results are creative and unexpected. A text, a poem or the name of a street serves as the starting point for a live performance. The artist chooses a language, such as theatre, dance, words or music, and the magic of improvisation happens. It is presented as a unique act in which the audience is also a character. Selma Uamusse is the first guest of the series. The ticket price is 10 euros. A live improvised evening like this is easy to enjoy alone, since the audience takes part in the same shared moment.
«Os resultados são criativos e inesperados. Um texto, um poema, um nome de uma rua servem de ponto de partida para a performance ao vivo.»
Starts 19:00, ends about 20:30. Source: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa — Agenda Cultural de Lisboa, dados abertos (CC BY). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing gives the price as 10 euros and names Selma Uamusse as the first guest.
Tue17Nov
FreeMusicLisbon
19:00–20:30
Free jazz café-concert at Teatro Variedades
Teatro Variedades
Jazz in café-concert format, curated by the Hot Clube de Portugal: the Maria João Leite trio (voice, guitar, double bass). Free entry with tickets collected at the box office on the day (from 13:00, max. two per person).
Tue17Nov
CultureLisbon
19:00–20:30
Dzudza, dance by Idio Chichava, at Gulbenkian, Lisbon
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
On Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 19:00 the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon presents Dzudza, a dance piece by Idio Chichava for 12 performers, within the Alkantara Festival. The listing says it is inspired by the atmosphere of the Xiquelene Market on the outskirts of Maputo. Starting from the sounds, rhythms and collective energy of urban life, the piece reflects on resilience in a world marked by borders, violence and displacement. Idio Chichava is credited with the concept and choreography, and the performers listed include Açucena Chemane, Arminda Teimezira, Calton Muholove, Cristina Matola, Fernando Machaieie, Judite Novela and Mauro Sigauque. Tickets are listed at up to 15 euros through the Alkantara Festival. The Gulbenkian address is Avenida de Berna 45A. A dance performance is easy to attend alone, since the audience watches together in one room and the piece needs no conversation.
«Dzudza é uma peça de dança para 12 intérpretes, inspirada na atmosfera do Mercado de Xiquelene»
Starts 19:00, ends about 20:30. Source: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa — Agenda Cultural de Lisboa, dados abertos (CC BY). The listing gives no end time, so the end shown is estimated. The listing shows ticket prices up to 15 euros and a 19:00 start.
Wed18Nov
FreeLearningLisbon
14:00–17:00
Colloquium: the centenary of the writer Augusto Abelaira
Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal
On Wednesday 18 November 2026 at 14:00 the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal in Lisbon hosts a free colloquium for the centenary of the writer Augusto Abelaira, who lived from 1926 to 2003. He was a novelist, playwright, translator, columnist and journalist whose urban characters and dialogue-driven novels replaced the rural world of neo-realist fiction, and who took an active part in the opposition to the Estado Novo. The event, titled The author, the work, the legacy, brings together scholars who discuss his multifaceted work from several critical perspectives, highlighting his formal renewal of language, his irony and his reflection on the human condition. The library stands on the Campo Grande, near the Campo Grande metro station. Entry is free and no ticket is mentioned. A literary afternoon with several speakers is a good way to meet other book lovers if you come alone, and the end time here is approximate.
«O autor, a obra, o legado»
Starts 14:00, ends about 17:00. Source: Lisbon city open data — Agenda Cultural de Lisboa (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, CC BY).
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