What's open when. Most street shops in Lisbon open at 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning, and often close at around 7 o'clock in the evening. Some offices and smaller businesses close for lunch, usually between 1 and 3 o'clock. The shopping malls open their doors at 10 in the morning, and only close at midnight.

Lisbon follows a Mediterranean schedule where the city truly "wakes up" late. Standard shops in the city center are typically open from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, though many smaller, traditional shops still close for a "siesta" or lunch break between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Shopping malls (like Colombo or Vasco da Gama) are the exception, staying open until midnight seven days a week. Restaurants generally serve lunch from 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM and dinner from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM; if you try to eat dinner before 7:00 PM, you will likely find many kitchens are not yet open. The nightlife in districts like Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodré is legendary for its endurance; bars often stay open until 2:00 AM or 3:00 AM, while major nightclubs don't even start their main events until 1:00 AM and keep going until the sun comes up. Most major museums and monuments close relatively early, around 5:30 PM or 6:00 PM.