Blanca Valbuena

Pombaline architecture in Avenidas Novas

The Avenidas Novas Neighborhood in Lisbon

Many people ask us why we decided to make the Avenidas Novas neighborhood in Lisbon our home when we finally made our move to Portugal. After all, we had stayed at some of Lisbon’s best neighborhoods during our trips there: Principe Real, the Alfama, Estrela, Santos, The Mouraria, and Amoreiras. It took a lot of thought, but the Avenidas Novas neighborhood won us over for many reasons, its parks, museums, shopping, restaurants, and its lack of hills.

The Avenidas Novas Neighborhood in Lisbon

Pombaline architecture in Avenidas Novas
Avenidas Novas has rich architectural variety
Avenidas Novas is quite large. Its starting point is at the end of Avenida da Liberdade at the spot where Marques de Pombal Square meets Parque Eduardo VII, spans all the way to the Campo Pequeno bullring, goes past the Entrecampos train station. It’s one of Lisbon’s “newest” neighborhoods and is a sign of its expansion northwards. The neighborhood has a great mix of architectural styles. There remain stunning art nouveau mansions such as that which houses the Dr. Anastacio Goncalves Museum, and there are plenty of Estado Novo building and monuments like the laurel crowned columns at Parque Eduardo VII, and even neo-Mudéjar touches like the bullring. Avenidas Novas has a vibrant community as well. There are older residents who have lived there their whole life. There are business people who swarm the areas by Lisbon’s Financial Center, Picoas Center and Saldanha. There are students from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and there is a small, but growing group of expats from all over the world.

The Micro Neighborhoods of Avenidas Novas

avenidas novas lisbon map
A map of the micro neighborhoods within the Avenidas Novas neighborhood of Lisbon

Because Avenidas Novas is so large, it is divided into separate micro-neighborhoods: Bairro do Rego, Campo Pequeno, Nossa Senhora de Fatima, Bairro Azul, and Sao Sebastiao de Pedreira.

Avenidas Novas bustles during the day from pedestrian and car traffic as businesses do a brisk trade or people take advantage of its several cultural and recreation sites. Access is easy via several major roadways and public transportation. Many restaurants are found here as are cozy cafes, including the recently added Choupana Caffe.

Things to do in Avenidas Novas

The cold greenhouse in Lisbon's Eduardo VII park
One of many sculptures at the “cold” greenhouse in Lisbon
Estufa Fria & Estufa Quente: There are over 300 species of plants at Lisbon’s greenhouse. The spot is simply gorgeous and is great if you want to learn more about nature, or if you just want to get a little peace. (Blue or red line to Sao Sebastiao). Parque Eduardo VII
Great view of the Tagus river and gardens at Parque Eduardo VII
Landscaped gardens with geometric patterns at Parque Eduardo VII in Lisboa
Parque Eduardo VIIOne of Lisbon’s largest parks and one of my favorites. It’s made up of 26 hectares holds both greenhouses and has some fantastic restaurants. It is a must see in Lisbon.
Gulbenkian Park is one of the nicest in Lisbon
The park at the Gulbenkian Foundation has some incredible nature
Gulbenkian Garden: The Gulbenkian Foundation is simply outstanding. It comprises a gorgeous park, an amphitheater that often holds free concerts, and two museums.  It gets pretty busy on weekends, so if you are going to visit, check it out on a weekday. (Blue or red line to Sao Sebastiao). R. Dr. Nicolau Bettencourt The Modern Art Center: This arm of the Calouste Gulbenkian foundation houses some incredible modern Portuguese and British art. (Blue or red line to Sao Sebastiao). R. Dr. Nicolau Bettencourt
A Chinese art museum in Avenidas Novas
The Anastacio Goncalves Museum is a wonderful museum in Avenidas Novas
Casa-Museu Dr. Anastacio Goncalves: The house for this museum was the home of José Malhoa. The home was purchased by Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves who amassed an incredible art collection some of which is housed here. If you are a fan of Chinese and Portuguese art, this is a must. (Red or Yellow line to Saldanha). Avenida 5 de Outubro 6  Artur Prat House: Also known as the Building of the Order of Engineers, this building is a gorgeous combination of old and new. The original structure from 1812 has French architectural elements (like its Mansard roof), classical elements (like its pediment and columns), and a dash of Art Nouveau to make it even more interesting…and when you go to the back of the building, it is completely modern. Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, 3D
José Maria Marques Palace
One of the prettiest homes in Avenidas Novas
Palacio José Maria Marques: This one is officially in Arroios, but it’s so close to Avenidas Novas that I had to include it. This palacete is one of the few Golden Age homes that survives in Avenidas Novas. It has touches of Baroque, neo-Romanesque, neo-Arabic and Arte Nova. Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, 28-28A Casa dos Viscondes de Valmor: Probably one of the prettiest homes in Lisbon, this home from the early 1900’s is composed of Neo Classical and Neo Romanesque touches. (Red or Yellow line to Saldanha or to Campo Pequeno) Avenida da República, 38-38A
Lisbon's old mint where money was made
The Casa da Moeda in Lisbon
Casa Da MoedaThis building is another that was touched by the Estado Novo regime, it exudes modernism and order. The casa da moeda or house of coin is Lisbon’s mint. In this factory, machines pushed out Portuguese currency. If you are into typography, architecture and sculpture…this is a must see. Avenida Antonio Jose de Almeida, 42.  Palacio PinmentaNot officially in Avenidas Novas, but since it is not so far I figured it was worth including. The palace is home to the Lisbon City Museum and holds the records of the city’s history. This is the place to go if you want to learn about Lisbon from prehistoric times until today. Don’t forget to walk the courtyard, it offers some nice surprises. (Yellow line to Campo Grande). Campo Grande
Campo Pequeno Bullring offers lots of events
Lisbon’s Bullring is a great building in Avenidas Novas
Campo Pequeno: Lisbon’s bullring unfortunately still practices animal torture. However, the building is spectacular, there is a shopping center below, lots of restaurants and plenty of spots to enjoy the sunshine. (Yellow Line). At Campo Pequeno
Campo grande park is a great place for families in Lisbon
Campo Grande is a lovely park in Alvalade near Avenidas Novas
Campo Grande: Not officially part of Avenidas Novas (it belongs to Alvalade), but it is so close I had to include it. Campo Grande is a gorgeous park and a perfect place to spend a lazy Sunday. (Yellow line to Campo Grande). At Campo Grande Mercado 31 de JaneiroThis is a fantastic farmer’s market. The fish is incredibly fresh and they have a fantastic little restaurant inside as well as a sushi shop. R. Eng. Vieira da Silva

Where to Shop in Campo Pequeno

El Corte InglésThis is as close as you will get to a Macy’s or Nordstrom in Portugal. It’s a huge store with a supermarket, hardware store, home goods, and – of course – clothing and shoes. If you need it, you can find it here. (Blue or red line to Sao Sebastiao). Av. António Augusto de Aguiar 31 Centro Comercial do Campo Pequeno: There are over 80 stores at this shopping center, 20 restaurants and a supermarket (Yellow  line to Campo Pequeno). At Campo Pequeno Saldanha Residence: This shopping center has 66 stores and is just a few steps from the Mercado 31 de Janeiro which hosts fantastic food merchants.(Red or Yellow line to Saldanha). Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo 42E

Avenidas Novas is a Great Location

There are four major subway stops in the Avenidas Novas neighborhood. This makes it a great location if you want to travel to all the other neighborhoods in Lisbon.

São Sebastião (red line and the blue line):

Saldanha (yellow and red lines):

Parque (blue line):

Picoas (yellow line):

The 727 to Belém also runs through Avenidas Novas.

20 thoughts on “The Avenidas Novas Neighborhood in Lisbon”

  1. Great informative article! Do you have recommendations for real estate agents specializing in apartments in Avenidas Novas? I am interested in buying an apartment in this area. Thanks!

  2. Realtors in Portugal are not the agents of the renter or buyer. They work with the seller/landlord. Also, because the market is so hot, they tend not to get back to you unless you’re already here in Lisbon. I would recommend that you check out Idealista to look at apartments. Almost all the realtors use it to list the properties that are on the market. I found my place there and ended up renting directly from the owner. I had a very nice experience with diogo.silva @kwportugal . pt – he was very professional.

  3. So glad you are finding it helpful. It was pretty hard to find info when we started to make the move, so I figured I’d put info up on here. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

  4. I wanted to learn the history of the neighborhood and chanced on your very informative website.
    We came to the same conclusion independently.
    All real estate agents steer foreigners to the old town. Very nice to visit but not to live. We deplore the narrow hilly streets and the inaccessibility by car and now the wall to wall tourists and the noisy bars.
    Initially focused on Avenida Liberdade back in 2017 but discovered good units were already spoken for and the prices were rising exponentially.
    Discovered the area completely by accident. My wife wanted to check up on the Wolford label and found it was available at El Cortes.
    We were pleasantly surprised with the area. Relatively flat with wider roads. For us the decision was the close proximity to Parque Eduardo VII and the El Cortes department store. It has an amazing supermarket that compares favourably to anything you can find in North America. It is large and tasteful.
    We bought but for other reasons we may sell. The apartment is idea in all respects. Brand new with original facade and high ceilings. The problem is we are not used to the horrible bureaucracy and suffice it to say the lawyers are different. The banks are also not flexible and one is incompetent. They could not find a wire transfer for 7 days even though they were provided with the details.

  5. Blanca Valbuena

    So glad you found my site. I too love Avenidas Novas and chose it for the same reason as you. I didn’t want to walk up hills all the time, I wanted something with a good supermarket and parks – Avenidas Novas had everything we asked for.

    A lot of the construction here is also newer, so there are fewer home issues than in older neighborhoods.

    Totally hear you about the bureaucracy. I have learned to be patient here when dealing with anything money or government related. I went with Activo Banco and have been pretty happy with them so far, but I haven’t really done any serious transactions…for exactly the reasons you mentioned.

    Are you planning to stay in Portugal or move to another place?

    I wish you tons of luck.

  6. Wow! What an informative site this is! Thank you very much.

    Chanced upon this site to check the best neighborhoods to live in Lisbon. Glad to know we chose the right one after all, after changing choices from one neighborhood to another! Our apartment is officially not part of Avenidas Novas but Arroios, though some maps show that it is. Guess this is a function of the changing zoning regulations of the city. One thing is for sure, it is at the edge of Avenidas Novas and Arroios, on Praça Jose Fontana, across 31 Mercado de Janeiro, a short walk to Saldanha, so I’d like to think we are getting the best of both worlds, er, neighborhoods. What do you think? Haha, sorry if I sound fishing for confirmation.

    Will be reading and watching out for your posts from this point on. I am learning a lot from your posts and getting even more excited to move to Lisbon once this pandemic is all figured out soon. Again, thank you for your very informative and interesting site!

  7. Nice to meet you, Jun,

    That is a great neighborhood. The Mercado has an awesome tea shop and a really good Portuguese seafood restaurant. They also have Aaron sushi which is one of my faves in town. Thank you for the note, it means a lot to hear that I am helping. I hope you love Lisbon as much as I do.

    Blanca

  8. Hi, I just moved to Lisbon from the US in August, and am living in Avenidas Novas. I agree with you that it is a wonderful neighborhood to live in! My spouse didn’t want to live hear at first because he was set on living in one of the older neighborhoods, Now that we’ve been here for a little over a month, he is really glad that we landed here.

    I learned about a few places in the neighborhood that I didn’t know about from your post so thanks for that!

  9. I’m so happy to hear it. While I love the older neighborhoods (I spent a good amount of time testing out living in Santos and the Alfama) it is just way more livable in Avenidas Novas. It is a great neighborhood and there are plenty of hidden gems here. Welcome to Portugal and the neighborhood. I’m sure we’ll run into each other.

    Blanca

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