At Lisboa Secreta we know that the places where you usually park are either always full or are about to become yet another paid parking lot. Andwe alsoget angry when this happens, when we can’t park for free in Lisbon.
However, we’ve discovered some secret spots where you can still park for free before going to work.
This map of free parking in Lisbon will best suit those who come from outside the city to work, for example from Loures, Santa Iria da Azóia, Algueirão-Mem Martins, Queluz, Sintra , Cascais, Estoril, Malveira, Mafra, among others.
But if you live in areas closer to Lisbon and don’t need four wheels to get to work, because you even have to take the kids to nursery or school, you can also use these tips to park for free in the city.
But beware! From what we’ve consulted on the planning maps of the company that manages parking in Lisbon, some of these places can become outdated from one day to the next.
Parking by zone
To give you a better idea of the free parking spots we’ve found in Lisbon, we’ ve divided the city into five zones:
- Parque das Nações
- Santa Apolónia/Penha de França
- Alcântara
- Belém/Ajuda
- Benfica
We chose these areas for a few reasons, namely their proximity to Lisbon’s most used public transport: metro, buses and trains.
However, some of these areas may require you to walk for a few minutes to find a metro station or bus stop.
But this can also be solved by opting for one of the mobility solutions scattered throughout the city, from scooters, bicycles or car and motorcycle sharing services.
As you can see from the map below, Lisbon’s main car-park manager already occupies a large part of the central area of the city, leaving a few free parking spaces for the areas further away from the center .
While we understand that not everyone can bring their car into the city and park it outside work, we also understand that this expansion may not be to everyone’s taste, especially when the response from public transport is not always the most effective.
But let’s leave these discussions for other pages and get down to business.
1 – Parque das Nações
Let’s start with the easternmost part of Lisbon and one of the city’s newest areas.
Although it ‘s very difficult to find free parking in the center of Parque das Nações, there are some very interesting alternatives very close to public transport, in this case the Sacavém train station and bus stops.
Near Sacavém station there are a few parking lots where you can leave your car and then take the train or bus to the city center.
Here you can leave your car near the Parque do Rio urbanization, very close to Colégio Pedro Arrupe. The park is at the end of Via do Oriente and Passeio dos Heróis do Mar, heading south-north.
2 – Santa Apolónia/Penha de França
On your way to Parque das Nações from the south to the north, if you go along the waterfront you’ll come across the Santa Apolóniatrain station and, just after that, the Penha de França neighborhood.
In this area, finding a parking space can be a challenge. If you’re not one of the first to arrive, it may already be too late.
So our suggestion is that you arrive at one of these places between 7.45 and 8.15. After that, you’ll probably have to wander around until you find a seat.
Olaias, Xabregas, Beato and Marvila may be other solutions in this area, where you can also take advantage of the Olaias metro station or the buses and trains in the other locations.
3 – Alcântara
Near the Lx Factory and the Carris Museum you’ll find a series of streets and avenues where you can park freely.
For example, Rua Luís de Camões is one of the few streets where you can still see cars parked on the sidewalk.
This is not our option at all. In the parallel streets you’ll be able to find free parking without too much trouble.
If you can’t find a space as soon as you arrive in this well-known neighborhood, we guarantee that you’ll have a parking space within 5-10 minutes.
But for that you’ll have to be in the area between 8.45 and 9.15 am, when the locals also travel to work in their vehicles and leave the spaces vacant.
4 – Belém/Ajuda
Although parking is difficult near the waterfront in Belém (it’s almost always full), the truth is that you’ll find parking spaces available in the streets that go up to Ajuda or Restelo.
However, as this is a very touristy area, be prepared for long queues. Even so, you’re sure to find your parking space in the sun.
The area is very well served by public transport, with trains and buses to almost every part of Lisbon.
However, you may have to park a little away from these stops. If you like walking, great, otherwise take the opportunity to rent a scooter or bicycle along the way.
5 – Benfica
The Benfica area is the furthest away from the city center.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t find your free parking space in Lisbon. After all, there’s plenty of public transport you can take from here.
You’ll find free parking in all areas of Benfica, right up to Portas de Benfica, which is a little further away, but with the train station right next door.
The only tip we can give you here is that, at Benfica’s home soccer matches, it’s very difficult to get a parking space.
Is there faith in a better future?
We want to believe that there is! But the truth is that public transport is still not the ideal solution for those who want to get from place A to place B as comfortably and quickly as possible.
Even so, we believe that with all these measures, and with ever better mobility solutions, Lisbon can be a more pleasant place for people to move around.
We always believe that the solution will be better without cars, but we also know that until these conditions are met, finding free parking in Lisbon will always be a problem for those who want to move around the city.