Follow Madonna to Lisbon?

Add Madonna to the growing list of people relocating to Lisbon, Portugal.

According to Reuters, Madonna has recently settled in the city and is wasting no time extolling its virtues on social media. The Material Girl has digitally declared that “the energy of Portugal is so inspiring”, and while she might be the most famous name yet to move to Lisbon, she certainly didn’t start the trend.

No, Lisbon has been leaping up the ladder over the last few years, regularly popping up near the top of both quality-of-life surveys and expatriate rankings. 

Here are a few reasons you may want to follow Madonna to Portugal’s capital:

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Old World Charm

Lisbon is as quintessentially European as it gets. Faded stone facades are contrasted by colorful tiles on buildings all over the city, with each one seemingly sporting a balcony and a crown of curved orange tiles.

To top things off (literally), there is a castle overlooking the capital from the “epitome-of-charming” Alfama neighborhood and centuries of history at every turn.

The best way to reach the Alfama? A romantic ride on a rickety tram of course.

Good Food

Portuguese cuisine has been overshadowed by its Spanish neighbor for years, but the food here is certainly in the upper echelon of European eating.

A couple of the famous signature items to look for are bacalhau à bras—scraps of salt cod served with strips of potato, scrambled eggs and onion—and Queijo de Azeitão, a creamy cheese made from sheep’s milk with a gooey center.

The most famous of all is probably Pasteis de Nata, a decadent egg custard tart.

Add into this mix a few new Michelin star restaurants and an excellent range of Portuguese wine, and you have a combination that would tempt any foodie worth their Himalayan sea salt to relocate.

Gorgeous Weather

Lisbon lies right in the middle of the Mediterranean weather belt, meaning you can expect mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine all year round. In fact, the city is the sunniest European capital.

While it may get a little chilly in the winter, the skies will generally stay clear. Balmy winds blowing up from Africa are never out of the question though, so you could have breakfast on your balcony in February.

Summers can certainly see extreme heat, but that just gives residents an excuse to head for the nearby seaside. Yes, that’s right, if you needed another reason to think of moving to Lisbon, there are beaches literally on its doorstep.

READ MORE: Experience Lisbon with 'We Hate Tourism' Tours

Captivating Culture

From the longing sound of Fado music to the fanatical fans of the two big local football teams, the culture of Lisbon is full of life.

Plenty of festivals and events fill the calendar, but none more fun than the eve of St. Anthony’s Day in June, when the entire city turns into one big fiesta. Expect overflowing glasses of sangria, more grilled sardines than you can shake a stick at and street parties that go well past sunrise.

Affordability

Reports indicate that Madonna is dropping several million dollars for a mansion in the hills. While prices have definitely gone up in recent years, you won’t have to spend that kind of cash to find a home as there are still real estate values to be found when compared to other European capitals.