The Best Bars in Bairro Alto

Park sits on the top deck of a car park on Calcada do Combro, a garden bar with a long view to the river and the bridge. Cocktails, DJs and sunsets draw a young crowd. Best for early-evening drinks before the Bairro Alto streets fill. Get there before sunset for a rail spot.

Tasca do Chico is the cramped fado tavern on Rua do Diario de Noticias where amateur singers take turns through the night. Beer and petiscos come cheap, the walls covered in scarves. Best for raw, unpolished fado. Arrive early on weekends to squeeze in.

The Old Pharmacy is a Portuguese wine bar a few doors down, pouring by the glass from across the country's regions. The staff give generous tastings and talk you through them. Best for a relaxed wine flight before the night gets loud. Quietest before 10pm.

The Insolito hides a rooftop terrace above Rua Sao Boaventura with a view over the rooftops to the castle. The cocktails and small plates lean contemporary. Best for a drink with a view away from the street noise. Book the terrace for sunset.

Bairru's Bodega is a small Portuguese wine bodega on Rua da Barroca with bottles stacked to the ceiling. The list favours low-intervention growers and the pours come honest. Best for an unhurried glass with cheese. Weeknights stay calm.

The Corner works a cocktail and music room on Travessa da Queimada that runs late once the streets fill. The drinks stay classic and the volume climbs after midnight. Best for a late round in the thick of Bairro Alto. Peaks after 11pm on weekends.