Is Lisbon safe for solo female digital nomads?

Lisbon is a city where most people walk home late without thinking about it, and the official figures support that. They also contain one number worth knowing.

What the data says

The Institute for Economics and Peace placed Portugal 7th of 163 countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index, published on 15 June 2026. Only Iceland, New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ireland and Austria ranked higher.

The RASI 2025, Portugal's annual internal security report, was presented on 31 March 2026. Reported crime overall rose 3.1 percent, which the government attributes largely to more police checks. Violent and serious crime fell 1.6 percent, and robbery makes up 61.6 percent of it.

The same report recorded reported rapes at their highest level of the last decade. That is a national count of reports, not a Lisbon rate, but we would rather you read it here than discover it later.

The risk you will actually meet

Pickpocketing. Portugal Visitor names tram 28 through Alfama and tram 15 towards Belém as the hotspots, along with crowded buses and metro carriages when people push to board. Keep your phone out of back pockets, carry a bag that closes and sits in front of you, and keep little cash on you.

At night, the advice is the one you would follow in any capital: lit main streets, a ride hailing car rather than a long walk alone after midnight, and a friend who knows where you are.

Numbers to save

1. 112 for any emergency.
2. SNS 24, the national health line, on 808 24 24 24.
3. The PSP tourist police at Palácio Foz, Praça dos Restauradores (metro Restauradores), on +351 213 421 623 or +351 213 400 090. They take theft reports and give you the police report your insurer will ask for.

Meeting people early is the best safety net of all: our answer on meeting people in Lisbon as a digital nomad lists where to start, and the Porto vs Lisbon guide compares the two cities on safety.