From the moment I moved abroad, my life got split between two countries. Here’s the story of how and why I traded my hometown in Lisbon for Prague.
I can’t recall the exact moment when I decided to leave Lisbon for Prague. I just felt like the city was wearing off on me, and I needed to go somewhere new. My whole life I’ve had this urge to live abroad, but I kept finding reasons to stay: my family, my friends, my job. It never felt like the right time, until I became a freelance writer.
Suddenly, I didn’t have to go to the office anymore. I was working from home and cafés, alongside Nick, who was already a freelancer.
It was great to have more time to explore Lisbon and the rest of Portugal. I tried different restaurants in the city, visited breweries, and took many day trips to small towns like Ródão and Vila Nova da Barquinha.
Hanging out with foreigners also made me see Lisbon through their eyes: a city of light, friendly people, and delicious food. Little things you take for granted when you’ve lived there for ages.
After 26 years, I felt like I had seen all that Portugal had to give. At home, typing in our tiny bedroom in Graça, I felt trapped. I realized then that I could be doing the same thing anywhere else in the world, and nothing was stopping me now.
Deciding Where to Go With a Cat in Tow
Deciding to leave was easy, but choosing where to go was trickier. I did an internship in Paris in 2013, and while I loved the experience, I couldn’t afford to live there on my freelance income, so that was off the cards. Then there was Clara, our lovely cat, which I could never leave behind.
Most people would pick a country based on living costs, but our first priority was where we could travel with a cat. So we searched for pet-friendly airlines that flew from Lisbon and ended up with two destinations on our list: Bologna and Prague.
In the end, we decided against Bologna, because we felt it would be too quiet and we wanted to experience life in a bigger city. With little over a million residents, Prague is a good transition between Lisbon with its 500,000 residents and bigger cities like Paris with 2 million people.
Back then, I didn’t know anything about Prague, but Nick had been there twice and he assured me that I would like it. Instead of moving to the unknown, we decided to take a short trip to Prague first to get familiar with the city and see if it was the right fit for us. We’re still here now, so I guess we made the right decision.
Finding a New Home in Prague
Three months before our departure to Prague, I gave notice to our landlord in Lisbon. They were putting the rent up from €500 to €800 a month, so we would’ve been pushed out eventually.
In Portugal, I could negotiate rates and call people up, but I knew nothing about the housing market in Prague. It was Nick that did most of the research while we stayed in an Airbnb for the first month. Not speaking Czech, we could only email people and agencies and wait patiently for a reply.
We ended up visiting three apartments in different locations: Nusle, Vršovice, and Dejvice. It was in Dejvice that I felt like home for the first time here. The floors covered in a bright orange carpet were a bit much at first, but the ‘70s wooden cabinet stocked with books did the trick for me. I’ve always wanted to have a wooden bookshelf in my living room, and now it was right there. Granted, all the books are in Czech, but at the time it felt like a sign.
Not many foreigners live this way, but that’s okay. If I’m going to stay in Prague, I want to live among the Czechs. Looking back, we couldn’t have picked a better neighborhood. We live close to three major parks, and we’re within walking distance from the city’s castle and the historic center. Plus, we have two craft beer shops nearby, which is always a big plus for me.
Insider’s tip: If you’re planning to move to Prague, this guide gives you some tips on where to start.
Lisbon vs Prague
5 Things I Love About Prague
1. Parks
I don’t think I’ve ever spent that much time in a park as I do in Prague. There are green spaces in every corner of the city, but we’re lucky enough to live near two of the city’s largest parks: Letná and Stromovka.
As long as it’s not raining, you’ll see people walking and jogging around these parks. Letná is the meeting spot for young skaters and is famous for its beer garden overlooking the city, while Stromovka is the choice for family picnics.
Parks are like a second home for the Czechs. As a nation, they’re pretty active all year round. I’ve seen kids here ice skating in the winter and moms rollerskating with baby strollers in the summer.
2. Wildlife
Another thing I like about Prague is the wildlife. Walking through the city’s parks, you’ll come across a variety of animals. Pigeons are quite common, as are crows and ducks. But my favorite birds are the magpies, with their blue wings and distinct calling. Occasionally, you can also spot red squirrels hopping between trees.
By the river, you’ll find swans and sometimes shy river rats, which are kind of like beavers. And then there are the dogs. According to a recent survey, 40 percent of Czechs have dogs, and they take them everywhere. I’ve seen couples carrying their dog in the metro and taking it inside bars and restaurants. In most places, there’s a water bowl outside for them, and there are even parks dedicated to dogs. If you have a dog, Prague is the perfect city for you.
3. Beer
Czechs love their beer, and so do I. Beyond Pilsner and other big brands like Kozel and Staropramen, the country is home to a series of small breweries that deserve a mention. Since moving here, we visited many craft beer bars and got to know some of these local brands. My favorites at the moment are Zichovec and Raven.
Insider’s tip: To learn more about Czech beer styles and breweries, I recommend joining this craft beer tasting in Prague.
4. Snow
Perhaps the most magical thing about Prague is the winter snow. When I was little, I had to go to Serra da Estrela in Portugal to see snow. It took nearly four hours to get there from Lisbon, but I was always happy to join the kids sliding down the hill on an old dustpan. Still, it was rare to see a snowfall there.
We arrived in Prague in January, and within a few weeks, it started snowing. I remember turning to Nick and saying: “I think I’m a winter girl.” Yes, I love summer and the sea, but there’s something special about snowflakes and cozy cafés. Oh, and did I mention there’s central heating too?
5. Trams
If there’s one thing Lisbon and Prague have in common is the trams. While in recent years, Lisbon trams have become more of a tourist attraction, especially the 28, in Prague, it’s still the locals that use them the most. Their signature red carriages make them the perfect photo op, but they’re also the best way to explore the city. I don’t feel cramped like I would do in Lisbon, and there are rarely any delays, so if I’m running late, I always hop on a tram.
Insider’s tip: If you want to do a tour of Prague on a tram, I would recommend taking number 22 or 23. You can buy transport tickets on your phone with the PID Lítačka app.
5 Things I Miss About Lisbon
1. Beach
“Don’t you miss the weather?” That’s one of the first things people in Prague ask me when I tell them I come from Lisbon. Well, yes and no. Of course I enjoy those hot summer days, but winters in Lisbon can be cold and rainy. It’s even worse if you live in an old apartment with thin windows like we used to do. In Prague, it’s sunny most of the time, and in winter you get to turn on the central heating, so that’s a plus. What I do miss are the beaches.
I was born by the seaside, and so the beach has always been a part of my life. When I was younger, I used to go on school trips to the beach. In high school, I skipped classes to stay on the beach, and my first job was cleaning beaches with the Maré Viva program. I miss walking by the paredão, touching the sand, and smelling the sea.
When I moved to Lisbon from Cascais, I stopped going to the beach as much and became more of a city girl. But now, every time I go back to Portugal, it’s the beach I yearn to see.
2. Food
I never thought I would miss Portuguese food so much. Being in a landlocked country means access to seafood is pretty restricted. Most supermarkets don’t have a fishmonger, and if they do, there’s not much of a selection. Canned fish and smoked salmon are the only fish I get here.
Let’s get this straight, I didn’t buy much fish in Lisbon, but I did go to a lot of fish and seafood restaurants. And whenever I go back to Portugal now, fish is the first thing on the menu. I miss my summer octopus salad, the smell of grilled fish and dipping Alentejo bread in a plate full of mussels. I also miss pastéis de nata and Portuguese sweets in general.
I’ve been so desperate to have some that I’ve started looking for recipes to make pão de deus at home and just bought a muffin tin for pastéis de nata. There is a Portuguese restaurant in Prague, called Oliveira, but paying €2 for a small pastel seems like a luxury when I can get one for half of that back home.
I recently discovered that there are quite a few Portuguese cafés in Berlin, which is only a few hours away on a train, so that’s always an alternative.
3. Kiosks & Viewpoints
Life in Lisbon wouldn’t be the same without the miradouros (viewpoints). While there are many lookout points in Prague, the atmosphere feels different. I miss sitting down by a kiosk in Lisbon and enjoying the sunset with a glass of wine.
When I started working in Lisbon, I spent a lot of time at the Miradouro Santa Catarina chilling out on the grass, before it closed down. Then, when I moved to Graça, I enjoyed walking around Miradouro Senhora do Monte and Monte Agudo. The whole city is connected through viewpoints, and I haven’t found anything quite like that in Prague.
4. Street Art
There is street art all over Lisbon, but it was when I moved to Prague that I realized how much I enjoyed that side of the city. Prague is full of stunning historic buildings, but there’s not so much of a street art scene. Yes, there’s graffiti everywhere, but you won’t find many large murals as you would do in Lisbon.
I miss walking around the city and seeing the walls pop up in the distance, like the Fernando Pessoa mural by AkaCorleone or the colorful illustrated tiles in Campo de Santa Clara by André Saraiva.
5. Friends & Events
I guess this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning my friends. I miss meeting people for coffee, trying different food, and going on spontaneous train trips. Since I moved to Prague, some of my friends have moved away too, going off to Berlin and London, so even when I go back, the crowd is different.
Another thing I miss is events like Drink & Draw and Creative Mornings. I still haven’t discovered anything similar to Drink & Draw in Prague, and unfortunately, the Creative Mornings sessions here are in Czech and not in English. Back in Lisbon, I was also hosting art workshops with Zukuri Club, which came to an end when I moved here. But I’m confident that I will find something soon or maybe I’ll take the initiative and start something on my own again.