Single girlies, this is for you! In this episode we’re finding out what life is like as a single woman in Lisbon, with our special guest Mia. She shares her (best and worst) experiences with dating in Lisbon, using the ‘I’m single’-hat as a conversation starter, instead of endless swiping on dating apps. She gives her honest opinion about the dating pool in Lisbon and about dating Portuguese men (spoiler alert).
Also she shares how growing up in a conservative Asian culture has influenced the way she approached love and dating. We talk about being comfortable alone, the joy of solo dating and what Mia’s perfect solo date lookes like. Last but not least Mia has some advice for fellow single girls on how to spend Valentines Day alone.
Enjoy listening and don’t forget to rate the podcast and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform, like Spotify – it will help more hearts find our little corner of the world.
With love, April Betts & Anna Jirina.
About From Lisbon With Love
Welcome to From Lisbon With Love! A podcast about real stories of love, laughter, and life in Lisbon — from women who have left it all behind. We share real stories about moving to Lisbon, starting over and figuring life out along the way. We talk love, dating, friendships, breakups, healing, growing, all of it. Basically, the stuff we usually talk about over coffee ☕️ or vinho 🍷. If you’re thinking about moving to Lisbon, already here or just love honest conversations with heart: you’re in the right place! Learn more about our story here.
Dating in Lisbon
Dating in Lisbon is quite interesting, since the city offers a mix of locals, immigrants and nomads. This makes the dating pool very varied, but it can also be challenging. Creating a real and deep connection can be extremely hard, since there’s also many people in Lisbon for only a short stay (something we also discuss in the episode). Nevertheless, the ability to date different nationalities is a big plus about Lisbon. Dating outside your own culture offers opportunities for personal growth, broadened perspectives and more empathetic connections.
Offline dating in Lisbon
However apps like Tinder, Hinge, Meetic and Bumble are commonly used in Lisbon, also offline dating is (luckily!) upcoming. In Lisbon you’ll find various speed dating events, as well as blind folded dating (for the really brave ones!). Also Thursday Lisbon offers weekly single nights, which is worth it if you’d rather find your match in real life.
The platform Meetup is also a great way to meet people that have the same interests and hobbies as you. Meetup is mostly used to meet likeminded people and to make friends, but of course there’s always the possibility that you find your match at an event (who knows?!) ;-). If you want to stay up to date about upcoming speed dating and matchmaking events in Lisbon, you can take a look on Eventbrite.
Last but not least The Offline Club provides a space for people to meet without technology. They organize offline hangouts and events to unplug, relax and connect with like-minded people. Also the community ‘No Signal’ organizes phone-free dinners, hikes, and social gatherings. If you’re looking to meet new people or if you’re into offline dating, there’s plenty of options in Lisbon!
Being a single woman in your 30’s in Lisbon
If you’re curious what life is like as a single woman in your 30’s in Lisbon, definitely listen this episode. Mia shares her most memorable dating experiences in Lisbon, as well as the challenges of dating in your 30’s. Overall, Lisbon is a great place for single woman. Not only is Portugal considered really safe for women alone, but also the dating scene is very vibrant.
If you want to hear more stories about dating in Lisbon: we also made an episode about our experiences with dating in Lisbon. We talk about the differences between dating in our homecountry versus dating in Portugal, the dating lessons we’ve learned so far and our struggles with dating.
