Living in Anjos

Understanding life in Anjos

Why people choose to live here

Anjos is a central neighbourhood on the southern stretch of the Avenida Almirante Reis, between Intendente and the Bairro Andrade. It takes its name from one of Lisbon's historic parishes, merged into Arroios in 2012. Ornate tiled facades, 19th century apartment blocks and small workshops sit side by side with new cafés, galleries and international grocers. Residents value its location, a short walk from the Baixa and Martim Moniz, its two metro stations and its diverse, creative community. It is a good fit for people who want authentic city life rather than a quiet residential street.

History and architectural character of Anjos

The parish of Anjos was created in 1563 by Cardinal Henrique, around a hermitage dedicated to the angels. In 1908 its church was dismantled to open the Avenida Dona Amélia, today the Avenida Almirante Reis. The architect José Luís Monteiro rebuilt it on the western side of the new avenue, reusing the entire baroque interior, and the Igreja dos Anjos reopened in March 1910. On the Largo do Intendente, the former Viúva Lamego ceramics factory, built between 1849 and 1865, is covered with figurative tiles by Luís Ferreira, known as Ferreira das Tabuletas.

Daily life in Anjos

Shopping and local services

The Mercado do Forno do Tijolo, a municipal market on the Rua Maria da Fonte, sells fresh fish, meat, fruit and vegetables and is also used for weekend fairs. Along the Avenida Almirante Reis and the Rua dos Anjos you will find supermarkets, bakeries, pharmacies and grocers selling produce and spices from Asia, Africa and Brazil. On the Largo do Intendente, the old Viúva Lamego building now houses a branch of A Vida Portuguesa, a shop specialising in traditional Portuguese products. The Junta de Freguesia de Arroios provides local administrative services for residents of the neighbourhood.

Education and family life

Families can use the public Escola Básica Sampaio Garrido, on the Praça das Novas Nações, which belongs to the Nuno Gonçalves school group and offers pre-school and primary classes. The Jardim de Infância dos Anjos, on the Largo Conde Pombeiro, welcomes younger children. For secondary education, the Escola Secundária de Camões, one of Lisbon's best known public schools, is a short walk north on the Praça José Fontana. NOVA Medical School and the Instituto Superior Técnico are both close by, and international schools in other parts of Lisbon are reachable by metro or car.

Health and medical services

Primary care is provided by the national health service. The USF Almirante, a family health unit on the Rua Luís Pinto Moitinho, sits right beside the Igreja dos Anjos, and residents register there with a family doctor. The Hospital Dona Estefânia, Lisbon's main children's hospital, is on the northern edge of the neighbourhood, and the Hospital de São José, with a general emergency department open 24 hours a day, is a few minutes south in Pena. The SNS 24 helpline gives medical advice by phone, and pharmacies are found along the Avenida Almirante Reis.

Transportation and connectivity

Anjos is one of the best connected areas in central Lisbon. Anjos and Intendente stations are both on the green metro line, which runs south to Martim Moniz, the Baixa and Cais do Sodré, and north to Arroios and Alameda, where you can change to the red line for the airport. Tram 28E starts from nearby Martim Moniz and climbs towards Graça and Alfama. Many Carris bus routes run along the Avenida Almirante Reis, and the flat avenue makes cycling and electric scooters a practical option for short trips around the city.

Leisure, culture, and social life

Parks and green spaces

Anjos is dense, but green spaces are close. The small Jardim António Feijó, in front of the Igreja dos Anjos, offers benches and shade on the avenue. The Largo do Intendente, rehabilitated around 2012, is a pedestrian square where neighbours meet and children play. Just north, the Jardim Constantino has tall trees and a playground, and the Jardim Braamcamp Freire on the Campo dos Mártires da Pátria is a short walk west. Up the hill in Graça, the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte offers one of the widest views over the city, the castle and the river.

Restaurants, cafés, and nightlife

Anjos is known for one of Lisbon's most famous seafood houses. Cervejaria Ramiro, founded in 1956 at the southern end of the Avenida Almirante Reis, serves prawns, clams, crab and its famous steak sandwich, and closes on Mondays. Around the Largo do Intendente, café terraces fill up from breakfast to evening. The Rua dos Anjos and the avenue are lined with Indian, Nepalese, Chinese and African restaurants as well as traditional Portuguese tascas with daily lunch menus. In the evening, small bars around Intendente draw a young, mixed crowd from all over the city.

Culture and local events

The Igreja dos Anjos, classified as a building of public interest, is worth a visit for its baroque gilded woodwork and 17th century paintings moved from the original church. The tiled facade of the Viúva Lamego building on the Largo do Intendente is one of the most photographed in Lisbon. The Anjos70 art and flea market, born in the neighbourhood, still organises editions at the Mercado do Forno do Tijolo. In June, the popular saints festivities bring music and grilled sardines to the streets, and the Coliseu dos Recreios is a short walk south.