Is Lisbon Really Terrible for Biking?

I keep seeing people say that Lisbon is awful for cycling — too hilly, too chaotic, too car-centric.

So I decided to test it properly.

I rode from my house all the way to the beach, passing through Sintra, Oeiras, and central Lisbon, filming the entire ride as a continuous bike journey.

What I found:

• A surprising amount of separated bike paths
• Quiet back roads once you leave the obvious car corridors
• A mix of challenging climbs, fast flats, and scenic river sections
• Some frustrating gaps… but also some genuinely great stretches of riding

It’s definitely not Amsterdam — but it’s also not the cycling nightmare people make it out to be.

For those who ride here (or have ridden in other “bad cycling cities”):
Do you think Lisbon deserves its reputation, or is it better than people expect?