Cat-Friendly Places in Portugal: 9 Ranked Spots

Lisbon's premier cat café, located in the Bairro Alto district. Twelve cats from various rescue backgrounds live here, and the owners have won two animal welfare awards since opening in 2018. The house specialty, pastéis de nata served warm, combined with a lap full of purring cat is considered peak Lisbon by regulars.

Alfama, Lisbon's oldest neighbourhood, is legendary for its resident cat colonies. Dozens of well-fed, community-cared-for cats roam the steep cobblestone alleys and sun-baked viewpoints (miradouros). Local residents set out food and bedding, and cats have been a fixture of Alfama life for centuries. An unmissable free experience for any visitor to Lisbon.

Adjacent to Alfama, the Mouraria neighbourhood has its own beloved cat community centred on the Intendente square. The cats here are so embedded in local life that a dedicated volunteer group, Gatos de Mouraria, manages their welfare. Several cats have become local celebrities with their own social media accounts.

A newer addition to Lisbon's cat café scene, Meow Café in the revitalised Intendente neighbourhood has nine resident cats and a strong commitment to adoption. The café's weekly "foster Friday" events have been highly publicised on Portuguese social media, and the flat whites are excellent.

Porto's best-loved cat café occupies a townhouse in the Ribeira riverside quarter. Ten cats live here against a backdrop of azulejo tiles and port wine barrels. The signature drink, a warm port wine hot chocolate, is an experience that combines Porto's two greatest exports: cats and port wine.

The ancient University of Coimbra, founded in 1290, has a long tradition of resident cats on its hilltop campus. Students in their traditional black capes (capas negras) share benches with cats who have been cared for by university staff for generations. A magical, free experience during any Coimbra visit.

Braga, Portugal's City of Bishops, has its own feline sanctuary in this intimate café near the Roman ruins. Seven cats live here, most of them long-haired rescues, and the menu focuses on regional Minho cuisine alongside excellent coffee from northern Portugal's single-origin farms.

The fairy-tale palaces of Sintra are a day-trip magnet from Lisbon, and this cat café in the village centre is the perfect mid-hike stop. Six cats share the cosy space with tourists recovering from the steep climbs to Pena Palace. The pastéis de Sintra (a local speciality) make this a worthy café visit even without the cats.

Southern Portugal's first cat café, opened in Faro's charming old walled city in 2022. Five cats, all rescued from the Algarve countryside, live here alongside a menu of fresh seafood sandwiches and local medronho (arbutus berry spirit) cocktails. A surprising delight at the gateway to the Algarve.