Where should first-time visitors base themselves in Lisbon?
For most first-time visitors, Baixa or Chiado is the easiest base: flat-ish walking, metro and trams nearby, and late-night food within reach. Choose Alfama for atmosphere and accept the hills; choose Bairro Alto or Príncipe Real for nightlife and accept the climb; choose Cais do Sodré for the easiest trains to Cascais and Sintra. Let your tolerance for hills decide before you let the hotel price decide.
Answer
Lisbon is not hard to visit, but it is physical. A romantic-looking base can be less charming when every return involves another steep climb, cobbled street or late taxi decision. First-time visitors usually do better staying central enough to walk or use the metro easily, then choosing the mood from there: quieter, food-focused, nightlife-adjacent, river-facing or close to transport. The cheapest option on the edge of the map may cost back time and energy each day. Think less about the perfect neighbourhood and more about how you want your mornings and returns to feel. In Lisbon, the wrong base does not ruin the trip; it just taxes it.