Where should first-time visitors base themselves in Lisbon?
For most first-time visitors, Baixa or Chiado is the easiest Lisbon base: central, relatively practical for walking, and well connected by public transport. Choose Alfama for atmosphere and accept the hills; Bairro Alto or Príncipe Real for nightlife; Cais do Sodré if riverfront access and the Cascais line suit your plans. Let your tolerance for hills decide before hotel price does.
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.