It’s a testament to the strength of Lisbon’s brand that perception outweighs performance in Livability, Lovability and Prosperity. Lisbon’s transformation from best-kept secret to urban benchmark is only accelerating. Bikes and trains rule: new protected lanes and a bigger Gira bike-share bolster a #9 ranking for Biking, and Europe’s #4-ranked public transit system grows via Metro’s expanding Circular Line. The targeted 2026 opening of the Estrela and Santos stations will shorten daily commutes and weekend family trips. Lisboetas and visitors alike mourned the horror of the funicular accident that claimed 16 lives and exposed maintenance negligence. Yet visitors keep coming, buoyed by new openings like the MACAM modern art museum in a reimagined palace – complete with a 64-room luxury hotel – as well as the MUDE design museum and Hyatt’s Andaz Lisbon late 2025 launch on Praça do Comércio. Portugal posted record travel-service exports in 2024 and likely will again in 2026, and the city’s gateways are expanding to meet the demand. After choosing Alcochete for the region’s next international airport, officials this year asked ANA to accelerate capacity at Humberto Delgado while the new field is completed.