Wellness City Guide: Lisbon
Emilina Lomas's Scene Report
Welcome back to Wellness Around the World: City Guides. Once a month, I’ll be tapping a resident wellness aficionado in their home city, asking them to share not only their must-hit spots, but also a glimpse into their community’s culture around wellness. Today we’re getting an insider’s tour of Lisbon, courtesy of Emilina Lomas.
Emilina Lomas, MSc, R.Nutr. is the owner of The Contrast Club, Lisbon’s newest beachside wellness studio. She made her career as a health writer, working with leading brands in the space like Nike and Oura. Now, she spends her time writing her best-selling newsletter, Feeling Good with Emilina, where she shares BS-free health and wellness tips. Emilina is a fixture in Lisbon’s wellness scene, so there’s no better person to show us around town.
A Little Backstory
What is your relationship with wellness, personally?
I have always been deeply interested in wellness. I grew up playing sports, and then after university I fell in love with lifting weights. I quit my graduate job in consulting to train as a personal trainer and do a master’s degree in nutrition and public health. I’ve spent the last decade research, writing, and engaging with all things wellness. It’s a true obsession.
What are some traditional or typical wellness practices of people living in your community? Any specific outlook or history?
Some fun facts about Portugal: it has the lowest processed food consumption in Europe, the risk of preventable diseases is 17% lower than the European average, and overall, people have very healthy lives.
Some specific things I’ve noticed: lots of fish! Lisbon is a prominent European seafood and port hub. So pretty much any Portuguese restaurant will offer an array of fish, which is full of omega-3 fatty acids and thus very good for you! Also, extra virgin olive oil on everything. The average consumption is 6 to 8 liters per person, per year, which is among the highest globally!
The most important wellness practice I’ve seen in Portugal is the focus on community. Traditionally, Portuguese people meet at pastelarias in the morning for an espresso and a pastry. In the evenings, many Portuguese people eat their meals at tascas (cheap homemade traditional food) with friends or family. The focus on eating in community is so important—especially considering the staggering rates of global loneliness, and how profoundly this impacts health and happiness.
Community and connection is ingrained in daily life here, and I think it’s one of the most overlooked wellness practices within this industry.
What is the wellness + beauty scene like today?
The absolute essentials in each category:
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