We’ve lived in Portugal for 6 years. The problem is the outflow for waste here doesn’t have a baffle that opens to flush then closes. Hence the smell. Hubby retrofitted one (he’s handy). A lesson in patience for sure. BTW we were in Durham 25 years —
I lived in Italy for 5 years. I never got over the bathroom stinking the same way you describe. A plumber there told us they only use vent stacks in large multifamily buildings in Italy, so no surprise we were just missing a basic required-by-American-code piece of anti-stink technology. Maybe the same in Portugal.
Yep, Portuguese plumbing is done differently than in the US and lots of smells waft up as a result. You can try frequent cleaning vinegar and baking soda down the drains followed by flushing them with boiling water, but it doesn't totally go away.
One thing you might actually be able to fix if it’s coming from your sinks is that the P trap section of piping may instead be small flex tubing, like with an accordion texture (again, would never survive even a lazy inspection in the USA). You can try just literally stretching out that flex tubing and reshaping without detaching it or anything, to make it more of a deeper U shape at the bottom, so that more water sits in it and stops sewer gases from coming up. Because it’s flexible it can get pushed out of shape if you keep cleaning supplies or whatever else under the sink that get shoved up against it.
The shower drain and the sink are probably both “supposed” to go into a little cleanout reservoir in the floor of the bathroom, that keeps water in it. That reservoir then has an exit line that goes downstream to join the sewer line that exits out of the toilet. This serves the same theoretical stink-stopping purpose as a P-trap but doesn’t work as well. When it’s not even installed (remodels, small bathrooms, etc) you don’t have much protection from sewer gases leaking back into the bathroom. Luckily most southern European building codes require bathrooms to have windows (unlike USA code), which you need to leave open anyway so the whole room doesn’t mildew in the winter.
Allowing… a beautiful insight. Perfection can be the enemy of good enough. Your story reminds me of something that Viktor Frankl wrote: “Pain is real, suffering is a choice.”
Appreciating you and Cody sharing your ongoing journey!
Yes! To all of this. The first building we lived in in Lisbon, this was a huge problem. We were always trying to figure it out. The one we live in now is a bit newer, and it seems like less of a problem since the entire building had some sort of pipe work done on it right when we moved in. We do still get smells though. We purchase the toilet "scents" you attach to the edge of the bowl, and that seems to help diffuse smells! We have two bathrooms, and our master bath is fine while the guest/kids bath is the one that has odors. Go figure. :)
Now, before you assume all of Portugal reeks of sewage, let’s clarify. Not all pipes smell. The issue usually pops up in older buildings that haven't seen a proper renovation since Jazz was king. And when we say "proper renovation," we mean the kind where the water pipes, sewage, and electrical systems have actually been updated — not just slapped with a fresh coat of paint and called "charming."
Have you ever taken a peek at your breaker box? Noticed how little power you can actually draw? Let’s talk about what’s really going on in Portuguese city centers — especially Lisbon.
For about a century, Portugal had rent control laws that froze rents in place. Sounds great for tenants, right? Until you realize landlords had zero incentive (or funds) to maintain their buildings. When inflation hit, these properties became financial black holes. Maintenance was neglected, buildings decayed, and starting in the late 1970s, people started fleeing Lisbon for the suburbs.
By 2005, Lisbon’s historic center was practically a ghost town. In fact, only five people were living in Rossio — yeah, that Rossio, the city’s main square. (Not a typo: five.)
Then, tourism boomed around 2013, and suddenly everyone wanted a piece of that pastel-tiled, sun-drenched real estate. Cue the renovations — but they came in two flavors:
- Total gut jobs, keeping only the façade. Expensive, but high quality. Think sleek rentals with triple the rent.
- Surface-level rehab, done unit-by-unit. Locally known as a “face wash.” It looks good — new cabinets, shiny faucets — but underneath? Still 1916.
So, about those smells...
Most likely, you’re dealing with the missing siphon problem. That’s a small trap in the floor (you’ll recognize it as a round metal cover) that’s supposed to block sewage odors from coming back up the pipes. If it’s not there — or someone creatively modified it — then congrats, you’ve got Eau de Cacophony coming straight from the depths.
Could you fix it? Sure… if there’s enough space to install one. But in most old buildings, that would mean raising the floor or busting into your downstairs neighbor’s ceiling. Not exactly something you want to bring up.
But here's the kicker: even if you fix the pipes, the smells might still linger. Why? Because water damage and rot in the wooden structure of the building may have been soaking in odors for decades. It’s not your pipes — it’s the whole building.
“it is what it is.”
Renting an apartment in a old wooden building in Lisbon is like entering into a love-hate relationship. With luck, you will find the love after getting to know the hate very well.
That´s why so many locals abandoned Lisbon after the '1970s. Honestly, these are probably the worst homes in the country — followed closely by the ones built by returning Portuguese emigrants in the interior between the '80s and early 2000s.
I spent most of my adult life renovating wooden buildings in Lisbon. It never, ever crossed my mind to buy something. Either they were too expensive or simply too bad.
Paulo, thank you, thank you, thank you for this incredibly explanation! It makes so much sense. Sometimes, when Cody and I are absolutely dreaming, we think about what it might take to buy an apartment here. When we do, I’m going to pull up this comment 😂😅
Our building is incredibly old, with sweet, lovely residents to match, and apparently a co-op that doesn’t have enough money in it to renovate our doorbells or lift. 😅 what an adventure!
Buying is an complete diferent beast. It is no longer enough to look at the floor to check if the siphons are there, if the kitchen is new or if the bathroom fixtures have been replaced. If you want something for the future, here some brutally practical advice before signing a lifetime of debt disguised as a dream:
1 - Is the building new or old?
2 - If old, has it been completely renovated or just some apartments? Is the paintwork new but the rest is old?
3 - Are the water, electricity, gas and telecommunications systems in the apartments new or old? What about those in the building? What is the maximum power you can contract (or will you have a €15,000 bill)?
4 - Looking at the facades, are there any cracks? If so, where do they start and where are they sloping towards? Cracks tell you everything that you need to know about the structure of a building
5 - Is the stonework broken, especially the horizontal pieces above the windows/doors? (houston, you have a problem)
6 - Are the tiles fixed or loose, or do they sound hollow when tapped? Missing tiles? one of those tiles 10x10 cost with 3 colors cost 3€ per peace. Not much? you need 100 per square meter
7 - Have the window frames been replaced? PVC? Aluminium? Wood? Double glazing?
8 - How are the gutters on the roof? Are the tiles less than 15 years old? More importantly, how is the roof support structure?
9 - Inside the interior rooms, are the skirting boards flush with the floor? Is there any space between them? Are the floors flat or do they bulge in the centre?
10 - When you jump in the centre of a room, does it feel firm or does it shake too much?
11 - Are the wooden frames around the exterior windows in good condition? (stick a thin knife into them; if it goes in more than 3 mm, you heard aboud Houston, right)
12 - Are there small holes in the wood that indicate the presence of woodworm? (welcome to houston)
13 - Is the plaster coating on the interior walls fixed or does it sound hollow when tapped?
14 - When you enter, take a deep breath. Does it smell of mould or damp? Or were the windows and doors open to mask the smell?
15 - Is the shower tray flat? One of those that is level with the floor and that people love? You will have problems sooner rather than later.
16 - Are there signs of damp above the exterior windows?
17 - Decorated ceilings? Charming, aren't they? As long as you don't have to dismantle them to replace your neighbour's wooden beams. Or your neighbour's downstairs.
These old buildings in Lisbon that foreigners love so much are like very sick people of advanced age. No matter what you do, no matter how much money you spend, they will never be new again. The only solution is to demolish them and rebuild them. Or else accept that things are the way they are and lower your expectations. Because the mathematical formula for happiness is:
Happiness = Reality - Expectations
PS: The list is not exhaustive, it was as complete as possible while the beer lasted.
I am Portuguese but grew up in the US and have since lived in Portugal as an adult. I agree - the coldest I have ever been in my life is in a house at night in Portugal in February. It is a different beast. I appreciate your observations around American expectations. My husband and I talk about this often when we spend extended time with family in Portugal or Tunisia. As Americans, we get used to a certain level of convenience and ease that doesn’t exist everywhere. I think the trade offs of living elsewhere are worth it. Beautiful insights :).
love your writing, ashley! great post although it scares the crap (no pun intended) out of me! i'm sensitive to smell and to cold and to mold - all things i have heard before about lisbon but your firsthand account, idk it just hit different, as the kids say. i imagine myself having some similar moments in my near future! i guess i'm curious if, despite all the troubles, you still feel good about your choice to relocate there?
Oh Karen, of course! They are adjustments, truly, but that’s all they feel like: the process of acclimating to a lot of little differences, all at once. I try to remind myself that we do the same in the states and acclimate over time — calling customer service a million times to negotiate unforeseen thousand dollar bills from the hospital; paying hundreds for basic trips to the vet, having to beg for referrals for consistent, reliable landscaping services?! Haha all uniquely American things we just grit our teeth and bear. So far, our move has been such a relief in big ways, so the pebbles in our shoes have felt trivial in comparison. Please do let us know if you have any questions — we’ve been exactly where you are.
Your adventure - so far - brings to mind several camping trips I took when I was younger. No running water, pit toilets. Everything was done adhoc, improvised. But I had a luxury you don’t: I knew when it would end and what was waiting for me when it was over. I applaud your grit.
We’ve lived in Portugal for 6 years. The problem is the outflow for waste here doesn’t have a baffle that opens to flush then closes. Hence the smell. Hubby retrofitted one (he’s handy). A lesson in patience for sure. BTW we were in Durham 25 years —
That sounds like precisely the issue — so cool your husband was able to fashion a fix! So cool we were both Durhamites in a past life, too. ❤️
Love your writing! Moving to Lisbon in July and so afraid this will be our reality. It will definitely be a lesson in patience and acceptance.
Aw, thank you, Sandra! And my goodness, yes — this journey is humbling me. Every hour. Congrats on the move! So soon!
sandra i'm moving in september! i have heard stories but this one scares me! :)
Congrats on the move, Karen! You’re going to be just fine — I can feel it!
I lived in Italy for 5 years. I never got over the bathroom stinking the same way you describe. A plumber there told us they only use vent stacks in large multifamily buildings in Italy, so no surprise we were just missing a basic required-by-American-code piece of anti-stink technology. Maybe the same in Portugal.
Yep, Portuguese plumbing is done differently than in the US and lots of smells waft up as a result. You can try frequent cleaning vinegar and baking soda down the drains followed by flushing them with boiling water, but it doesn't totally go away.
One thing you might actually be able to fix if it’s coming from your sinks is that the P trap section of piping may instead be small flex tubing, like with an accordion texture (again, would never survive even a lazy inspection in the USA). You can try just literally stretching out that flex tubing and reshaping without detaching it or anything, to make it more of a deeper U shape at the bottom, so that more water sits in it and stops sewer gases from coming up. Because it’s flexible it can get pushed out of shape if you keep cleaning supplies or whatever else under the sink that get shoved up against it.
Thanks David! It’s defffffinitely the shower drain 😭 but we appreciate this suggestion!
The shower drain and the sink are probably both “supposed” to go into a little cleanout reservoir in the floor of the bathroom, that keeps water in it. That reservoir then has an exit line that goes downstream to join the sewer line that exits out of the toilet. This serves the same theoretical stink-stopping purpose as a P-trap but doesn’t work as well. When it’s not even installed (remodels, small bathrooms, etc) you don’t have much protection from sewer gases leaking back into the bathroom. Luckily most southern European building codes require bathrooms to have windows (unlike USA code), which you need to leave open anyway so the whole room doesn’t mildew in the winter.
“Maybe the most American thing about me is my inability to allow.”
Love the honest insight!
Thank you! The mirror to my truest self is sometimes rough to look at but hey, it’s growth! 😅
Allowing… a beautiful insight. Perfection can be the enemy of good enough. Your story reminds me of something that Viktor Frankl wrote: “Pain is real, suffering is a choice.”
Appreciating you and Cody sharing your ongoing journey!
Thank you so much for being with us on this journey, Eric!
Yes! To all of this. The first building we lived in in Lisbon, this was a huge problem. We were always trying to figure it out. The one we live in now is a bit newer, and it seems like less of a problem since the entire building had some sort of pipe work done on it right when we moved in. We do still get smells though. We purchase the toilet "scents" you attach to the edge of the bowl, and that seems to help diffuse smells! We have two bathrooms, and our master bath is fine while the guest/kids bath is the one that has odors. Go figure. :)
We’ve got those toilet scents too! A friend of ours is sending us a silicone cover for the shower drain soon and hopefully that will help!
“Everyone knows Portuguese pipes just… smell.”
Now, before you assume all of Portugal reeks of sewage, let’s clarify. Not all pipes smell. The issue usually pops up in older buildings that haven't seen a proper renovation since Jazz was king. And when we say "proper renovation," we mean the kind where the water pipes, sewage, and electrical systems have actually been updated — not just slapped with a fresh coat of paint and called "charming."
Have you ever taken a peek at your breaker box? Noticed how little power you can actually draw? Let’s talk about what’s really going on in Portuguese city centers — especially Lisbon.
For about a century, Portugal had rent control laws that froze rents in place. Sounds great for tenants, right? Until you realize landlords had zero incentive (or funds) to maintain their buildings. When inflation hit, these properties became financial black holes. Maintenance was neglected, buildings decayed, and starting in the late 1970s, people started fleeing Lisbon for the suburbs.
By 2005, Lisbon’s historic center was practically a ghost town. In fact, only five people were living in Rossio — yeah, that Rossio, the city’s main square. (Not a typo: five.)
https://www.publico.pt/2005/03/26/jornal/habitantes-do-rossio-nao-chegam-a-ser-uma-dezena-12882
Then, tourism boomed around 2013, and suddenly everyone wanted a piece of that pastel-tiled, sun-drenched real estate. Cue the renovations — but they came in two flavors:
- Total gut jobs, keeping only the façade. Expensive, but high quality. Think sleek rentals with triple the rent.
- Surface-level rehab, done unit-by-unit. Locally known as a “face wash.” It looks good — new cabinets, shiny faucets — but underneath? Still 1916.
So, about those smells...
Most likely, you’re dealing with the missing siphon problem. That’s a small trap in the floor (you’ll recognize it as a round metal cover) that’s supposed to block sewage odors from coming back up the pipes. If it’s not there — or someone creatively modified it — then congrats, you’ve got Eau de Cacophony coming straight from the depths.
Could you fix it? Sure… if there’s enough space to install one. But in most old buildings, that would mean raising the floor or busting into your downstairs neighbor’s ceiling. Not exactly something you want to bring up.
But here's the kicker: even if you fix the pipes, the smells might still linger. Why? Because water damage and rot in the wooden structure of the building may have been soaking in odors for decades. It’s not your pipes — it’s the whole building.
“it is what it is.”
Renting an apartment in a old wooden building in Lisbon is like entering into a love-hate relationship. With luck, you will find the love after getting to know the hate very well.
That´s why so many locals abandoned Lisbon after the '1970s. Honestly, these are probably the worst homes in the country — followed closely by the ones built by returning Portuguese emigrants in the interior between the '80s and early 2000s.
I spent most of my adult life renovating wooden buildings in Lisbon. It never, ever crossed my mind to buy something. Either they were too expensive or simply too bad.
Paulo, thank you, thank you, thank you for this incredibly explanation! It makes so much sense. Sometimes, when Cody and I are absolutely dreaming, we think about what it might take to buy an apartment here. When we do, I’m going to pull up this comment 😂😅
Our building is incredibly old, with sweet, lovely residents to match, and apparently a co-op that doesn’t have enough money in it to renovate our doorbells or lift. 😅 what an adventure!
Buying is an complete diferent beast. It is no longer enough to look at the floor to check if the siphons are there, if the kitchen is new or if the bathroom fixtures have been replaced. If you want something for the future, here some brutally practical advice before signing a lifetime of debt disguised as a dream:
1 - Is the building new or old?
2 - If old, has it been completely renovated or just some apartments? Is the paintwork new but the rest is old?
3 - Are the water, electricity, gas and telecommunications systems in the apartments new or old? What about those in the building? What is the maximum power you can contract (or will you have a €15,000 bill)?
4 - Looking at the facades, are there any cracks? If so, where do they start and where are they sloping towards? Cracks tell you everything that you need to know about the structure of a building
5 - Is the stonework broken, especially the horizontal pieces above the windows/doors? (houston, you have a problem)
6 - Are the tiles fixed or loose, or do they sound hollow when tapped? Missing tiles? one of those tiles 10x10 cost with 3 colors cost 3€ per peace. Not much? you need 100 per square meter
7 - Have the window frames been replaced? PVC? Aluminium? Wood? Double glazing?
8 - How are the gutters on the roof? Are the tiles less than 15 years old? More importantly, how is the roof support structure?
9 - Inside the interior rooms, are the skirting boards flush with the floor? Is there any space between them? Are the floors flat or do they bulge in the centre?
10 - When you jump in the centre of a room, does it feel firm or does it shake too much?
11 - Are the wooden frames around the exterior windows in good condition? (stick a thin knife into them; if it goes in more than 3 mm, you heard aboud Houston, right)
12 - Are there small holes in the wood that indicate the presence of woodworm? (welcome to houston)
13 - Is the plaster coating on the interior walls fixed or does it sound hollow when tapped?
14 - When you enter, take a deep breath. Does it smell of mould or damp? Or were the windows and doors open to mask the smell?
15 - Is the shower tray flat? One of those that is level with the floor and that people love? You will have problems sooner rather than later.
16 - Are there signs of damp above the exterior windows?
17 - Decorated ceilings? Charming, aren't they? As long as you don't have to dismantle them to replace your neighbour's wooden beams. Or your neighbour's downstairs.
These old buildings in Lisbon that foreigners love so much are like very sick people of advanced age. No matter what you do, no matter how much money you spend, they will never be new again. The only solution is to demolish them and rebuild them. Or else accept that things are the way they are and lower your expectations. Because the mathematical formula for happiness is:
Happiness = Reality - Expectations
PS: The list is not exhaustive, it was as complete as possible while the beer lasted.
Haha the beer lasted long enough for me to be sufficiently terrified! Thank you so much for this list 😅
I am Portuguese but grew up in the US and have since lived in Portugal as an adult. I agree - the coldest I have ever been in my life is in a house at night in Portugal in February. It is a different beast. I appreciate your observations around American expectations. My husband and I talk about this often when we spend extended time with family in Portugal or Tunisia. As Americans, we get used to a certain level of convenience and ease that doesn’t exist everywhere. I think the trade offs of living elsewhere are worth it. Beautiful insights :).
Thank you for the affirmation! That chill goes bone deep 😅 but you’re so right — the tradeoffs are so utterly worth it!
lol I am preparing myself to be the eccentric Swiss lady who insists on double-glazed windows and floor heating in her future Portuguese renovation.
(and a baffle in the drains, obrigada poe esse conselho, Justine!)
Wishing you all the best in that reno!
We are moving from Durham, NC to Southwest France in early 2026. I'm definitely wondering what I'll need to accept as "it is what it is." :)
You’ll have to tell me when you find out — I’m sure France will have its quirks! So cool to find such a cool contingent of durhamites here, so lovely!
Absolutely - I was so happy to find your Substack - once we're over there, we'll have to plan a meetup of people from the Triangle. :)
love your writing, ashley! great post although it scares the crap (no pun intended) out of me! i'm sensitive to smell and to cold and to mold - all things i have heard before about lisbon but your firsthand account, idk it just hit different, as the kids say. i imagine myself having some similar moments in my near future! i guess i'm curious if, despite all the troubles, you still feel good about your choice to relocate there?
Oh Karen, of course! They are adjustments, truly, but that’s all they feel like: the process of acclimating to a lot of little differences, all at once. I try to remind myself that we do the same in the states and acclimate over time — calling customer service a million times to negotiate unforeseen thousand dollar bills from the hospital; paying hundreds for basic trips to the vet, having to beg for referrals for consistent, reliable landscaping services?! Haha all uniquely American things we just grit our teeth and bear. So far, our move has been such a relief in big ways, so the pebbles in our shoes have felt trivial in comparison. Please do let us know if you have any questions — we’ve been exactly where you are.
Thank you Ashley! I appreciate it! 😊💕
Your adventure - so far - brings to mind several camping trips I took when I was younger. No running water, pit toilets. Everything was done adhoc, improvised. But I had a luxury you don’t: I knew when it would end and what was waiting for me when it was over. I applaud your grit.
Thank you for the nod of confidence! We are doing it, day by day, and whew, I’m proud of us ☺️