If San Francisco is the blueprint for a successful tech city, consider Lisbon the Bay Area’s European counterpart. Often called the gateway between Africa and Europe, the Portuguese capital sits on one of the continent’s busiest ports, complete with a Golden Gate Bridge look-alike (Ponte 25 de Abril) stretching across the Tagus River. Lisbon’s neck-breaking steep roads and trams reveal additional commonalities between SF and Lisbon, but the most striking similarity is Lisbon’s rise as a European hot spot for entrepreneurs and digital nomads.

Once a major fishing economy, Lisbon is growing into a tech and innovation center, recently seeing an influx of technology startups, real estate companies and green energy initiatives. Now considered the top European city for digital nomads, its temperate Atlantic climate and relatively moderate cost of living lure workers looking for professional opportunities paired with the slower pace of life characteristic of Southern Europe. The Portuguese government responded to this inundation of new residents by expanding its visa options for entrepreneurs and implementing policies to make it easier for businesses to operate.

Each year thousands of tech leaders and innovators gather for Web Summit, the world’s largest tech conference for companies, startups and investors. This annual event helped put Lisbon on the map as one of the top cities in Europe for conferences. The Lisbon Congress Centre, Portugal’s largest meeting space, comprises 312,000 square feet of auditoriums, halls and conference rooms. Located in Lisbon’s Belém neighborhood, the center includes an onsite riverside restaurant seating up to 400 diners. But Belém is best known as the birthplace of the pastéis de nata, an egg custard tart often sprinkled with cinnamon. The fábrica (factory) which uses the original recipe sells 20,000 tarts per day and lies only a 20-minute walk or short rideshare from Congress Centre. The café also sells coffee and other pastries to give patrons an energy boost before a day of meetings.

Meeting attendees who need a break from the walls of Congress Centre can step outside for a stroll along the Tagus River promenade with views of the towering bridge. Find Lisbon Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology a 15-minute walk west of Congress Centre; a brief meander east takes visitors to Doca de Santo Amaro marina, where waterfront restaurants serve fresh catches of the day.

By air, visitors to Lisbon arrive at Humberto Delgado Airport, about 4 miles from Lisbon’s city center. The metro system, bus network, trams and ride-share companies provide multiple means of getting from the airport to the city in as little as 20 minutes. Citywide WiFi and plentiful co-working spaces such as Second Home and Avila Spaces make it easy to power up and connect before you even enter your hotel.

In the city proper, travelers can book lodging along Avenida da Liberdade within walking distance of many corporate offices, or in the Baixa and Chiado neighborhoods, where networking opportunities abound in co-working spaces and cafés. Connect over pastries and coffee at Nicolau Lisboa, a centrally located café that opens at 8:30 a.m.

To impress your colleagues, take them to one of the JNcQUOI locations, where cuisine and fashion merge in elegant and eye-catching surroundings. Or opt for a later lunch (from 3 p.m.) at Eleven, a Michelin- starred restaurant where floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer views over Lisbon.

When you’ve fulfilled your work duties and shut down your laptop, step out into Lisbon’s historical streets, where you won’t have to walk far to experience the city’s entertainment. Starting in the central Barrio Alto neighborhood, O Faia serves jaquinzinhos, fried small mackerel, and cozido, or Portuguese stew with fresh mint. After dinner the show begins. Three Fado singers perform the traditional Portuguese singing style, characterized by a deep, strong voice and melancholic stories.

If you wander the Alfama district instead, book a table at Parreirinha de Alfama, a Fado stronghold since 1939. Select dishes from a set menu, including appetizers from the sea or baked Mourão cheese, followed by a classic Portuguese fish dish such as sautéed octopus in corisco sauce or confit nau (cod) with herbs.

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Entertainment isn’t relegated to restaurants. The city of Lisbon is a veritable art museum. Intricate tiles, also known as azulejos, decorate building walls, doorways and even sidewalks. Strolls up and down the city’s hilly roads might tire out the legs, but there’s plenty to keep visitors distracted. Who knows? Maybe Lisbon’s unparalleled displays of art, design and architecture will inspire your next great entrepreneurial idea.