The capital of Portugal, Lisbon (Portuguese: Lisboa) has experienced a renaissance in recent years, with a contemporary culture that is alive and thriving and making its mark in today's Europe. Perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon is one of the rare Western European cities that face the ocean and uses water as an element that defines the city. Lisbon enchants travelers with its white bleached limestone buildings, intimate alleyways, and an easy going charm that makes it a popular year round destination.Places to visit:
* The Gulbenkian Museum
* Castelo de São Jorge
* Santa Justa's Elevator
The Santa Justa Elevador is a romantic way to discover the city of Lisbo
n from high above the city.The mistake you make when you first see the elevator is to say "funny how much that looks like the Eiffel Tower, it must have been built by him". Though there is some truth to that. The elevator was designed by a student of Gustav Eiffel, Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard. It was put in service for the first time in 1902.
Made entirely of cast iron, the work is a real pleasure for the eyes. An elevator allows you to ascend to the very top of the belvedere, where you'll find a cafe and a beautiful view of Lisbon, as well as the Carmelite convent, behind, which was destroyed by a fire.
It's a building that fits perfectly into the style of the period, even the ticket punch is no exception.
* Praça do Comércio
The praça do Comercio is the symbol of the historical power and grandeur of the country of Portugal.
As most visitors arrived by boat, the praça do Comercio, located on the banks of the Tagus, was
considered the entry gate into the city of Lisbon. It was therefore important that it be GRANDIOSE, and that is exactly the word that comes to mind when you see it for the first time...
In the center of the square, the statue of Dom José I towers over you, then, in front of that, there is a gigantic arch, which symbolizes the gates to the city: the Arco da victoria, created by Verissimo da Costa.
The square is surrounded by the colorful ministerial buildings. Underneath, you can walk through a magnificent archway of impressive architectural attributes.
The square opens out on to the pedestrian street Augusta, which takes you to the Rossio district. These places are very popular among the people of Lisbon. The praça do Comercio is also the spot where most of the tramways stop, as well as the buses.
* Belém
The entire area of Belem is closely associated with the Portuguese Age of Discovery. The natural harbor made it an ideal launching point for the exploratory voyages which turned Portugal into a major economic force. These days, though, it hardly seems possible Portugal was once a dominant world power. Her global influence has waned, but the Portuguese people remain justly proud of their sea-faring heritage and it shows. The former prosperity has been transformed
into a more subtle, enduring quality.
In 1755, Lisbon and the surrounding region including the Belem area, suffered through a devastating earthquake. As fate would have it, much of Belem was spared. Luckily, the primary historical points of interest were not toppled into dust.
The Tower of Belem is the sentinel over the Tagus river that protects the entrance into Lisbon ; a city that has always been the object of much covetousness.
Built between 1514 and 1520 under the supervision of the architect Francisco da Arruda, the tower Sao Vincente de Belem was the essential part of the defense complex built to protect the mouth of the Tagus river. Even today, its forms evoke the traditional dungeons of medieval castles. This very singular Manueline style building went through many architectural changes due to the development of artillery, and it presents certain structural aspects of modern bastions.
* Chiado
Chiado is nowadays a noble shopping area with all sorts of facilities and street entertainment. Here you will find hotels, theatres, bookshops, museums, restaurants, famous Portuguese fashion houses and the famous haunt of personalities like Fernando Pessoa and Eça de Queiroz, in a location actually chosen by the city's art students: the café "A Brasileira".
This area has that 'special something' and you can see it in the buildings and live it in the story of the 1988 fire.
On the 25th of August 1988, Chiado was devastated by a fire that started in a store in Carmo Street and that spread to Garrett Street. Even though there are still some scars of that disaster, a massive renovation programme has brought todays Chiado back to life and it is better than ever!
* Downtown (Baixa)
This part of the city was completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake by the Marquis de
Pombal. The planned layout, greatly different from what you will see in the more ancient neighborhoods, is a testimony to the ideas of the Enlightenment.
The praça do Comercio is the symbol of the historical power and grandeur of the country of Portugal.
As most visitors arrived by boat, the praça do Comercio, located on the banks of the Tagus, was
considered the entry gate into the city of Lisbon. It was therefore important that it be GRANDIOSE, and that is exactly the word that comes to mind when you see it for the first time...In the center of the square, the statue of Dom José I towers over you, then, in front of that, there is a gigantic arch, which symbolizes the gates to the city: the Arco da victoria, created by Verissimo da Costa.
The square is surrounded by the colorful ministerial buildings. Underneath, you can walk through a magnificent archway of impressive architectural attributes.
The square opens out on to the pedestrian street Augusta, which takes you to the Rossio district. These places are very popular among the people of Lisbon. The praça do Comercio is also the spot where most of the tramways stop, as well as the buses.
* Belém
The entire area of Belem is closely associated with the Portuguese Age of Discovery. The natural harbor made it an ideal launching point for the exploratory voyages which turned Portugal into a major economic force. These days, though, it hardly seems possible Portugal was once a dominant world power. Her global influence has waned, but the Portuguese people remain justly proud of their sea-faring heritage and it shows. The former prosperity has been transformed
into a more subtle, enduring quality.In 1755, Lisbon and the surrounding region including the Belem area, suffered through a devastating earthquake. As fate would have it, much of Belem was spared. Luckily, the primary historical points of interest were not toppled into dust.
The Tower of Belem is the sentinel over the Tagus river that protects the entrance into Lisbon ; a city that has always been the object of much covetousness.
Built between 1514 and 1520 under the supervision of the architect Francisco da Arruda, the tower Sao Vincente de Belem was the essential part of the defense complex built to protect the mouth of the Tagus river. Even today, its forms evoke the traditional dungeons of medieval castles. This very singular Manueline style building went through many architectural changes due to the development of artillery, and it presents certain structural aspects of modern bastions.
* Chiado
Chiado is nowadays a noble shopping area with all sorts of facilities and street entertainment. Here you will find hotels, theatres, bookshops, museums, restaurants, famous Portuguese fashion houses and the famous haunt of personalities like Fernando Pessoa and Eça de Queiroz, in a location actually chosen by the city's art students: the café "A Brasileira".
This area has that 'special something' and you can see it in the buildings and live it in the story of the 1988 fire.
On the 25th of August 1988, Chiado was devastated by a fire that started in a store in Carmo Street and that spread to Garrett Street. Even though there are still some scars of that disaster, a massive renovation programme has brought todays Chiado back to life and it is better than ever!
* Downtown (Baixa)
This part of the city was completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake by the Marquis de
Pombal. The planned layout, greatly different from what you will see in the more ancient neighborhoods, is a testimony to the ideas of the Enlightenment.* Ponte 25 de Abril
The 25th of April Bridge, also known as Bridge over the Tagus (Ponte sobre o Tejo), was inaugurated in 1966 with the name 'Salazar Bridge', the dictator who had it built. It was later renamed to commemorate the 'Carnation Revolution' that happened on the 25th of April 1974. This was a day of "bloodless revolution." In the Carnation Revolution, the soldiers placed carnations in the muzzles of their rifles as they led the revolt against the world's longest
dictatorship.
This suspension bridge is very similar in appearance to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It is 2.278km long and leaves Lisbon at high level above Alcântara and makes landfall at Almada on the southern bank of the river.
Particularly busy during weekends, traffic jams can be avoided by taking the recently-built Vasco da Gama bridge or leaving your car on a parking lot and taking the train that passes on the under side of the bridge since 1999.
On the Almada side you will be able to see the towering monument of Cristo Rei, similar to the Redentor in Brazil, overlooking the Tagus. If you wish to go there, a lift will take you up 82m to the top of the pedestal, offering excellent views of the city and the river.
Cristo Rei
* Jardim Zoológico
The main attractions are:
Dolphins Bay: the Dolphins Bay was begun in 1995 and is now one of the biggest attractions of the Zoo. Don't miss a funny and interesting show that takes place in the scenery of a fishing village! This show combines the acrobatics of the dolphins and the sea-lions with some interesting information about the characteristics of these animals, their adaptation to marine life and some ecological elements. Give yourself the opportunity to come and learn in a very amusing way!
Cable car: Opened in 1994, the cable car also became one of the biggest attractions. In two persons cabins, visitors can enjoy a 20 minutes ride over the Zoo offering a most unique view of the zoo gardens. Passing over the hippopotami, the tigers, the lions and many other animals will surely leave you breathless.
Sea-lions: In the sea-lions area you can see a daily show where the relationship between the coach and these affable animals is quite unique. As he introduces each sea-lion to the public, he makes them do some acrobatics and he teaches children about the habits of these fantastic animals.
Reptile land: From the beginning of cellular life on Earth, about 4 thousand million years ago, life was only present in the sea. Around 370 million years ago the first vertebrate animals came to land and reptiles where the first terrestrial animals. They dominated life for most of the periods, including the Jurassic period, and dinosaurs reached the climax of the reptile evolution. Since then no other species has ruled the Earth for as long as they did. Killed by a still-unknown phenomenon, dinosaurs existence ended many, many years ago.... but some reptile species resisted all the adversities and manages to survive until today. Visiting reptile land in Lisbon's Zoo means going back in time and learning all this and more.
Macaw Show: In the Little Theatre of Nature (Teatrinho da Natureza) an ostentatious and cheerful group of macaws, cockatoos and parrots ride bicycles, do roller-skating, drive jeeps, while others show their intellectual capacities by making calculations and some just sit lazily on sun beds.
Little farm (Quintinha): The little farm was created in 1996 to bring people back to the 'countryside'. Within this area the intention is to stimulate close contact between children and domestic animals frequently seen on rural properties and allow children to see a wide variety of vegetables and fruit in a natural environment.
* Parque das Nações
* Lisbon metro
* Lisbon Botanical Garden
* Fundação Arpad Szenes / Vieira da Silva
* Alfama
Visiting Alfama is to visit the architecture, the sounds and the smells of old Lisbon. This is one of the most typical quarters of Lisbon. On its narrow and winding streets you'll find the hidden treasure of Alfama and on its steep stairs you will be able to breathe the soul of Lisbon.
In Alfama, it is still possible to see Roman and Arab remains, two of the most dominant civilizations in Lisbon's past. There are narrow streets resulting from Muslim culture, guided by individualistic rules where public spaces are not important. The narrow streets are a mark of the Coran, where little value is given to facades but a much greater value is given to the interiors of the houses.
Alfama was once home to the unlucky, delinquents or non-grateful and due to its proximity with the river it was also the home of many sailors.
Rebuilt by the local population after the 1755 earthquake, Alfama was to be demolished but the decision didn't go through as this region of Lisbon was thankfully considered to be a living history book where the past blends with the present.
The 25th of April Bridge, also known as Bridge over the Tagus (Ponte sobre o Tejo), was inaugurated in 1966 with the name 'Salazar Bridge', the dictator who had it built. It was later renamed to commemorate the 'Carnation Revolution' that happened on the 25th of April 1974. This was a day of "bloodless revolution." In the Carnation Revolution, the soldiers placed carnations in the muzzles of their rifles as they led the revolt against the world's longest
dictatorship.This suspension bridge is very similar in appearance to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It is 2.278km long and leaves Lisbon at high level above Alcântara and makes landfall at Almada on the southern bank of the river.
Particularly busy during weekends, traffic jams can be avoided by taking the recently-built Vasco da Gama bridge or leaving your car on a parking lot and taking the train that passes on the under side of the bridge since 1999.
On the Almada side you will be able to see the towering monument of Cristo Rei, similar to the Redentor in Brazil, overlooking the Tagus. If you wish to go there, a lift will take you up 82m to the top of the pedestal, offering excellent views of the city and the river.
Cristo Rei
* Jardim Zoológico
The main attractions are:
Dolphins Bay: the Dolphins Bay was begun in 1995 and is now one of the biggest attractions of the Zoo. Don't miss a funny and interesting show that takes place in the scenery of a fishing village! This show combines the acrobatics of the dolphins and the sea-lions with some interesting information about the characteristics of these animals, their adaptation to marine life and some ecological elements. Give yourself the opportunity to come and learn in a very amusing way!
Cable car: Opened in 1994, the cable car also became one of the biggest attractions. In two persons cabins, visitors can enjoy a 20 minutes ride over the Zoo offering a most unique view of the zoo gardens. Passing over the hippopotami, the tigers, the lions and many other animals will surely leave you breathless.
Sea-lions: In the sea-lions area you can see a daily show where the relationship between the coach and these affable animals is quite unique. As he introduces each sea-lion to the public, he makes them do some acrobatics and he teaches children about the habits of these fantastic animals.
Reptile land: From the beginning of cellular life on Earth, about 4 thousand million years ago, life was only present in the sea. Around 370 million years ago the first vertebrate animals came to land and reptiles where the first terrestrial animals. They dominated life for most of the periods, including the Jurassic period, and dinosaurs reached the climax of the reptile evolution. Since then no other species has ruled the Earth for as long as they did. Killed by a still-unknown phenomenon, dinosaurs existence ended many, many years ago.... but some reptile species resisted all the adversities and manages to survive until today. Visiting reptile land in Lisbon's Zoo means going back in time and learning all this and more.
Macaw Show: In the Little Theatre of Nature (Teatrinho da Natureza) an ostentatious and cheerful group of macaws, cockatoos and parrots ride bicycles, do roller-skating, drive jeeps, while others show their intellectual capacities by making calculations and some just sit lazily on sun beds.
Little farm (Quintinha): The little farm was created in 1996 to bring people back to the 'countryside'. Within this area the intention is to stimulate close contact between children and domestic animals frequently seen on rural properties and allow children to see a wide variety of vegetables and fruit in a natural environment.
* Parque das Nações
* Lisbon metro
* Lisbon Botanical Garden
* Fundação Arpad Szenes / Vieira da Silva
* Alfama
Visiting Alfama is to visit the architecture, the sounds and the smells of old Lisbon. This is one of the most typical quarters of Lisbon. On its narrow and winding streets you'll find the hidden treasure of Alfama and on its steep stairs you will be able to breathe the soul of Lisbon.
In Alfama, it is still possible to see Roman and Arab remains, two of the most dominant civilizations in Lisbon's past. There are narrow streets resulting from Muslim culture, guided by individualistic rules where public spaces are not important. The narrow streets are a mark of the Coran, where little value is given to facades but a much greater value is given to the interiors of the houses.
Alfama was once home to the unlucky, delinquents or non-grateful and due to its proximity with the river it was also the home of many sailors.
Rebuilt by the local population after the 1755 earthquake, Alfama was to be demolished but the decision didn't go through as this region of Lisbon was thankfully considered to be a living history book where the past blends with the present.
