Sightseeing in Lisbon

Situated on the north banks of the River Tagus, the charm of Lisbon exists in its strong links to the past. Its renovated palaces, magnificent churches and an impressive castle mirror the city's rich cultural heritage. Its eclectic blend of neighbourhoods, culture and architecture distinguish this capital city uniquely from the other European capitals and make it a truly fascinating and comprehensive city to visit. Observing an odyssey of sea creatures in a state-of-the-art aquarium and a breath-taking view from the walls of a millennium-old castle. A seemingly endless modern bridge and tiny turn-of-the-century trams. Climbing picturesque hills by day and bar-hopping through vibrant cobbled lanes at night. Legendary cafés and art nouveau shops. World Heritage monuments and singular museum treasures. Fairy-tale palaces and sandy beaches nearby. Long dinners and an insatiable appetite for nightlife. Antiquated and trendy; lively and melancholic. A city set on seven hills, as the legend tells, with its cobble-stoned pavements and narrow streets full of Art Nouveau cafés promises a lot to discover. Most popular spots in Lisbon are; located around Rossio and Praça do Comércio, Baixa; situated on the hill around St. George’s Castle, Alfama and Mouraria; and set on Tagus River, Belém. Some museums that you can try to take out time to visit apart from the ones mentioned are Tile museum, Coaches, Maritime, Chiado, Orient, Marionette, the list is endless. All that is Lisbon. A captivating city. A soulful European capital.

 

 

Jeronimos Monastery

The Jeronimos Monastery is the most impressive symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. It was built to commemorate Vasco Da Gama's voyage and to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for its success. Vasco da Gama's tomb was placed inside by the entrance. Other great figures in Portuguese history are also entombed here, like King Manuel and King Sebastião, and poets Fernando Pessoa and Alexandre Herculano. It is one of the great triumphs of European Gothic and UNESCO has classified it a World Heritage monument, with much of the design characterized by elaborate sculptural details and maritime motifs. This style of architecture became known as Manueline, a style of art that served to glorify the great discoveries of the age. The cloisters are magnificent, each column differently carved with coils of rope, sea monsters, coral, and other sea motifs evocative of that time of world exploration at sea. Here is also the entrance to the former refectory that has beautiful reticulated vaulting and tile decoration on the walls depicting the Biblical story of Joseph.

 

Belém Tower

Built in 1515 as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbor, the Belem Tower was the starting point for many of the voyages of discovery, and for the sailors it was the last sight of their homeland. It is a monument to Portugal's Age of Discovery, often serving as a symbol of the country, and UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage monument. Built in the Manueline style, it incorporates many stonework motifs of the discoveries, sculptures depicting historical figures such as St. Vincent and an exotic rhinoceros that inspired Dürer's drawing of the beast.

 

The Oceanarium

Lisbon's Oceanarium is one of the world's largest aquariums. Designed by American architect Peter Chermeyeff, it rises from the river and is reached by a footbridge. It is a deep-sea diving experience without any of the risks, with about 25,000 fish, seabirds, and mammals in an enormous central tank that is the size of four Olympic-sized swimming pools. Visitors can look into it from different levels for close-ups of the various creatures, including different species of sharks. It is a deep-sea diving experience without any of the risks, with about 25,000 fish, seabirds, and mammals in an enormous central tank that is the size of four Olympic-sized swimming pools. Visitors can look into it from different levels for close-ups of the various creatures, including different species of sharks. But it's the design rather than the size that makes it outstanding. It is the first aquarium ever to incorporate world ocean habitats within a single environment, with impressive recreations of various ocean ecosystems: the Antarctic tank containing penguins, and the Pacific tank with otters playing in rock pools. They are all separated from the main tank by invisible acrylic walls, giving the impression that all the creatures are swimming in the same space.

 

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

This is one of the world's great museums and one of Europe's unsung treasures. Part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, houses a magnificent collection of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, Asian, and European art. It was substantially renovated and modernized in 2001. This is one of the world's finest private art collections, amassed over a period of 40 years by oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian, who was one of the 20th century's wealthiest men. In his later years he adopted Portugal as his home, and donated all of his stupendous art treasures to the country when he died in 1955 at the age of 86. Of the many highlights is a haunting gold Egyptian mummy mask, an exquisite 2700-year-old alabaster bowl, a series of bronze cats and other priceless treasures in the Egyptian section. Sharing the lovely serene gardens of the Gulbenkian Museum is the Modern Art Center.

 

The Modern Art Center

This center houses modern and contemporary Portuguese and foreign art displayed on two floors. There are more than 10,000 items, including works by Paula Rego, Almada Negreiros, Souza Cardoso, and Vieira da Silva. There are also works by British artists such as David Hockney, Anthony Gormley, and Bill Woodrow, and a Henry Moore sculpture in the garden. The exhibits include drawing, painting, sculpture, and installation. A joint ticket may be purchased for the neighbouring Calouste Gulbenkian Museum and a stop in the excellent and popular café-restaurant is a good idea between the two museums.

 

Berardo Museum

The Berardo Museum has one of the world's most acclaimed modern art collections, with works by Warhol, Picasso, Dali, Duchamp, Magritte, Miró, Bacon, Jackson Pollock, Jeff Koons, among others representing dozens of modern movements. It was amassed by Portuguese magnate Joe Berardo, who for many years had wanted to create a museum for his vast collection. It opened in June of 2007, with 863 of Berardo's estimated 4,000 artworks.

 

Parque das Nações

The futuristic architecture of Eastern Lisbon is in complete contrast to the city’s old quarters. Most of it was built by innovative architects for Expo 98, the World Fair that took place in Portugal's capital between May and September of 1998. Lisbon's World Fair was special because it hosted a record 130 countries and international organizations, was the 100th international exhibition since the Great Exhibition of London in 1851, the last one of the 20th century, and coincided with the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's arrival in India and the United Nations' "Year of the Oceans."  Attractions include a modern casino,water gardens, a viewing tower, a marina, and a number of bars and restaurants with outdoor seating overlooking one of the world's longest bridges. Two striking twin towers designed to look like giant sailboats are apartment and office buildings named after two of Vasco da Gama's ships, São Gabriel and São Rafael.

 

Baixa

Baixa, or downtown Lisbon, is the heart of the city. It is the main shopping and banking district that stretches from the riverfront to the main avenue. It was completely rebuilt after the Great Earthquake of 1755 with streets flanked by uniform, neoclassical buildings. This was Europe's first great example of neoclassical design and urban planning, and one of the finest European architectural achievements of the age (it is currently being considered to be listed as a World Heritage Site, pending much-needed renovation of many of the buildings, but it has been voted one of the seven urban wonders of the world. It features the famous squares of Lisbon – Praça do Comércio, Praça dos Restauradores, and Praça de D. Pedro IV (or Rossio) and includes the Elevador de Santa Justa, a Gothic elevator which connects to the Chiado.

 

Alfama

A neighbourhood of small streets and squares, this is the Moorish area of this European city, where the fishermen and poor areas of Lisbon lived.  While this may not appeal to many people, this is where much of the culture and history of Lisbon lies as Fado was born here.  Fado is melancholy music about sea life and the poor.  It’s the “blues” music of Lisbon and Portugal and still thrives today in this area.

 

Sintra

Only an hour away from Lisboa is Sintra, which used to be the cool summer refuge for Portugal’s royalty and nobility, eager to escape the August heat. A tourist region par excellence, Sintra is one of the most enchanting places in Portugal. Its vast range of green rocky mountains – the Serra de Sintra – in their picturesque setting with marvellous views of the sea and coastline, really makes Sintra “paradise on earth”. 
Sintra has more to offer than the wild enchantment of its mountains or the artistic heritage of the old part of the city. There are also ruins of considerable archaeological value, especially those dating back to the Roman era, old country houses, churches of considerable artistic value and very characteristic villages.
The three National Palaces - Palácio da Vila, Palácio da Pena and Palácio de Queluz – and the range of municipal museums are very important examples of historic and artistic heritage that show how Sintra’s inhabitants were successful in extending their territory. Sintra has a lot to offer its tourists with its renowned quality winery, marble quarries, reputable confectionary and gastronomy and, last but not least, its wide variety of textiles. Sintra has always been the noble city surrounded by many estates, enchanting woods and many springs with excellent quality water. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.