Lisbon, the
capital city of Portugal, is considered one of the oldest cities in the world
and one of the rare Western European cities that face the ocean. Although the
country has been going through an awful economic situation, it’s still an important
region in terms of entertainment, arts, finance, commerce and education, which
makes it one of the most visited touristic places in Europe.
There are many beautiful places to visit in Lisbon and
one of them is the city’s downtown area called ‘Baixa’. The region is formed by
buildings with ground-floor commercial spots and upper floors for housing (picture below). It’s a good place to
start the day.
Moving into
the morning, there are other good places to go. The Belém Tower, along with the
Jeronimos Monastery, is also another well known site to visit when passing by
Lisbon. They are actually the city’s most visited and photographed landmarks, and
have also been recognized as World Heritage Sites/Monuments (pictures below).
Belém Tower Jeronimos Monastery
Belém is also the place to find the worldwide known custard tarts. These
are the famous ‘pastéis de Belém’ as it’s commonly named and if Portugal had a
taste, this would definitely be it. There is no other place in the world where
you’ll find a custard tart as good as the ones they make there. People come
from all over the world and might even stay hours in line just to taste it. It’s
just amazing!
To contrast with the city’s old neighborhoods, there’s the contemporary ‘Parque
das Nações’ (Nation’s Park), which is just perfect for an afternoon walk. It has a modern and eye-catching architecture and is known for hosting a
variety of national and international events. It’s also popular due to its shopping
centre, outdoor eateries, bars, casino and Oceanarium – one of
the biggest, most innovative and high-tech aquariums in Europe (pictures
below).
Because
shopping is also part of everybody’s trip, the ‘Colombo’ and ‘Vasco da Gama’
malls are good places to visit. They are huge commercial centers, packed with
well known brands and a variety of stores. To end the day, going out for some
fun time would be a great option. For nightlife, ‘Bairro Alto’ is your final destination.
The region is full of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and the variety of
music ranges from jazz to
electronic, reggae and fado (Portugal’s
traditional music). While staying in Lisbon, it’s also indispensable to
taste the city’s famous codfish dishes, which is also traditional from
Portugal. I’m sure you won’t regret it!!
There are many others places
to visit in Lisbon such as the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the Lisbon Zoo, the
Saint George Castle, among others. If you’re staying in town for more time, you
should definitely look into these as well. I hope you enjoyed the tour!
For further detailed
information regarding places to visit, transportation options, contacts and
prices, visit http://wikitravel.org/en/Lisbon
