As a visitor to Europe and to Lisbon the capital of Portugal, you are most likely thirsting to see history all around you; the enchanting atmosphere, charming cobbled streets and wonderful old buildings.
Tourists who are interested in the past of the city they are visiting will probably benefit from a ‘Lisboa Card’. This offers you discounts on entry tickets to many of the famous old buildings, museums, galleries and many other tourist attractions. In addition, traveling on all public transport facilities is free.
These tickets can be bought for various time periods, such as 24 hour or 72 hour. Bear in mind that many student identification cards hold similar benefits for you.
While on the subject of tickets and special offers, you can shop ‘til you drop at more than 200 shops with a ‘Lisbon Shopping Card’, which gives you discounts of from 5% to 20%. You are normally given a period of 24 hours to complete this shopping.
If you are visiting Lisbon for the first time, there are several sites that are ‘must sees’:
Another amazing view can be found from the top of the Cristo Rei. This statue is similar to the one of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro, and is more than 100 meters high. It overlooks the Tego.
The wide mouth of the River Tagus, or ‘Tego’, in Portuguese, divides the metropolitan area in two. There are several ferries and two great bridges that you are bound to see and even travel over.
The first is the Ponte de Abril, previously called the Salazar Bridge. This bridge was designed by the same architect who was responsible for the San Francisco Bridge in the United States. It links Lisbon with the Setubal peninsula over the water.
The second is the Ponte Vasco da Gama. This bridge is the longest in Europe, and ninth longest in the world. It is more than 17 kilometers, nearly 11 miles, in length.
Some of the more famous landmarks that you should try and visit are:
The Alfama. This is where you can absorb the incomparable atmosphere of the ancient Moorish buildings and narrow streets.
Mouraria. This is another ancient district to which the remaining Moorish citizens retreated after the Portuguese crusaders took the city. It fell into serious disrepair, but now an effort is being made to restore the area.
The Aqueduct, or Aqueduto das Ãguas Livres, a fascinating
part of the Water Museum, the Museu da Agua.
Campo Pequeno. This is the bull ring of Lisbon. Unlike in Spain, the bull is not killed.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos; This monastery was built in the middle ages over an even more ancient building and has a fascinating history. It is believed that Vasco da Gama and his men went there to pray before they began their famous voyages.
Among the parks and open areas worth visiting are:
The Nations Park, or Parque das Nações
Parque Eduardo VII.
Monsanto Parque. A natural park and forest area that includes leisure and sporting fascilities.
If you want to enjoy this trip of yours, plan to arrange your accommodation in one of the best Lisbon hotels even before you arrive. If you choose to stay in or near the center of the city, you will be right in the middle of things and the superior transport system will ensure that you can reach all the places of interest.
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