Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world and is the largest city and the capital of Portugal. It is also continental Europe’s westernmost large city, is the European Union’s eleventh most populous urban area with 27% of the country’s population living in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, and is the tenth richest metropolitan area in Europe. Lisbon lies on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus in the western Iberian Peninsula and has the nicknames of “Queen of the Sea” and “The City of Seven Hills”.
Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate with the warmest winters in Europe. It is therefore a wonderful tourist destination with outstanding attractions, beautiful sandy beaches, historic museums and historic sites, and being able to enjoy the spectacular views in a sunny city. Here are three things to see in Lisbon:
Praca do Comercio
This magnificent historical center with monumental arches and a grand entrance from the sea feels like being back in the days when Lisbon was the center of the world. One of Europe’s biggest squares, this is a stylish area in downtown Lisbon that looks like a facade of a great empire with giant imposing structures. It often displays beautiful works of art and sculpture along with open stage live performances, festive music, shops, bars, and dining tables right in the middle of the street.
This square was the reconstruction’s centerpiece after the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city. It is presided over by an imposing equestrian greenish bronze statue of Don Jose I, the Portuguese king at the time, which is an elegant piece of art from the late 18th century.
National Museum of Ancient Art
This gorgeous historic building was a 17th century palace. It houses a vast collection of Portuguese, Oriental and European art along with amazing displays from shipwrecks, decorative arts, a massive collection of ceramics, sculptures, Chinese porcelain, Japanese and African pieces, furniture, tapestries, and a treasure room filled with artifacts that were brought to Portugal during its golden age. There are first rate collections from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century.
The garden is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the Tagus River and bridge.
Alfama
This is a historical and culturally rich picturesque labyrinth neighborhood in Lisbon with archaeological remains, numerous bright colored houses, churches, old narrow cobblestone streets going up and down a steep hill, narrow passageways, little staircases, pubs and restaurants selling authentic Portuguese food and drink, and the sounds of traditional melancholy Fado music in the air. The architecture has an Arabic influence, Visigothic roots, and shows its fishing port heritage and antique vestiges of the very elite rich who used to live here.
