- Flight time from London: 2 hours 45 min
- Lisbon Portela Airport: 7km from the city centre; transfer time about 26 min
- Nearest railway station: Lisboa Santa Apolónia
- Currency: Euro
Lisbon lies on the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and is the capital of Portugal and the largest city in the country. In 1994, Lisbon was named European Capital of Culture. It is a creative, cosmopolitan and cool city, marrying the historic with the modern and the traditional with the cutting edge. You will see magnificent churches, renovated palaces, an impressive castle which mirrors the city's rich cultural heritage and a great deal more.
A World Heritage monument, this is Vasco da Gama's resting place. It is one of the great triumphs of European Gothic design (UNESCO has classified it a World Heritage monument), with elaborate sculptural details and maritime motifs.
Rossio is found in the old heart of the city, the Praça Dom Pedro IV. It is the busiest square in Lisbon and has a statue of Dom Pedro IV, a Portuguese king, in the centre. Around the Praça, guests can find the Queen Maria II National Theatre, São Domingos Church and the Rossio Train Station with its neo-Manueline style and beautiful architecture.
This is Lisbon's icon and a symbol of the Age of Discovery. Two reasons why UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage monument.
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 contains penguins, and the Pacific tank has otters playing in rock pools.
The castle overlooks the city from millennium-old walls.
Eating out in Lisbon is a taste sensation and an experience not to be missed. There are many restaurants serving regional and international cuisine with plenty of seafood. The Bairro Alto and Alfama areas are two of the most vibrant districts, with a healthy selection of restaurants and bars to match.
Lisbon boasts two of Europe's largest shopping malls; Centro Colombo, which consists of 400 shops, 50 restaurants, a number of cinemas and an indoor amusement complex; and Amoreiras Shopping Centre which is also particularly impressive. The best tourist shops are around the Castello S. Jorge, but to buy some local specialities, we recommend you visit Bairro Alto.
Lisbon has a very active nightlife, offering everything from bars and clubs to traditional Fado music, fantastic theatre and international concerts. Nightlife is concentrated on the waterfront between the Docks and Avenida 24 de Julho and in the Bairro Alto. The bars are often open until 4am when much of the action has moved on to the Docas (Docks) district. The attractive setting of the docks is a pleasant place to stay and watch the sun rise.
© Fred. Olsen Travel 2024.
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