Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and its largest city. It is the oldest city in Western Europe and one of the oldest cities in the world. Lisbon and the surrounding regions cross several geological faults. Therefore, it was almost completely destroyed on November 1, 1755, during an earthquake that claimed 40,000 lives. However, it was restored within a few years.
Essential Things to Know About Lisbon
The city is located on the Atlantic coast, at the mouth of the Tagus River, which separates it, and then flows into the ocean.
Lisbon has a mild climate, with an average annual temperature of about 17 ° C. The weather is influenced by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream. The city is sunny almost all year round.
The general outlines of the city have not changed for hundreds of years. Lisbon is a city of balconies and perspectives. The most vivid views can be observed from the terraces located on its seven slopes. Many Lisboets (residents of Lisbon) believe that their city, like Rome and Moscow, stands on seven hills.
The distance from Moscow to the capital of Portugal is 3907 km in a straight line, so it will take you about 5.5 hours to fly. Local time in Lisbon is 2 hours behind ours.
The legend of the emergence of Lisbon
There is a curious legend about how the hills of Lisbon appeared. It speaks of Ulysses (Odyssey), who during his voyage visited the lands of the future of Portugal. He marveled at the beauty of the Tagus River and stopped to rest. Olisippo, the name that Ulysses gave to this place, was later transformed into Lisbon. Here lived the queen of snakes with a beautiful figure and a huge tail. She fell in love with Ulysses and invited him to stay, but the cunning Greek and his team fled at night while the queen was sleeping.
Legend has it that after waking up, the deceived woman became very angry and her tail hit the ground so hard that seven hills rose from her bowels.
A bit of history
Lisbon was once an ordinary city on the edge of Europe, but by the 15th century it had turned into a great sea power. Dozens of ships departed from around the world from here. Vasco da Gama revealed India to the world, and the Magellan team circled the globe. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach Japan, China and Brazil. The spices trade turned Portugal and Lisbon, its capital, into one of the richest powers. Few countries can boast of such a past.
However, now this city of colorful houses, elegant parks and gardens is no longer the capital of a huge empire. It was reconstructed into a bustling modern metropolis.
In 1998, the World Expo-98 Exhibition was held in it, which served as an occasion for a large-scale renovation of the city. New roads were built, the Vasco da Gama bridge, an aquarium, hotels and many entertainment venues, but Lisbon has preserved a lot of cultural monuments and places where you can plunge into the past of this once great country.
Historical areas of the city
Bayru Altu (“Upper District”) - dates mainly from the 16th century. This is a bohemian area with a vibrant nightlife. It consists of mazes of straight and narrow streets. Some of them, especially those that lead down to Baiche, are very steep and end abruptly with stairs or cable cars.
Baixa - the heart of the city, is the main banking and shopping district of Lisbon, with many shops, restaurants and cafes. Tourists can have a tasty dinner here and listen to sad, but wonderful songs - “fado”, at concerts organized by local residents.
Chiado is a prestigious area of ​​Lisbon. There are expensive shops and pathos real estate.
Alfama is the oldest, and therefore the most colorful region. This is the only place in the city that has survived after the earthquake. To feel the atmosphere of Lisbon, it is better to settle here. Walking along the old streets, you begin to understand Lisbon. In addition to Portugal, could it become the capital of a state?
Suburban areas visited by tourists
Belem - you can go once, because in addition to the Gironimush monastery and the Belen tower, there is basically nothing to see there. The distance from Lisbon is only 9.3 km. Walking serenely past the old buildings, you will forget about your problems. The only question that will bother you is how to get to Lisbon before it gets dark, since there are problems with transport.
Expo is a completely new district of high-rise buildings and modern buildings. This gray, unremarkable part of Lisbon. The quarter is worth visiting only for the sake of the Aquarium, the Park of Nations and the pavilion left after the World's Fair.
Lisbon Attractions
To Portugal and Lisbon, the reviews of tourists sound only enthusiastic.
Lisbon is a great place for walking, but it is a huge city. On foot you can really get around only its historical part. Therefore, it is important to settle somewhere near the central areas. The main attractions of the city:
- In Lisbon there is a statue of Christ (Cristo Rei), spreading his arms over the city. It is a copy of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro.
- The Vasco da Gama bridge spans the Tagus River and is considered the longest bridge in Europe.
- One of the most popular sights of Lisbon is a tram ride No. 28, the path of which passes through the historical places of the city.
- Elevador de Santa Just's lift tower, which was created by architect Raul de Ronsard, is very popular among tourists. It connects the two parts of the city, delivering passengers from the Baixa region to Chiado, which is located 45 meters higher.
- Girononymush Monastery - belongs to the Order of Hieronymity. Kings and queens rest in this place. There is a maritime museum on the territory of the monastery, and one of the largest collections of carriages in the world is kept in the arena.
- Belen Tower, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is dedicated to the era of the era of discovery and was originally conceived as a defensive structure. The tower guarded the entrance to the Tagus River and was completely surrounded by water (since then the river banks have shifted).
- One of the most beautiful sights of the city of Lisbon is the Portuguese pavement. The streets of the Old Town are paved with beautiful black and white mosaics.
City atmosphere
The uniqueness of each place is made up of little things. In Lisbon, these are snow-white walls and red roofs of houses, Azuleju tiles and cafes where you can enjoy a cup of Brazilian coffee for a pleasant conversation, enjoy delicious local pastries and, of course, Fado songs. This is a musical genre that originated in Portugal. Its name comes from the Latin word "fatum" - "fate". Sounds filled with passion, longing and even hopelessness, permeate and reveal the soul of the Portuguese people and Lisbon. What state capital could he become, if not Portugal? This city fully reflects the character and "mood" of its country.
Olives and palm trees grow throughout the city, and fish sellers, as in ancient times, roam the streets, dressed in long black skirts, and carry goods in baskets on their heads.
Kitchen
The cuisine in the city of Lisbon, as well as throughout Portugal, is Mediterranean, it includes wine, bread, olive oil, spices and seafood. Lisboets cook fish and meat on the grill right on the balconies, displaying barbecues and spreading delicious flavors throughout the district. The queen of the table is salty cod (“bacagliao”), with a huge number of cooking methods and sardines. “Kaldu Verde” is somewhat similar to our hodgepodge. This is a stewed bean sauce with different types of meat, sausages and cabbage.
Portuguese national pride and pride is considered to be “paschel de nata” - the legendary pastry, which consists of puff pastry with custard inside. In addition to the “pastel”, the Portuguese have a wide variety of puff sweets for every taste. If you do not like dough, then you can try the figures from marzipan, which the Portuguese simply adore.
Lisbon Center
Rossio Square is the traditional center of Lisbon and the starting point for the main city promenade, Avenida da Liberdade. This trihedral boulevard is located in the Baixa area and is dotted with beautiful multi-tiered fountains with statues.
The streets of the Old Town are built in the shape of a chessboard. Its squares are divided by squares, and the streets running parallel to each other are named after those who lived there.
For example, Rua Aurea (Golden Street), the place where jewelers lived. It stretches from Rossio Square to another, no less famous - Trading, or as it is also called, Palace. Before the earthquake of 1755, the royal palace stood here.
On the north side is the Arc de Triomphe and one of the legendary cafes of the city - “Martinho da Arcade”. The main tourist office is located in one of the buildings on the square. Here you can find out information about the city or visit a store offering traditional Portuguese products. Most of the buildings that now surround the square have restaurants with open verandas and souvenir shops.
Bay and port
Lisbon has one of the most beautiful natural harbors in the world. What state capital can surprise you with such sunsets that can be observed while standing on one of the coastal cliffs?
The city is located on the northern bank of the estuary of the Tagus River, not far from the place where the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean. A splendid bridge is thrown across the river on April 25th, which, because of the resemblance, is compared to the bridge in San Francisco. To the east of the Tagus Bridge, it suddenly expands and forms a bay called the Mar de Palha (“Thatched Sea”) because of how beautiful it shimmers in the sun. This hilly, picturesque bay is located on a strategically important sea route and serves as a busy port for ships from Portugal and Spain. Vessels are moored at berths, where the clang of wagons merges with ship hoots. At dawn, fishing boats surrender their catch to a noisy auction in which local shop owners participate. In addition to merchant ships, warships, cruise ships, ferries, and the most picturesque Phoenician frigates stand on the roads. These are crescent-shaped boats with amazing black hulls and pink sails.
Interesting facts about Lisbon and reviews of tourists
Raven is a symbol of Lisbon. In the city for quite a long time there was a cult of this bird. In the church of San Vincent de Fora in Alfama, the relics of St. Vincent, the patron saint of Lisbon, are stored. According to legend, his bones were miraculously delivered to the city on a ship driven by two ravens. Since then, the birds are depicted on the coat of arms of Lisbon. The capital of a country, in addition to Portugal, can come up with such a curious legend?
In Lisbon, as in Spain, a bullfight is held and there is a siesta. During the midday heat, all establishments are closed here. Judging by the reviews, this rule is not very pleasing to tourists.
The Lisbon Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in Europe. It is inhabited by 16,000 animals. Tourists note that this is the best institution of those that they managed to visit in Europe.
Lisbon has some of the best graffiti in the world. Throughout the city there are many houses painted with this type of street art, and even organized excursions to the most interesting places. According to tourists, this gives the city a special zest and a "rebellious" atmosphere.
“Galerias Romanas” (“Underground Roman Galleries”) is one of the best attractions of the city that you can hardly see. Galleries are flooded with water and open only once a year, in September.
Holidays in Portugal, in Lisbon, in a beautiful country and a wonderful city, will remain an unforgettable event for you. You will definitely want to come back here to enjoy the ancient culture and interesting customs again.