Lisbon Attractions
Castelo de Sao Jorge
The walls of Saint George's Castle, sitting atop a hill guarding
the Tagus, date from the Moorish occupation in the 10th century,
but the site has been a fortress for centuries, possibly since the
5th century. The castle is regarded as the cradle of Lisbon, and
today it provides a panoramic view of the River Tagus and the
Alfama medieval district, which is spread out below it. Visitors
can walk the esplanades and climb the ramparts. A multimedia show
is available during the day which brings alive the history of
Lisbon. The castle grounds are planted with olive, pine and cork
trees and provide a pleasant spot to relax.
E-mail: castelodesaojorge@egeac.pt;
Website: www.castelosaojorge.egeac.pt;
Telephone: 218 800 620;
Transport: Bus 37 or tram 12 or 38;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 9pm (November to March) and 9am to 9pm (March to November);
Admission: €5, concessions available
Alfama Quarter
Alfama
The oldest part of Lisbon, the Alfama quarter sprawls down the
hillside from below the Castelo de Sao Jorge, retaining much of the
traditional colour and atmosphere from the days when it was the
ancient seat of the Saracens. Along the narrow cobblestone
alleyways are taverns and street markets, interspersed with
close-packed houses still occupied by stevedores, fishmongers and
sailors. At the edge of the Alfama, Lisbon's renowned flea market,
the Feira da Ladra, is held in the Campo de Santa Clara every
Tuesday and Saturday. The Alfama is also full of historic buildings
and churches, which are well worth exploring. Some of the buildings
display fading coats of arms, which bear testimony to the fact that
the Alfama was once home to aristocrats. At night the Alfama takes
on a more mysterious aspect with street lanterns throwing shadows
on the medieval walls, and it is advisable to avoid the area after
dark in favour of the Bairro Alto café and nightclub
district.
Lisbon's Cathedral © Lisbon Tourism Association
Sé (Cathedral)
Although this cathedral in Largo da Se in the Alfama district is
not outwardly appealing, it was the first church in Lisbon, built
on the site of a Saracen mosque after the city was captured
by the Crusaders in the 12th century. Inside, this ancient
church features some treasures, like the font where St Anthony of
Padua was baptised in 1195, and numerous notable relics, images and
icons.
Telephone: 21 886 6752;
Transport: Tram 28;
Opening time: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 7pm, Sunday and Monday 9am to 5pm;
Admission: Free
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Gulbenkian was an Armenian oil magnate who died in 1955 having
put together one of the world's finest private art collections. The
collection is now housed in a modern centre where the Calouste
Gulbenkian Foundation sponsors a host of cultural and performing
arts projects, and has a rotating exhibition of works by Portuguese
and foreign artists. The Gulbenkian collection itself covers
Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities, Islamic ceramics and
textiles, Syrian treasures, Chinese ceramics, Japanese prints and
lacquerware and European medieval illuminated manuscripts. The
collection is so vast and varied as to be breathtaking. Among the
paintings are two Rembrandts, a Rubens and a Renoir.
Address: Avenue de Berna 45A;
Website: www.museu.gulbenkian.pt;
Telephone: 21 782 3000;
Transport: Bus 16, 726, 56, 718, 742 or metro to S. Sebastião or Praça de Espanha stations;
Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5.45pm;
Admission: €5; concessions available. Free on Sundays
The Bairro Alto
The Bairro Alto district (literally the Upper City) is, like the
Alfama, an historic enclave dating from 1513, which is reached in a
novel way via the Santa Justa Elevator (a structure reminiscent of
the Eiffel tower in Paris) from the lower city. The colourful
district resounds to the calls of vendors and fishmongers, and the
windows and balconies are festooned with laundry and bird cages. At
night the area comes alive with some of the finest fado cafes in
the city, along streets lit by Victorian lanterns. Fado is the
famous brand of music and dance brought to Portugal by African
slaves in the 19th century, characterised by songs of sadness and
despair, and there is no better place in Portugal to experience
this musical genre than in the Bairro Alto of Lisbon.
Monument to the Discoveries, Lisbon © Lisbon Tourism Association
Monument to the Discoveries
One of the most famous sights in Lisbon is the imposing
monument, situated on the riverbank in the Avenida de Brasilia in
the district of Belem, designed to commemorate the Portuguese Age
of Discovery. Belem, where the Tagus meets the sea, is the point
from which the maritime explorers of yore set forth in their
sailing ships to discover the world. The monument was unveiled in
1960 on the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the
Navigator in 1460, the monarch who was largely responsible for
Portugal's role in world exploration during the 15th and 16th
centuries. The massive monument takes the form of a caravel with
Prince Henry at the prow, backed by images of renowned mariners,
royal patrons and others who participated in the golden age of
discovery.
Telephone: 21 303 1950;
Transport: Bus 27, 28, 43 or 49;
Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 5pm (September to June), 9.30am to 9pm (July and August)
Tower of Belem, Lisbon © Lisbon Tourism Association
Tower of Belem
The famous Tower of Belem is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and
is one of Lisbon's most photographed landmarks because of the
decoration on its exterior. The outer walls are adorned with a
stone-carved rope and beautiful openwork balconies, along with
Moorish watchtowers and battlements shaped like shields. The tower
was built in the 16th century to serve as a fortress in the middle
of the River Tagus.
Address: Avenida de Brasilia;
Website: www.mosteirojeronimos.pt/english/index_torre.html;
Telephone: 21 362 0034;
Transport: Bus 27, 28, 29, 43, 49 or 51; tram 15;
Opening time: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm (October to April), 10am to 6.30pm (May to September);
Admission: €3 (adults) and €1.50 (youths). Concessions available
Parque das Nacoes © Lisbon Tourism Association
Parque das Nacoes
Lisbon's exhibition park was upgraded and renamed for the Expo
'98 world exposition, which revitalised the city and brought
international tourists and interest flooding in. The site is now
worthy of a full day's sightseeing, featuring several attractions,
not least of which is the Lisbon Oceanarium with its 15,000 living
examples of marine life. The main tank holds enough water to fill
four Olympic-sized swimming pools, and is viewed from two floors
through curved glass panels that provide a 180-degree view. Another
popular diversion is the Virtual Reality Pavilion, which showcases
the Portuguese age of discovery. Other attractions include a
science centre, cable car, the Vasco da Gama Tower and numerous
bars and restaurants offering Portuguese cuisine.
Address: Avenue D. João II, Lote;
E-mail: info@parquedasnacoes.pt;
Website: www.parquedasnacoes.pt;
Telephone: 21 891 9333 or 21 891 9898;
Transport: Buses, trains and the metro go to Oriente Station;
Opening time: Oceanarium: daily 10am to 8pm (until 7pm in winter);
Admission: Oceanarium: €10.50 (adults), €5.25 (children 4-12)
