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Lisbon Maps & Attractions Guide
Lisbon maps & Attractions - Things to do
in Lisbon
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Lisbon
Attractions - Things to do
1. Castelo de Sao Jorge
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What is it? 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.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9am to 9pm (April to September), and 9am to 6pm
(October to March)
Phone:21 887 7244 |
2. Alfama
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What is it? 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.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
3. Sé (Cathedral)
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What is it? 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.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 7pm, Sunday and Monday 9am
to 5pm
Phone:21 886 6752 |
4. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum
Avenue de Berna 45A
www.museu.gulbenkian.pt |
What is it? 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 hosts 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.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5.45pm
Phone:21 782 3000 |
5. The Bairro Alto
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What is it? 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.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
6. Monument to the Discoveries
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What is it? 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.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 5pm (September to June),
9.30am to 9pm (July and August)
Phone:21 303 1950 |
7. Tower of Belem
Avenida de Brasilia
www.mosteirojeronimos.pt/english/index_torre.html |
What is it? 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.
Hours of Operation: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm (October to April),
10am to 6.30pm (May to September)
Phone:21 362 0034 |
8. Parque das Nacoes
Avenue D. João II, Lote
www.parquedasnacoes.pt |
What is it? 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.
Hours of Operation: Oceanarium: daily 10am to 8pm (until 7pm in
winter)
Phone:21 891 9333 or 21 891 9898 |
9. Fatima
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What is it? In 1917 the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared
above an oak tree and spoke to three peasant children in the valley
of Cova da Iria, 88 miles (142km) north of Lisbon. The children
claimed to have seen the apparition on five different occasions,
and the spot has now become one of the great pilgrimage shrines of
the world, known as Fatima. Between May and October the 13th day of
every month is pilgrimage day, when hundreds of the faithful gather
in a square twice the size of St Peter's in Rome before the Chapel
of the Apparitions. The original oak tree is gone, but has been
replaced by a simple white column inside a basilica, which is
flanked by statues of the saints.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
10. Setubal
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What is it? A popular touring destination 25 miles (40km)
south of Lisbon is Setubal, one of Portugal's oldest cities,
renowned for producing the most delicious muscadel wine in the
world. The city is also the centre of Portugal's sardine industry,
and has been a fish-salting centre since the 1st century. White
mounds of sea salt drying in the sun are a familiar part of the
local landscape. There are some outstanding beaches near the city
and some pretty countryside dotted with orange groves, orchards and
vineyards.
Hours of Operation:
Phone:265 539 120 (Setubal Tourist Office) |
Lisbon Holidays guide
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Transport -Public transport is inexpensive and useful
for negotiating the hills between attractions.
More information at the |
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