Lisboa Overview

At sunset, the scarlet glow cast over the Rio Tejo is matched by the ruby red shimmer inside your glass of vinho do porto. Welcome to Lisboa. A magnificent history has left its mark upon this ancient city: illustrious bronze figures stand proud in open plazas, Roman arches and columns inspire reverence in visitors, and a towering 12th-century castle keeps watch from atop one of the city’s infamous seven hills. Lisboa is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about capitals in Europe, driven by cutting-edge fashion, flourishing art and music scenes, and relentlessly enthusiastic nightlife. Graffiti adorns the time-worn walls of Bairro Alto and Santa Catarina, and at night the cobblestone sidewalks echo with the modern rhythms of local clubs. A monumental past may loom over every corner of the city, but Lisboa is thriving in the present. Immigrants and visitors from all around the world give Lisboa an international feel that is hard to come by anywhere else in Portugal. Crowds of unique people—street performers, break dancers, and peddlers of various sorts—line the streets of Baixa and Bairro Alto, giving the city its diverse and distinctive flavor.

Complexity is not new to Lisboa. Half a dozen civilizations claim parenthood of the city, beginning with the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthaginians. The Romans arrived in 205 BC and ruled for 600 years. Under Julius Caesar, Lisboa became one of the most important port cities in Lusitania, and in 1255, Lisboa was made the capital of Portugal. The city, along with the empire, reached its zenith at the end of the 15th century, when Portuguese navigators pioneered explorations of Asia, Africa, and South America during the Age of Discovery. A catastrophic earthquake on November 1, 1755 catalyzed the nation’s fall from glory—close to one-fifth of the population died, and two-thirds of Lisboa was destroyed in the resulting fires. Immediately, the Prime Minister Marquês de Pombal began a massive reconstruction effort, an overhaul that explains the contrast between the neat, grid-like layout of Baixa and the hilly mazes of surrounding areas. Twentieth-century Lisboa saw plenty of change, as new technologies complemented the traditions of the past. Temples, castles, and cathedrals left behind by prior civilizations, juxtaposed with crowded plazas, buzzing cafes, and blaring discotecas, give Lisboa a life of its own.

Orientation

The city center has three neighborhoods: shop-filled Baixa (the low district), nightlife-rich Bairro Alto (the high district), and hilly, winding Alfama. The latter, Lisboa’s famous medieval Moorish ...more

Practical Information

Tourist Office: Palácio da Foz, Pr. dos Restauradores (Portugal line ☎ 213 46 63 07, Lisboa line ☎ 213 46 33 14). M: Restauradores. The largest tourist office, with info for all of Portugal. Open ...more