Lisbon is known as the white city, thanks to its unique luminosity. The light, the atmosphere and the climate offer marvellous walks all over the city. It has a beauty that extends beyond the monuments, that can be experienced in the streets, that is embraced with all the senses.
Full of history
It was at the castle that everything began, historical sites can be found throughout the city. With a thousand years of history, Lisbon is full of monuments of great importance, that reflect some of the key moments in the Portugal’s history. Capital of the Empire, the peak of Lisbon’s wealth was during the Age of Discovery, which guaranteed its heritage of a rare beauty. Close to the castle, in Graça, is the church and monastery of São Vicente de Fora, one of the most imposing and notable religious monuments in the city. It was built immediately after the city was recaptured from the Moors because of a vow made by King Afonso Henriques to São Vicente during the siege of the city in 1143. Close by, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, we will come across one of the most popular and busy markets in the city, the Feira da Ladra, or flea market. Everything you can possibly imagine is on sale here and you will find the most useless and irresistible objects, as well as true antiques. It is a true walk through culture. If we walk down to Santa Apolónia and continue though this riverside neighbourhood, we will find the highly original Casa dos Bicos (16th century). The "bicos" in its name are the diamond-shaped stones that cover its façade. In addition to the aesthetic singularity of the building, with its Italian influences combined with elements of the Manueline style, it is also of considerable historical importance, having belonged to Afonso de Albuquerque, viceroy of India, and being the site of some interesting Roman archaeological finds. Continuing along the riverside, you will arrive at the neighbourhood with the largest number of heritage sites connected with the voyages of discovery: Belém. It was from the beach in Belém that Vasco da Gama set sail to discover the sea route to India and the grandiosity of the former empire can be sensed throughout the area, including one of the symbols of the city, the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the construction of which was begun in 1501 by King Manuel I and was concluded just a century later. Overlooking the magnificent Praça do Império, the monument possesses architectural features from the late Gothic and the Renaissance and is one of the most beautiful and magnificent monuments in the capital. These architectural features are combined with royal, religious, naturalist and nautical decorative elements to create a building that is considered the jewel of the distinctively Portuguese Manueline style. Its architectural excellence is more than evident and it has been recognised as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. In one of the wings of the former monastery we can find the Museu da Marinha, an excellent place to learn a little about the naval history of Portugal, and the Museu de Arqueologia. The monastery church, the Igreja de Santa Maria de Belém, is a magnificent church with a nave flanked by two aisles separated by elegant pillars that support a beautiful and unique ogival dome. The luminosity, with the sunlight filtered by the stained glass windows, is extraordinary, creating an almost unreal atmosphere. The tombs of Vasco da Gama and the epic poet Luís de Camões can be found in the church. The visitor feels simply overwhelmed by the beauty and grandiosity associated with the history, the faith, and also the knowledge and determination that moved Portuguese culture.
The call for the sea
In Belém, on the river bank, you will find another marvellous Manueline monument, also classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, the Torre de Belém. Designed in the 16th century by Francisco Arruda, the Torre de Belém is a square tower with a polygonal bastion facing the river Tagus. The exterior is covered with abundant decoration, its façades showing Arabic and Venetian influences on the balconies and verandas, contrasting with the interior, which is a lot most austere in its decoration. The organic elements of the Manueline style are represented here in many different forms and the Torre de Belém has the first sculptural portrayal of an African animal, in this case a rhinoceros. Much more recent, but still invoking the grandeur of the Age of Discovery in Belém is the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. The monument, from 1960, commemorates the five hundredth anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator, paying tribute to the instigator of the Voyages of Discovery and also to the most important Portuguese sailors. The singularity of Belém is without a doubt its role as a symbol of the “golden age” of the Voyages of Discovery. However the modern age and cultural entertainment are also present in the CCB – Centro Cultural de Belém. To walks in the extensive gardens, to admire the river views or simply to relax with a delicious "pastel de nata" - for all this Belém is fundamental.
Always lively
Lisbon is an extremely lively city. There is always something happening, 365 days a year. Cultural events, "festas", fairs, festivals, are a constant in the Portuguese capital. But it is at night that the main doors of entertainment open, with whole neighbourhoods dedicated to fun, partying and good company. Young adults are the main consumers of the Lisbon night, maintaining the tradition of entertainment night life until the early morning.
Inside and outside
The Bairro Alto has a unique tradition in the history of Lisbon night life. Always changing, it has become one of the parts of the city with most bars. The narrow streets fill with people every night, especially to Fridays and Saturdays as everybody is taking the best possible advantage of the weekend. The number of venues and the highly diversified clientele make the Bairro Alto a place with a very mixed public, from young people of all styles, to older customers who seek out quiet bars with good music. One of the unique characteristics of the Bairro, as it is called by its habitués, is that the nightlife always spills out onto the streets. The neighbourhoods around the Bairro Alto now also have quite lively nightlife, such as Bica, below it, and Príncipe Real, behind it between the Bairro Alto and Rato.
On the riverside, all night
The riverside areas offer very lively nightlife and some of the most popular venues of the Lisbon night. The most well known are on Av. 24 de Julho, as well as the Santos area. There we can find dozens of bars and discotheques, and some of the most popular clubs and bars in the city. In the Docas, in Alcântara and Santo Amaro, also you will find plenty of entertainment, right next to the river. These areas, which are also lively during the day, offer the perfect backdrop for an enjoyable evening. In the area of Santa Apolónia, you will find one of the most fashionable discos in Lisbon. Besides dancing and enjoying the unique atmosphere, you can also listen to concerts or to the best international DJs. In this riverside area, you will also find excellent restaurants.