Lisbon Attractions

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Attractions

Perched on the coast of Portugal and steeped in a rich and diverse marine history, it's no wonder that many of Lisbon's attractions are of the aquatic variety. Visitors will have a grand time exploring the many sights this exciting city has to offer.

Visit the Lisbon Oceanarium, which is marketed as the second best aquarium in the world and boasting a 1.3-million gallon (5-million litre) and a wonderful array of marine life, or for a slightly more historical look at the sea, the Maritime Museum is one of Europe's best and a must for history buffs.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Tower of Belem, stroll through the streets of the charming Alfama, Lisbon's old qaurter, visit the Castelo de Sao Jorge and take a stroll through the Jeronimos Monastery, a World Heritage Site and the resting place of Vasco de Gama.

Visitors wanting to see the sights in Lisbon should look into purchasing a Lisboa Card, which grants the bearer free admission or 50% on admission fees to most attractions as well as free access to public transport. The card costs €15, is valid for 24 hours and is available from tourist offices throughout the city.

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 from 500 AD. The castle is regarded as the cradle of... see full details

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... see full details

Sé de Lisboa

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... see full details

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,... see full details

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.... see full details

Monument to the Discoveries

One of the most famous sights in Lisbon is the imposing Padrão dos Descobrimentos, situated on the riverbank in the Avenida de Brasilia in the district of Belem and designed to commemorate the Portuguese Age of Discovery. Belem, where the Tagus meets the sea,... see full details

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... see full details

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... see full details

Oceanario de Lisboa (Lisbon Oceanarium)

Marketed as the second best aquarium in the world, the world-class Lisbon Oceanarium is the most impressive achievement of EXPO '98, which used to be an abandoned waterfront. The centrepiece of the stone and glass building is the 1.3-million gallon (5-million litre) holding tank... see full details

Museu de Marinha (Maritime Museum)

With such maritime icons as Vasco de Gama and Bartolomeu Dias, its no wonder that Portugal's Maritime Museum is one of the best in Europe, evoking a sense of what it was like when the victorious Portuguese dominated the high seas. Visitors can... see full details

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