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| LISBON TRAVEL GUIDE Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. Known for thrilling nightlife, in the last few years it has become recognized as Europe's gambling centre, due to its two huge casinos. Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size, the Grande Lisboa (Greater Lisbon) subregion is considered the second most important financial and economic center of the Iberian Peninsula. The Lisbon region is the wealthiest region in Portugal and it is well above the European Union's GDP per capita average - it produces 45% of the Portuguese GDP. It is also the political center of the country, as seat of government and residence of the Head of State. Lisbon was under Roman rule from 205 BC; Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city for the Christians and since then it has been a major political, economic and cultural center of Portugal. Unlike most capital cities, Lisbon's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially— by statute or in written form. Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention, making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal. Lisbon hosts two agencies of the European Union, namely, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), is also headquartered in Lisbon. During the Neolithic the region was inhabited by Iberian related peoples, who also lived in other regions of Atlantic Europe at the time. They built religious monuments called megaliths. Dolmens and Menhirs still survive in the countryside around the city. The Indo-European Celts invaded after the first millennium BC and intermarried with the Pre-Indo-European population, giving a rise to Celtic-speaking local tribes such as the Cempsi. Archeological findings show that a Phoenician influence existed in the place that, since 1200 B.C., leading some historians to the theory that a Phoenician trading post occupied the site of the centre of the present city, in the southern slope of the Castle hill. The magnificent harbour provided by the estuary of the river Tagus made it the ideal spot for a settlement to provide foodstuffs to Phoenician ships travelling to the tin islands (modern Isles of Scilly) and Cornwall. The new city might have been named Allis Ubbo or "safe harbor" in Phoenician, according to one of several theories for the origin of its name[citation needed]. Another theory is that it took its name from the pre-Roman name of the River Tagus, Lisso or Lucio. Besides sailing to the North, the Phoenicians might also have probably taken advantage of the situation of the settlement at the mouth of Iberia's largest river to trade with the inland tribes for valuable metals. Other important local products were salt, salted fish and the then widely famous Lusitanian horses. Recently, Phoenician remains from the eighth century B.C. were found beneath the Middle Age Sé de Lisboa (Lisbon See) or main Cathedral of the modern city. Most modern historians, however, consider the idea of a Phoenician foundation of the city of Lisbon, as unreal. At best Lisbon was an ancient autochthonous settlement (what the Romans called an Oppidum) that maintained commercial relations with the Phoenicians, which accounts for the presence of Phoenician pottery and other material objects. The Greeks knew Lisbon as "Olissipo" and "Olissipona", a name they thought was derived from Ulysses, though this was a folk etymology. According to an Ancient Greek myth, the hero founded the city after he left Troy and departed to the Atlantic to escape the Greek coalition. If all of Odysseus's travels were in the Atlantic as Cailleux argued, then this could mean that Odysseus founded the city coming from the north, before trying to round Cape Malea, which Cailleux located at Cabo de São Vicente (Cape of St. Vincent), in a south-east direction, to reach his home land Ithaca, supposedly present Cadiz. However, the presence of Phoenicians (even if occasional) is thought to predate any Greek presence in the area. Later on the Greek name was corrupted in vulgar Latin to Olissipona. Some of the native Gods worshiped in Lisbon were Aracus, Carneus, Bandiarbariaicus and Coniumbricenses. GENERAL INFORMATION Country Portugal Region Lisboa Subregion Grande Lisboa District or A.R. Lisbon Area 84.8 km² Population 564,477 Density 6,368/km² PLACE TO VISIT The Gulbenkian Museum - Created from the personal collection of Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian who longed to see all his treasures displayed in a museum. A nice assortment of Egyptian artifacts, along with paintings by masters such as Rembrandt, Manet, Monet, Renoir, and Cassat. The museum's gardens are worth a visit in and of themselves, as a little oasis in the middle of downtown Lisbon. Entry to the museum is free for students with ID. St. Jorge's Castle - Located up the hill, with a great view over the city and the river. If you have the energy, get there by walking from downtown, going through the fantastic old neighborhood of Alfama. Entry fee 5 euros. Santa Justa's Elevator - Located downtown, this elevator was designed by a follower of French engineer Gustav Eiffel and connects the downtown to the Trindade, located several meters uphill. 7 Colinas valid. Praça do Comércio - This magnificent plaza, facing the river, is the beginning of Lisboa's downtown. It is also known as 'Terreiro do Paço', meaning 'Garden of the Palace', relating to its function before the Great Earthquake of 1755. Belém - This monument-packed neighbourhood features the likes of Belem Tower (entry fee 3 euros)(Torre de Belém), the Jerónimos Monastery, Padrão dos Descobrimentos (entry fee 2,5 euros) and the modern Belém Cultural Center. A stroll around its many gardens enjoying the river's bright blue is also a must. In front of the former Royal Palace of Belém, now the Presidential Palace, there is a massive statue looking out to sea, representing Afonso de Albuquerque, first Viceroy of Portuguese India at the early 16th century. Housed in the former ridding school of the palace, don't miss the world's largest collection of coaches and royal vehicles at the Coach Museum Chiado - Take a stroll along the historical streets of this elegant shopping district, stopping for a cup of coffee with the statue of Fernando Pessoa, Portugal's great Modernist poet. Head uphill to Bairro Alto, for stunning views of the city and some wild partying in Lisbon's most popular nightclub district. Downtown - (Baixa). This part of the city was completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake by the Marquis de Pombal. The planned layout, greatly different from what you will see in the more ancient neighborhoods, is a testimony to the ideas of the Enlightenment. Ponte 25 de Abril - This sister bridge of the Golden Gate in San Francisco was designed by the same architect in 1966 to connect Lisbon with the Setubal peninsula across the Tagus (Tejo) River. Formerly known as the Salazar Bridge, it was renamed after the Carnation Revolution, which on April 25, 1974 ended the dictatorship. Cristo Rei - Similar to the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro, this statue stands over 100 meters tall on the opposite bank of the Tejo River from downtown Lisbon. Views from the top of the statue are breathtaking, although the elevator up will cost you 3 euros. Jardim Zoológico - A zoo that is fairly pricey (€14.50), but with a variety of exotic animals. Parque das Nações - Built for the 1998 World Expo, the eastern side of town (take the Metro to Oriente) is a change from downtown and has one of the world's largest aquariums (10.50 euro admission fee), among other sights. Lisbon metro - Most of the metro system is a free art gallery. You'll find art by contemporary artists inspired by the stations' surrounding area. Check the subway webpage for more details on this curiosity. The red line is the newest one and has the best pieces of art. HOW TO REACH By plane - Portugal's largest international air hub is the Aeroporto da Portela (IATA: LIS; Alameda das Comunidades Portuguesas, Tel: 21 841 35 00, Fax: 21 841 36 75, web: http://www.ana-aeroportos.pt) which is linked to the city centre by an Aerobus (line 91) every 20 minutes from 07:00 - 21:00 and bus lines 5, 8, 22, 44, 45, 83 (board fare €1,35 or 7 Colinas can be used which can be bought at the airport post office). A ticket for the Aerobus is €3,50 and is valid on all public transportation lines for one day. Taxis cost about €10 from the airport to the city centre. Charge is according to the meter, adding €1.20 per item of luggage. As with many cities, watch out for dishonesty and if you think you are being charged significantly more (paying €45 to get into the city but only €6 back to the airport is not unheard of) ask for their number and a receipt, and make it clear you plan to complain. To avoid fraud you can buy a taxi-voucher in the airport (€18 - a lot more than the average real meter price) which is good to go anywhere in the centre, with luggage. A trick to avoid disonest taxi drivers is to catch the taxi outside the departures lounge (first floor). You can always also ask the driver how much he estimates the fare will be before getting in the taxi, which will diminish the chance for a surprise bounce in the price. By train - There are two big train stations in Lisbon: Santa Apolónia and Gare do Oriente. Although if entering Lisbon from the south you may want to get off at Entrecampos or Sete Rios: their metro stations are a few stops closer to the central and old town. Cais do Sodré is another important train station, connecting Lisbon to Cascais. By car - Lisbon can be accessed from six main highways. Coming from the south (A2) or east (A6 - the main route from Madrid), there are the two bridges: The A2 goes all the way to the 25 de Abril bridge, which usually has lots of traffic getting into Lisbon, specially weekday mornings. This is the best option if you want to go to the center of Lisbon or to the west (A5 - Estoril, Cascais, Sintra); By bus - All nearby cities and most major cities in Portugal have direct buses to Lisbon. The main bus terminal is at Sete Rios (metro: Jardim Zoológico) Rede expresso is one of the largest inter-city bus companies. By boat - You can get a boat to Lisbon from the following stations: Barreiro; Trafaria; Montijo; and Cacilhas. Recommended for excellent sightseeing from the river Tagus to Lisbon. |