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Lisbon, Portugal
Photo: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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Jardim Botânico da Ajuda
The botanical garden of Ajuda is one of the oldest gardens in Europe and is considered the first in Portugal. After the earthquake that occurred in 1755, the homeless Portuguese royal family decided to build a new royal residence at Ajuda but also gardens around it. This 10-acre garden was laid out in from 1858-1873.
CCB, Belém Cultural Center
CCB is a complex of artistic and cultural venues. It has spaces for meetings and conferences, performing arts (film, opera, ballet, theatre, and music), and art exhibits (art, architecture, design, and photography).
Padrão dos Descobrimentos
Climbing the monument gives you a spectacular view of Belém.
Jerónimos Monastery
A , the monastery was built in the 16th century and is an outstanding example of the Portuguese late Gothic Manueline style.
MAAT – Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia
This museum of contemporary art is housed in a riverside building of contemporary design.
The permanent collection of the museum consists of the Berardo Collection, which is made up of modern and contemporary art, with major art movements like abstract expressionism, Abstraction-Création, action painting, body Art, constructivism, cubism, De Stijl, digital art, experimental art, geometric abstraction, kinetic art, minimal art, neo-expressionism, neo-plasticism, neo-Realism, op art, photography, photorealism, pop art, realism, suprematism, surrealism. Includes artists like Piet Mondrian, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, and Francis Bacon.
Navy Museum
One of the most important in Europe, evoking Portugal's domination of the seas. Its colossal 17,000 items are installed in the west wing of Jerónimos Monastery, and include model ships from the Age of Discovery onward. The oldest exhibit is a wooden figure representing the Archangel Raphael that accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India.
National Coach Museum
Housed in the former riding school of the palace, don't miss the world's largest collection of horse-drawn coaches and other royal vehicles. One of Lisbon's many unusual museums. In the "Museum street", Belem.
Calouste Gulbenkian Planetarium
The planetarium has 32 star projectors, capable of presenting more than 9,000 stars. It holds a chunk of moon rock given by U.S. President Richard Nixon.
This sister bridge of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge 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 25 April 1974, ended the dictatorship.
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, second ruler of Portuguese India in the early 16th century.
Central Tejo, f/k/a Museu da Electricidade, Electricity Museum
This disused power station is now a museum dedicated to the science, industry, and history of electricity production in Portugal.
Belem Tower
A , the iconic fortified tower was built in the early 16th century in the late Gothic Manueline style as a fortress. It was said to be the last thing Portuguese explorers saw when departing, and the first thing they saw upon return. It was later used as a prison for political prisoners, and is today one of the most recognized symbols of Lisbon and Portugal.
City transport museum
Transport museum with various old trams and buses on display.
Quake - Centro do Terramoto de Lisboa
A fully interactive museum on the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
This comedy show is 100% in English and features well known comedians from the local and international scene in Lisbon. The comedians have experienced dating disasters, rental nightmares, cultural quirks, and they will tell it all. It's a night full of hilarity and good times. A great way to gain a cultural insight into what it's like being a Lisboeta.
Michelin-starred restaurant by Spanish Basque chef Eneko Atxa. Attached to a more laid-back space called "Basque".
Michelin-starred seafood restaurant by the docks.
Seafood restaurant by the water.
Modern, urban wine bar serving seafood and sausage & cheese platters in a convivial atmosphere.
A fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine.
Antiga Confeitaria de Belém
The most famous of pastelarias, and justly so. They are served right out of the oven there, with the side of confectioner's sugar and cinnamon. As you navigate through the tile-covered labyrinthine passages of the expansive shop, stop to look at the workers behind glass panels turning the endless stream of these delicacies, just baked, each in its own little ramekin, over onto the waiting trays. These are absolutely a must-eat and you can't possibly regret it.
Five-star, 50-room hotel overlooking the Tagus with pool, spa, gym, bar, and free Wi-Fi.
Four-star, 65-room hotel with bar, sauna, free breakfast, and free Wi-Fi.
Five-star, 60 room hotel with spa, gym, two swimming pools, business centre, free breakfast, and free Wi-Fi.
Five-star, 192-room hotel in an old palace, with a wonderful garden and luxury spa.
Four-star, 259-room hotel next to the Tagus River. Adjoins Lisbon’s Congress Centre and the lively nightlife of Lisbon’s Docas area.
Take bus 728 to the west (direction Restelo), which follows the coast line and provides an express service with few stops.
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Lisbon · International · LIS
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