A City With A Soul-Lisbon

Two months ago I visited Portugal with my family during Christmas holidays. Our first destination in Portugal was Lisbon. It is located at the southern part of Europe. It is the capital and the largest city of Portugal. Lisbon is called as Lisboa in Portuguese

Lisbon is a vibrant, beautiful, historical and global city. It is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is older than the other European capitals like Rome, Paris and London. It was once home to greatest explorers like Vasco da Gama, Magellan and Prince Henry the Navigator.

Mediterranean climate prevails in Lisbon. You can expect warm winters. It is perfect to visit Lisbon any time of the year. In December when I visited Lisbon, the weather was beautiful.

When it comes to hotels, Lisbon has plenty of choices. It depends on which part of the city you want to stay. We wanted to stay near the city center and hence we chose the modern and cosmopolitan Intercontinental Hotel in the heart of the city. If you are visiting Lisbon, I would certainly recommend this hotel for it’s location, hospitality,luxury and service.

It is a small city and the best way to explore the city is by walking. Lisbon has great public transportation network- metro,buses,trams,trains and funiculars.

Lisbon is set over a series of hills near the mouth of river Tagus(longest river in the Iberian Peninsula), it is closely linked with the sea as it is perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. I was enchanted by it’s gothic churches and white domed cathedrals, limestone buildings, grand plazas and narrow cobblestone lanes.

Lisbon is home to many restaurants and bars. Seafood is the main staple in Lisbon. It is also famous for sweets, make sure to have all those delicious pastries and pies. Make sure to visit Pasties de Belem, they offer the best sweets in Lisbon. A must-try is the pastry Pasteis de Nata.

Some of the main attractions in Lisbon are:

1 Monument to the Discoveries

2 Tower of Belem

3 Jerenimos Monastery

4 Castle of Sao Jorge

5 Rossio Square

6 Comercio Square

7 Marques de Pombal Square

8 Museu Sao Roque

9 Alfama Neighborhood

10 Lisbon Oceanarium

11 Elevador de Santa Justa

12 Arco da Rua Augusta

13 Igreja do Carmo

14 Palacio dos Marqueses de Fronteira

15 Basilica da Estrela

There are many other attractions. These are the main ones which I loved. Apart from exploring the places within the city, there are many other places outside of Lisbon. We took day trips to these places from Lisbon. The places are:

Sintra and Pena Palace

Cascais

Estoril

Obidos

Fatima

Batalha

Nazare

Arrabida

All the above places are definite must-visit places. Each one of them are unique and beautiful in their own way.

Lisbon is one of Europe’s most soulful city. Loved the medieval village-like neighborhoods, scenic beauty, serenity and old world charm. It is one of the historically and culturally rich cities in the world. Lisbon is one of the friendliest cities in Europe. This city where world’s greatest voyages took place in olden times, is a must-visit place for the contemporary traveler of the modern times.