On the right bank of the broad Tagus river estuary, the capital of Portugal graciously reclines over rolling hills. This is a spectacular geographical location and does much to explain the cosmopolitan history of the city. Its exceptional natural light, which has long inspired writers, photographs and filmmakers, the brightly coloured buildings straddling the slopes, the striking ochre of the roofs, the tiling on so many facades and the narrow twisting alleys of the medieval districts bestow Lisbon with the peculiar atmosphere of a city perched somewhere between the European north and the Mediterranean south.
Throughout millennia, the superb natural harbour of the Tagus was used by traders and seafarers. Lisbon's long history begins under the Phoenicians as Alis-Ubbo, before becoming the Roman settlement of Felicita Julia Olisipo in the second century.
With the arrival of the Moors from the 8th century, it was renamed Aschbouna. The city fell to the Portuguese in 1147, when conquered by the first king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques. It became the national capital in 1255.
To the west, close to the mouth of the Tagus, visit Belém with its gardens and monuments to the Lisbon of the Voyages of Discovery now declared UNESCO World Heritage.
Much was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. A regular, symmetrical plan was established for the "Baixa (Downtown)" opening it up to both the light and the river. There, you will come across the traditional commerce. There is also the seductive appeal of the Chiado; a neighbourhood evoking the bourgeois tastes of 19th century Lisbon. To the east, the Parque das Nações (Park of Nations) concentrates a huge range of leisure facilities and features the largest Oceanarium in all Europe.
By night, the traditional neighbourhoods fall under the spell of Fado, the melancholic style of Portuguese folk music, while a younger crowd flocks to lively, stylish bars of the Docas, down by the river, or the Bairro Alto, adjoining the Chiado.

Gastronomy

From grilled sardines to the ‘pastéis de Belém’ pastries, Lisbon’s food is as welcoming as its people.

Grilled sardines are a nationwide treat in Portugal, but they are a real speciality in Lisbon. During the festivities in June and throughout the summer, sardines are a staple. You’ll find them on every menu at traditional restaurants or beachside café terraces - served with grilled pepper and tempered with a fine Portuguese olive oil.
However, every visit to Lisbon must include historic Belém, where the sweetest of custard tarts, the ‘pastel de Belém’ is made.Every meal in Portugal can be accompanied by a delicious wine or cheese.

M.I.C.E. – Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events

Lisbon is nowadays a privileged location to organize professional meetings, congresses and conferences since it has a huge variety of quality hotels, competitive companies along the value chain, an airport near city centre, a great access to regular flights, it is a very secure and cosmopolitan city, and it has a very good global image.

Fado – The Song of Lisbon

Fado is, par excellence, the song of Lisboa. Born of unique sentiment, of a soul that can’t be explained but only felt, fado today is the most noble and genuine product of Portuguese popular culture. And because it is so singular, it is always a surprise for the tourists who visit Lisboa.

Monuments

The Tower of Belém
The Tower of Belém was built in an effort to defend the estuary of the river Tagus. King Dom João II (1455-1495) had wanted to ban hostile ships from the river, but it was only his successor Dom Manuel I (1469-1521) who ended up building the tower. It was designed by architect and scupltor Francisco Arruda, with notable traces of Moorish influence. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Jerónimos Monastery
The Jerónimos Monastery is a magnificent monument marking the high point of Portuguese art in the century of the Discoveries.
UNESCO has classified the monastery, which faces the River Tagus, as a World Heritage site.
Pay a visit to the monastic church, one of the most beautiful in Portugal and Europe. The slender pillars are decorated with delicate arabesques and seem to suspend the immense vaulted ceiling.
Five hundred years ago, the monastery was the site of a modest chapel where departing and arriving seafarers came to pray. King Manuel transformed it into this remarkable monument, a prayer to the Virgin of Belém for the success of Vasco da Gama’s voyage to India.

St. George Castle
The castle is a living memory of various events that marked the history of Portugal, having been in the hands of Romans, Suevians, Visigoths and Muslims. It was rebuilt in the 1940s and has recently been renovated. From the castle you can look down upon the city and visit the periscope on the Torre de Ulisses and the Interpretation City Centre in the Ogival Room.

Basilica da Estrela
This vast neoclassical monument was built in the second half of the 18th century, with a huge dome and a façade with twin bell towers decorated with an array of statues of saints and allegorical figures. The spacious marble interior contains an elaborate Empire-style tomb of Queen Maria I, and a life-size Christmas manger composed of more than 500 figures. A pleasant way to get here is by taking tram 28, which stops right outside.

Lisboa's cathedral
Lisboa's cathedral, the Sé, was built by the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques (1109-1185). Its interior takes the form of a latin cross with three naves. The 12th century baptismal font where Saint Anthony was christened and the Gothic chapel with a Nativity scene by sculptor Machado de Castro are also interesting to see.

Coaches Museum
One of Lisbon's most visited sights, the Coaches Museum has the largest and most valuable collection of its type in the world. It is housed in a richly decorated 18th century royal riding school that is part of Belem Palace, illustrating the ostentation and staggering wealth of the old Portuguese elite. Each coach is more magnificent than the other, showing how coach-makers went to extraordinary lengths to make their vehicles stand out.
More wonderful examples belonged to several European royal families, from Spain to England, including a 19th century coach built in London last used by Queen Elizabeth II on a state visit.

Tile Museum
Despite its somewhat out-of-the-way location (best reached by Taxi or buses 104/105 from Comercio Square), this delightful museum is well worth a visit, presenting five centuries of decorative ceramic tiles or azulejos, tracing the history and production of the art form. Its collection is the only of its kind in the world, and contains a splendid array of tiles from as early as the 15th century along with displays on how they're made.

Lisbon Zoo
Located in the centre of the city for 120 years, the Lisbon Zoo is an important park where education and amusement is encouraged. The Zoo has one of the best zoological collections in the world (almost 2000 animals of 400 species) and offers a whole set of attractions where our visitors can have a lot of funny and relaxing moments, but, above all, they leave with the sense of a day well spent. The Lisbon Zoo is not only a traditional zoological space, it is an important and attractive park where education and amusement are encouraged.
Attractions: Dolphins Bay, Rainbow Park, Cable Car, Reptile House, Children’s Farm, Sea-Lions Feeding and Presentation of Birds and Reptiles!