Culture & Sight in Lisbon

The heart of the city is the Baixa or city centre; this area of the city is being considered for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The Baixa is organised in a grid system and a network of squares built after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which levelled a big part of the medieval town. The Castle of São Jorge and the Lisbon Cathedral are located on one of the seven hills of Lisbon, to the east of the Baixa. The oldest district of the city is Alfama, close to the Tagus, which has made it relatively unscathed through the various earthquakes. Other monuments include:

The Castle of São Jorge, atop the tallest hill of the central city, Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square), Rossio Square, Restauradores Square, Elevador de Santa Justa, an elevator (lift) in Gothic revival style, built around 1900 to connect the Baixa and Bairro Alto. Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower. The city of Lisbon is rich in architecture; Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque, Traditional Portuguese, Modern and Post-Modern constructions can be found all over the city. The city is also crossed by great boulevards and monuments along these main thoroughfares, particularly in the upper districts; notable among these are the Avenida da Liberdade, Avenida Fontes Pereira de Mello, Avenida Almirante Reis and Avenida da República.

Notable among the city's museums are:

The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art); the Museu dos Azulejos (Museum of Portuguese-style Tile Mosaics); the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian (Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, containing varied collections of ancient and modern art); the Oceanário de Lisboa (Lisbon Aquarium, largest in Europe); the Museu do Design at Centro Cultural de Belém (Design Museum); the Museu Nacional dos Coches (National Coach Museum, containing one of the largest collections of royal coaches in the world) and the Museu da Farmácia (Pharmacy Museum).

Lisbon's opera house, the Teatro Nacional São Carlos, hosts a relatively active cultural agenda, mainly in autumn and winter. Other important theatres and musical houses are the Centro Cultural de Belem, the Teatro D. Maria and the Gulbenkian Foundation.

The monument to Christ the King (Cristo Rei) stands on the left side of the river, in Almada. With open arms, overlooking the whole city, it resembles the Corcovado monument in Rio de Janeiro, and was built after World War II, as thanks for Portugal's being spared the horrors and destruction of the war.

Every June there are some 5 days of popular street celebrations in memory of a saint born in Lisbon — Anthony of Lisbon (or Santo António), a wealthy Portuguese bohemian who was canonised after a life preaching to the poor, simpler people. Although Lisbon’s patron saint is Saint Vincent, whose remains are in the Cathedral (Se Cathedral), there are no festivities associated with him.

Parque Eduardo VII is the largest park located in the centre of the city, prolonging the main avenue (Avenida da Liberdade). Named after Edward VII of England who visited it when it was inaugurated, it includes a large variety of plants in a large winter garden (Estufa Fria).

The Alfama District - Lisbon’s oldest and most historical district, lies below the Castelo de São Jorge. The medieval streets and the incredible views from three of the seven hills of Lisbon - São Jorge, Graca and Senhora do Monte. The neighborhood is a maze of narrow alleyways and steep stairs. It is one of the few neighborhoods that was not totally destroyed by the devastating earthquake of 1755 and retains architectural elements of its Moorish past. The neighborhood is lively by day, but a bit seedy, and not recommended by night. The best way to get there is by taking tram no. 28 from Baixa into Alfama, the tramride is rewarding as it creaks and hisses up and down the hills, east to Alfama. If you take the tram west, you’ll arrive at Bairro Alto.

The Bairro Alto was an up-scale neighborhood in the 17th century, now it is considered the heart of Lisbon’s thriving night life. Two funiculars (elevadors) provide transport up the steep hills to the district. If you take the Elevador da Glória, you will find yourself on one of the panoramic hills-the São Pedro de Alcântara, a wonderful place to be, even at night. Go to one of the many fado (Portugal blues) bars in the area-most of them are on Rua do Norte - and sip on a drink. It is worth the hefty cover (usually 2500$00) to experience the music, atmosphere and the drink. Another interesting outing is to check out the African music scene, such as Discoteca A Lontra on Rua de Aso Bento. There is also an excellent Japanese restaurant, serving sushi, in the area.

Belém, about 20 minutes from Lisbon’s center by tram, was the departure point of most of the world-changing explorations, during the Age of Discoveries. There is a spectacular monastery (where Vasco da Gama is buried) and watch-tower are some of the few Manueline (Portuguese Renaissance & Gothic blend architecture) monuments to have survived the 1755 earthquake, completely undamaged. They have both been designated as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites and are must-sees if you are spending any time in Lisbon. The Tower of Belém, about 10 minutes walk from the monastery, is the symbol of Lisbon and the Age of Discoveries. Avoid Mondays, as everything is closed.