Lisbon
The capital and the largest city of Portugal is Lisbon. It is known as the city, situated on the Seven Hills and the birthplace of fado. There are a lot of dark and narrow streets, dating back for Centuries. At the same time, as now it is the westernmost European capital city, it has quickly become one of the most cosmopolitan cities. Lisbon is a mixture of tradition and modern and has its unique and friendly atmosphere. The old part of the town is called Alfama and with its peculiarities it attracts a lot of tourists. Old trams cross this part of Lisbon and a leisurely tour on them introduce the visitors into the charm of the area, a precious experience for everyone. The Castelo de S. Jorge is a part that tourists should not miss while touring the historical places. It was won from the Moors in 1143. Another thing that attracts tourists is the hospitality of the Portuguese, which presents an attraction by itself. The city centre is called Baixa (or Downtown). This part of Lisbon was given by UNESCO World Heritage Site status. After the earthquake in 1755 which destroyed big part of medieval Lisbon, the Baixa was built as a grid with a net of squares. To the east of it, on the tallest of the seven hills, are the Castle of Sao Jorge and the Lisbon Cathedral. Some other monuments that deserve to be seen are: Placa do Comercio (Commerce Square) famous for its beautiful façade; the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao Velha near it; Restauradores Square; Rossio Square; the Elevator de Santa Justa – an elevator in Gothic Revival style, built in the 1900s in order to connect the Baixa with Bairro Alto; the Church of Sao Roque famous for its rich decoration; the Estrela Basilica built in Baroque and Neoclassical style; Belem Tower; the Manueline Jeronimos Monastery; Padrao dos Descobrimentos (the Monument of the Discoveries); Carmo Convent and the Monastery of Sao Vicente de Fora.
In the city of Lisbon the tourists can see buildings in different architectural styles all over the city – from the Romanesque, Manueline, Baroque, Gothic, Traditional Portuguese, Modern and Post-Modern styles. The museums worth seeing are the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (the National Museum of Ancient Art), the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian (the calouste Gulbenkian Museum with varied collections of ancient and modern art), and the Museu do Azulejo (the Museum of Portuguese style tile mosaics). On the left side of the river, in Almada, stands the monument to Cristo Rei (Christ the King). At first sight Lisbon is a city of the contrasts but it is also a city of balance. In a brilliant harmony the traditional and the modern, the old and the new, the past and the future come together. Along together with the rich history, the traditional cuisine make travelers wish to come back to Lisbon once they have visited it.