The Jardim Guerra Junqueiro as it is officially known is one of Lisbon's largest and best parks. Still known to most as the Jardim da Estrela the park covers 4.6 hectares (11.4 acres) in Lisbon's city centre. The park is surrounded by history; overlooked by the stunning, domed Basílica da Estrela to one side, there is the old English cemetery (Cemitério Inglês) and the Military Hospital on the other. The cemetery dates back to the early 1700s and its most celebrated inhabitant is novelist Henry Fielding (author of Tom Jones) who died in Lisbon in 1754.
Inside the imposing cast iron...
The Basílica da Estrela in Lisbon is a huge baroque/neoclassical church with a most impressive dome. It was built by order of Queen Maria I of Portugal to celebrate the birth of her first (and only) son, José, Prince of Brazil. It is perhaps no coincidence that the styling is similar to the National Palace in Mafra as this was built by her father, João V, to celebrate the birth of his own first child.
The architects were Mateus Vicente de Oliveira and Reinaldo Manuel de Sousa whose other work included the...
Route 15 is one of the five historic tram lines, which have been operating in Lisbon since 1873. The line begins at the square and transport hub of Praça de Figueria in the centre of the city, near to the main railway station, before travelling west along the estuary road, stopping at Cais do Sodré and Avenue Infante Santo, both of which are quite trendy, recently rejuvenated parts of the city, with thriving night lives, along to the district of Belém, after which it continues to the coastal...
Monsanto Forest Park (Parque Florestal Monsanto) is a large, protected forested area to the west of Lisbon which provides a welcome opportunity to relax away from the traffic and crowds of the city.
This 10 square kilometre site is Lisbon's largest green space and offers panoramic views of the city, the Tejo River and the Atlantic Ocean. The forest trails, some of which are quite hilly, are popular with walkers, runners and cyclists, and there are children's play areas, picnic areas and more. A number of sporting and cultural events are...
19th century neoclassical palace on the edge of Lisbon in Ajuda. The palace was built as the royal residence and has the lavish interior to prove it.
The Electricity Museum (Museu da Electricidade) is housed in the old power station on the banks of the river Tejo in Belém. In an area crammed full of historic monuments the Electricity Museum could be overlooked, however, it has worked hard to broaden its appeal and is far more worthy of a visit than its name might suggest!
The primary subject of the museum is the Tejo Power Station and how electricity was made there. But the building itself and the huge spaces within are probably the main attraction. Built between 1908 and 1951 this is one of the finest examples of industrial...
The Museu Nacional dos Coches, (National Coach Museum) is set in a surprisingly modern building overlooking the Afonso de Albuquerque gardens in Belem, next to the railway station. According to its architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, the minimalist, modern structure is more than a museum; it provides a public utility space for the city.
This present day museum building was completed in May 2015, but the museum had already existed for more than 100 years; the 'Royal Coach Museum', which had changed its name to the National...
The elegant Baroque Igreja da Memória was built on the orders of King Jose I in 1760 as a gesture of thanksgiving for having survived an assassination attempt two years earlier. The location of the church marks the exact spot where the failed attempt on the king’s life took place.
Literally translated as the Memorial Church, the building has a striking white marble exterior with a number of lovely neoclassical features, including a large, white dome. The interior of the church is a pleasing, if a rather plain, mix of white marble and gilt. A tomb inside the church is the...
The former royal Palace of Belém is now the official residence of the Portuguese president. The faded pink palace is guarded by sentries in traditional uniform and is generally not open to the public, although there is a small museum (Museu da Presidência da Republica) dedicated to the history of the Portuguese republic and its presidents attached.
The palace is situated on a small hill near the centre of the Belem district and is made up of an L-shaped structure with 5 main buildings and formal gardens.
The original structure was built in the 16th century and in 1723 King...
Celebrating the achievements of explorers during the building of Portugal's empire is the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Discoveries Monument). It represents a ship's prow featuring more than 30 statues of historical figures who played a big part in Portugal's Age of Discoveries. These include King Alfonso V, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Alvares Cabral and Ferdinand Magellan, with Henry the Navigator being the most prominent. On the pavement, just in front of the monument you...
Referred to simply as the CCB, this beautifully designed Centro Cultural de Belem was originally built to serve as headquarter for the Portuguese Presidency of the EU in 1992. It now provides over 100,000 square metres of space for a year-round calendar of cultural events, conferences, exhibitions and meetings as well as providing one of the best permanent exhibitions of modern art in Europe, a number of eateries and shops and much more. If you want to escape from the heat and crowds of tourists that flock to Belem, the centre has something for everyone and never...
World acclaimed private modern art collection with works by Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Jeff Koons, and more.
From the early 1960’s to the mid-1970s Portugal fought a controversial campaign in Africa, attempting in vain to keep hold of its colonies there. Known as the Combatentes Ultramar (Overseas War) this conflict took the lives of over 9,000 soldiers, many of whom came from the Lisbon area. The bloody war was a factor which led to the toppling of the regime of Dr Antonio de Oliveira Salazar whose right-wing regime had held power since 1932.
Today Lisbon's Belem district is home to a striking was memorial dedicated to the memory of the...
This striking bridge spans the Tagus River at its widest section in the city of Lisbon connection the northern suburb of Sacavem to the historical south bank of the river near Montijo. The Vasco da Gama Bridge is a vast stricture that is 17 Km (11 miles) long.First opened in 1998 it is still the longest bridge in Europe. To this day it remains as one of the longest in the world with 10km of it passing over water and a suspension section that allows ships to pass through close to the Lisbon side.
Built to last it is said that the bridge can withstand wind speeds of up to 250 km/h (...
The Palace at Queluz was built in the latter half of the 18th century from a design by two of the periods most esteemed architects; Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Robillon and the Portuguese Mateus Vicente de Oliveira. Together they created this "Portuguese Versailles" in the Rococo style as a manor house for King Pedro II.
During the reign of Maria I (1777-99) Queluz becamethe official residence of the Royal family. Unfortunately for Maria I she is largely remembered for her bouts of mania followed by slumps into prolonged depressions.
The main façade of the palace is relatively...
The Graça District is one of Lisbon's oldest suburbs, located on top of her highest hill, a few blocks north-east of the Castelo de Sao Jorge and just up...