Lisbon, a city of unparalleled charm and vibrancy, is widely recognized as one of the top European destinations for a city break, earning multiple awards over the years. This year, it was honored with the Travelers’ Choice Award from Tripadvisor, highlighting its enduring appeal. This Portuguese capital perfectly balances old and new, filled with historical treasures and modern charms. It is a city known for its food, nightlife, colorful buildings, fado music, and friendly locals. Lisbon is also one of the oldest cities in Western Europe, with a history of 2,700 years. Due to its excellent trading location, the Phoenicians settled in Lisbon around 1200 BC. The city is the second oldest in Europe, after Athens, and is said to be four centuries older than Rome. Today it is a city teeming with life. A city that is full of color, character, creativity, and the perfect stage for the 21st SPDM International Symposium.
For more information about Lisbon please visit: https://www.visitlisboa.com/en
Lisbon
Come and discover Lisbon, a historical city full of stories to tell, where the sun shines 290 days a year and the temperature rarely drops below 15oC. A city where you feel safe wandering around day or night, where the cuisine is dedicated to creating over a thousand ways to cook the beloved bacalhau (salted cod), and where you’ll find hotels and restaurants to suit every taste, budget and requirement. Discover Lisbon, a city full of authenticity where old customs and ancient history intermix with cultural entertainment and hi-tech innovation. Lisbon is ageless, but it loves company, as you’ll find out if you meet someone and ask them to explain, with lots of gestures and repetition, where the best place is to listen to Fado. After all, Lisbon is famous for its hospitality and the family-like way it welcomes visitors.
What to visit
You may love Lisbon for the monuments, ideal conditions for the practice of sport or delicious gastronomy. Even for all these reasons and more. One thing is certain: all the time in the world won’t be enough to enjoy all to do and see in the capital. Make your choice and let Lisbon blow your heart away.
Attractions
Some of Lisbon’s most popular attractions are not included in the habitual compilations of the top 10 tourist spots.
Despite the region having plenty to offer that goes beyond what you will find just in the city, the city itself creates unforgettable moments in unexpected places.
The romance of catching tram 28 and getting a glimpse of the inside of the houses that decorate the climb up to Graça. The unique feeling of arriving at Cascais by train, having travelled along the coast right beside the mouth of the Tagus. The tranquility of the zoo. These are just some of the experiences that can make your stay absolutely unforgettable.
Discover the most original suggestions here for great activity-packed days in Lisbon.
Lisbon Flavours
Lisbon is a dream destination for foodies, wine lovers, critics and the curious. From auteur restaurants to century-old tascas, there is always a table set and waiting for you. The famous bacalhau (salted cod), in its various forms, is not to be missed. The seafood and fresh fish bring the Atlantic onto your plate in a sophisticated way or straight from the grill. And the cafés, where so many Portuguese writers gathered together, have outdoor seating with stunning views, endless hours of enchanting sun and, increasingly, interesting wine lists to get to know one of Portugal’s greatest riches. Come and sample them.
Heritage & Culture
Lisbon welcomes you with a rich cultural heritage that continues to grow every day. Discover the legacy left by the civilizations that inhabited the city throughout the centuries and the homage paid by artists. Let the river and Fado embrace you and enjoy those so special things that make Lisbon unique.
MAAT - Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology
MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology is the new cultural centre for Lisbon. It’s a museum where these three areas intertwine within a space of debate, discovery, critical thinking and international dialogue.
It’s a museum where these three areas intertwine within a space of debate, discovery, critical thinking and international dialogue. It’s an innovative project which establishes a connection between the new building, designed by Amanda Levete Architects’ studio, and Central Tejo Power Station, one of Portugal’s most prominent examples of industrial architecture from the first half of the 20th century, and one of the most visited museums in the country.
MAAT’s ambition is to present national and international exhibitions by contemporary artists, architects and thinkers. The programme will also include various curatorial perspectives on EDP Foundation’s private Art Collection, reflecting current subject matters and trends.
National Tile Museum
The museum is set in Madre de Deus Convent, founded in 1509 and its collections allow a journey through the history of tile, from 15th century till present days.
Museu Nacional do Azulejo is one of the most important of the national museums by the singularity of its collection, Azulejo (tile), an artistic expression that differentiates Portuguese culture, and by the uniqueness of the building in which the Museum is set, former Madre de Deus Convent, founded in 1509 by Queen D. Leonor. Its collections allow a journey through the history of tile, from 15th century till present days. Belonging to the convent, the Madre de Deus church is decorated in full Portuguese baroque splendour, with gilded and carved wood, paintings and tile panels.
National Coach Museum
The museum houses a unique collection in the world consisting of vehicles from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries including coaches, berlins, sedan chairs and carriages.
The National Coach Museum opened at the old riding ring of the Palace of Belém on the 23rd of May, 1905. It was created by Queen D. Amélia of Orleães and Bragança (the wife of king D. Carlos) as a way to preserve the important collection of vehicles belonging to the Royal House. The museum houses a unique collection in the world consisting of vehicles from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries including coaches, berlins, sedan chairs and carriages – all of which are decorated in a rich and profuse style. This makes it the most visited museum in Lisbon, if not in the whole of Portugal. To commemorate its 110th anniversary, the museum was transferred to a brand new building designed by the Brazilian architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha. The New Coach Museum, inaugurated on the 23rd of May 2015, is yet another reason to visit this wonderful collection.
Find out more information here
