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Lisbon Portugal: Jewel On The Atlantic

Draanor | Mar 15, 2011 |

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Come to Lisbon Portugal, travel veteran or first-timer, and you will be welcomed to one of the world’s great cities. There is beautiful scenery, sandy beaches, and exciting nightlife, if that is what you are looking for. On the other hand, you may wish to savor the stunning architecture or take in the rich history and cultural heritage of the place. The wise visitor would probably want to do both.
For sun worshippers, Lisbon can proudly boast of being the only European capital that can offer sandy beaches and surfing to its summertime visitors. Beaches stretch from the harbor city southward for miles down the Atlantic coast. Any Lisbon travel guide will direct you to the many fine restaurants in the city, many with spectacular hilltop views. For nighttime entertainment, there is something for everyone, regardless of whether night clubbing or a night at the opera is your thing.

For those who wish to investigate the rich history and culture of a city when they travel, Lisbon will not disappoint. Three places that will certainly captivate are:

The Jeronimos Monastery
Belem Tower
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

The Jeronimos Monastery was built in 1502 to commemorate the voyages of Vasco da Gama. The great Portuguese explorer is in fact buried there. The monastery is a glorious example of the style of architecture known as European gothic, and had been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. The nautical motif is maintained by the magnificently sculpted columns with its designs of anchors and sea serpents and such, and it all adds up to a remarkable monument to the Age of Discovery.

From the same era as the monastery comes the iconic Belem Tower. Completed just thirteen years after the Jeronimos, this iconic structure was built as a fortress to guard the harbor. The Tower was the last bit of their country that sailors would see as they left on their voyages. It too has been granted a UNESCO world heritage designation.

Named for a wealthy oil magnate who left to his beloved adopted country his private art collection, considered one of the greatest such collections in the world, this museum is not so widely known but is a marvel not to be missed. Housing antiquities from both East and West, some more than 2500 years old, as well as art by Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and other masters, this can be a 'find' that the average tourist might not be aware of.

Travel to Lisbon, visit the beaches, the museums, and the many other experiences on offer, and you will be glad that you did.