Lisbon is Portugal’s capital city and Europe’s leading cosmopolitan center. This beautiful city filled with glorious architecture has an area of 84.8 km2 and is situated in the most western part of mainland Europe. It is the wealthiest region in Portugal and its GDP is also way above the average of other EU countries.

Lisbon has several famous monuments, which include the Castle of São Jorge, Praça do Comércio from where the façade of the lovely Curch of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao Velha can be seen. Also found throughout the city are structures from the Traditional Portuguese, Gothic, Manueline, Romanesque, Baroque, and Modern and Post-Modern art. Impressive boulevards and monuments are liberally spread along upper district’s main thoroughfares like the Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, Avenida da Liberdade, and Avenida da República.

Among the most prominent museums in Lisbon are: The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, the Museu Nacional do Traje e da Moda, the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, the Lisbon Oceanarium, the Berardo Collection Museum at the Belém Cultural Center, the Museu Nacional dos Coches and the Museu da Farmácia.

Lisbon is tourist friendly and several ‘Ask Me Lisboa kiosks’ are spread around the airport and the district of Rossio. A multilingual staff is also present to counsel tourists and handout maps and brochures. Tourists are also encouraged to purchase the ‘Lisboa Card’ from any tourist information service stations to allow them free use of Lisbon’s public transport. Price of tickets to numerous museums, art galleries and tourist attractions can also be purchased at reduced rates by using the card.

Lisbon’s other tourist attractions are: Elevador de Santa Justa, a Gothic style elevator built around the nineteen hundreds to connect the Bairro Alto and the Baxia; Rossio Square, the Church of São Roque, the Estrela Basilica, Restauradores Square, the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Carmo Convent and Monastery of São Vicente de Fora. But aside from enjoying the architectural sites during the day, Lisbon is also a city to experience during the evenings with its exciting social scenes and vibrant nightlife.