Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the oldest city in Western Europe, predating other modern European capitals such as London, Paris and Rome by hundreds of years. It is the only European capital city located next to the Atlantic Ocean with many miles of beautiful white sandy beaches. The gentle climate most of the year and a friendly local population looking to share their food and spirits with you enrich this unique setting. The Lisbon hilly landscape with wonderful landmarks, great restaurants, cafes and bars all contribute to the reasons why visitors love this city so much.
Unlike most capital cities, Lisbon’s status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially – by statute or in written form. Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention, making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal.
Lisbon has two sites listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site: Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery. Furthermore, in 1994, Lisbon was the European Capital of Culture and in 1998 organized an Expo ’98 (1998 Lisbon World Exposition). A great article points out ‘How to Spend Three Days in Lisbon‘.
The city of Lisbon has a wealth of cultural venues, including musuems, castles, art expos, libraries, theaters and cultural centers. In addition it’s location, a few minutes from the beaches and a short drive to wine regions (Alentejo, Douro and Setubal), provides something for everybody to see and do. Daytime activities abound and everything is convenient to access.
As nighttime falls upon Lisbon, a whole other aspect of the city comes to life, Lisbon by night. Neighborhoods go through a daily metamorphosis as facades open up their awnings and a new ambiance begins. Each neighborhood is full of a variety of places to get great local wines, beers and cocktails as friendships between the locals and visitors are born. A large selection of restaurants offering cuisine from all around the world can be found full of people enjoying the high quality food, and very festive ambiance.
Then as the evening goes on in Lisbon, nightlife begins. Each neighborhood, with it’s distinct identity, has different types of bars, cafes, nightclubs and fun happenings. The most popular are Bairro Alto, Santa Catarina, Principe Real, Alfama, Cais do Sodre, Campo Dourique, Intendente and Belem. Locals and visitors abound in each of these wonderful neighborhoods enjoying themselves until sunrises over Lisbon.
Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate. Among all the metropolises in Europe, it has the warmest winters, with average temperatures 15 °C (59 °F) during the day and 8 °C (46 °F) at night from December to February. The typical summer’s season lasts about six months, from May to October, although also in November, March and April temperatures sometimes reach around 20 °C (68.0 °F).
[sources include Wikipedia]
