“Lisbon is the city of shifting light, of rising hills, and sparkling waters.”
— Pablo Neruda=======================================================================
(in Portugal) Lisbon, the city, port, capital of Portugal, and the center of the Lisbon metropolitan area is located in western Portugal on the estuary of the Tagus (Tejo) River, it is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe and serves as the country’s chief port, largest city, and commercial, political, and tourist center. The city’s name is a modification of the ancient Olisipo (Ulyssipo), and its founding has been attributed to the legacy of Ulysses (Odysseus), the hero of Homer’s Odyssey; to Elisha, purported to have been a grandson of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham; and, more credibly, to Phoenician colonists. Lisbon owes its historical prominence to its natural harbor, one of the most beautiful in the world.
+ Popular among tourists, Lisbon is filled with spectacular views and is also home to some of the best beaches in Europe. The amazing landscape, nice restaurants, and fresh beer just add charm to the beauty of this place. The district of Alfama, with its labyrinthine alleyways, hidden courtyards and curving, shadow-filled lanes, is a magical place to lose all sense of direction and delve into Lisbon's soul. On the journey, you will pass breadbox-sized grocers, brilliantly tiled buildings, and views of steeply pitched rooftops leading down to the glittering Tagus River. Pause at cozy taverns filled with easygoing chatter, with the scent of chargrilled sardines and the mournful rhythms of fado drifting in the breeze, and toast the city with a glass of Portugal's famous port wine.
+ In the 1990s, many of the districts were renovated and projects in the historic quarters were established to modernize those areas, for instance, architectural and patrimonial buildings were renovated, the northern margin of the Tagus was re-purposed for leisure and residential use, the Vasco da Gama Bridge was constructed and the eastern part of the municipality was re-purposed for Expo '98 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's sea voyage to India, a voyage that would bring immense riches to Lisbon and cause many of Lisbon's landmarks to be built.
+ This seagirt city of multicolored houses and elegant parks and gardens is no longer the capital of a vast overseas empire. It has been reconstructed as a bustling modern metropolis. In fact, Lisbon was designated a European City of Culture in 1994, and in 1998 it hosted the World’s Fair (Expo ’98). That event sparked the city’s biggest renewal project since the rebuilding that followed the 1755 earthquake, including the construction of the six-lane Vasco da Gama Bridge, then the longest bridge in Europe, and other extensive upgrades of the city’s transportation infrastructure. The fair also was the primary catalyst for the construction along the Tagus River of an oceanarium, marinas, hotels, commercial complexes, and entertainment venues.
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