Situated next to Tagus Estuary, Lisbon is known for its sunny weather and exciting nightlife with a backdrop of sentimental combination of the past and the modernity. The boulevards in Lisbon come with lining of trees and a number of Art Nouveau residences. One of the attractions of the city is the beaches: Costa da Caparica, lying southwards of River Tagus, comes with a variety of beaches and Praia de Adraga also features beaches that are listed as the best in Europe.
Visitors to the city can find the information they need from Welcome Centre de Lisboa, where they will be provided with a number of leaflets and tourism tips and advice. Those who want to view a lot of places can also get the Lisboa Card- a card that will help them save money as they tour around the city. Apart from that they will also find information about the accommodation options available within the city including places such as the Bairro Alto area, Tivoli-the shopping district, Baixa neighborhood with wonderful scenes as well as in the beach resorts like Guincho.
Top Lisbon Sights
Besides the wonderful coastal attractions in the city, the tourists will find a wide variety of exquisite and diverse attractions. They can start with sampling marine life in the Lisbon Oceanarium (Oceanario de Lisboa) or the Aquario Vasco da Gama (City Aquarium). Those who love thrills should not miss a day out at the Feira Popular theme park where they can ride the roller coasters and the fairground rides. Others can move around the city using the street cars known as Elevador da Bica and visit the Zoological Gardens where they can see the sea lions and the children can play in the Children’s farm. Another important attraction is the Monumental Fountain that comes with breathtaking waterfalls that are illuminated by night.
Lisbon is home to some of the greatest buildings and landmarks in Portugal. These are situated in different locations such as Alfama, Chiado, Graca and Baixa. Visitors should visit the Castle of Sao Jorge that dates back to the 14th Century and has a wide variety of medieval features; the Portuguese National Library situated in the Campo Grande area, and the Arco da Rua Augusta, the grand historical and elegant stone archway. The other outstanding building is the Praca de Touros do Campo Pequeno, which is a venue for variety of events and comes with a shopping center.
The lovers of culture, the Belem area is the best place to be. It comes with notable museums as well as old structures. They can start with Museu de Cidade, where they will learn about the city, the Muse Nacional de Historia for botanical exhibits, The Wax Museum and the Museu Nacional de Teatro. Art lovers must also visit Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, to view historic art and the Museu da Arte Popular.
Those tourists who want to sample the lengthy beaches of Portugal should set Lisbon as their base for day trips. Some of the beaches they should check out include Carcabelos, Bay of Cascais and Estoril. They can also check out attractions in nearby towns such as Sintra, which comes with wonderful World Heritage Sites.