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THE LISBON CONGRESS CENTRE

The Lisbon Congress Centre
Praça das Indústrias
1300-307 Lisboa
Portugal

Tel: + 351 213601400    
Fax: + 351 213601499    
www.lisboacc.pt

Located near the Tagus River near the historic buildings of Belém quarter, The Lisbon Congress Centre is an inviting space for anyone wishing to hold congresses, conferences, meetings, exhibitions and other events.

LISBON OVERVIEW

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, sits on the north bank of the Tagus Estuary, and is the westernmost city in continental Europe. Its appeal is wide and, as well as the city’s own magnificence, it offers beautiful beaches, stunning countryside and lush and majestic mountains just a short distance from the city.  Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums are all part of the colourful cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets.

Occupying seven low hills, Lisbon is made up of three major districts; Cidade Baixa the downtown area; Bairro Alto, a picturesque working class quarter dating from the 16th century that has traditionally been the city's bohemian haunt of artists and writers, and the oldest district, Alfama, with stunning views, an ancient castle and a style and atmosphere which is still reminiscent of Moorish times with its medieval alleys and black-clad widows pottering in tiny squares.

At Lisbon's heart the downtown area features wide, tree-lined avenues graced by Art Nouveau buildings, mosaic pavements and street cafes.  Seen from the river - one of the city's many great viewpoints - Lisbon is an impressionist picture of low-rise ochre and pastel, punctuated by church towers and domes.

Its streets are quiet during the day, but transform at night into a vibrant nightlife quarter with a variety of excellent traditional and international restaurants, a multitude of chic bars and stylish alternative fashion shops that stay open until late at night. Throughout the week, and especially at weekends, you'll find people of all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles bar-hopping through the cobbled lanes or standing alfresco, drink in hand enjoying the city's usually mild nights and the famous and hauntingly beautiful fado music which fills the air. Add to that Lisbon’s cultural diversity, laid-back feel and architectural time warp, and you have one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe.

SIGHTSEEING

Full tourist information is available through the Lisbon Tourism Office.

Turismo de Lisbon
Visitors & Convention Bureau
Rua do Arsenal, 15
1100-038 Lisboa

T: +351 210 312 700
F: +351 210 312 899
atl@visitlisboa.com
www.visitlisboa.com
www.visitportugal.com

Belem Tower
The Belem Tower, or Tower of St Vincent, is to Lisbon what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris and is the city's most photographed landmark.  The fortified tower was commissioned by King John II to be both part of a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus River and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon and was built in the early sixteenth century on a small island in the Tagus River near the Lisbon shore.  Today is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The view from the walkway on top of the tower is spectacular.

Jeronimos Monastery
The Jeronimos Monastery is the most impressive symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. King Manuel I built it in 1502 to commemorate Vasco Da Gama's voyage and his tomb was later placed inside by the entrance.  It is one of the great triumphs of European Gothic (UNESCO has classified it a World Heritage monument), with much of the design characterized by elaborate sculptural details and maritime motifs. This style of architecture became known as Manueline, a style of art that served to glorify the great discoveries of the age.

Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is one of the most important in Europe, evoking Portugal's domination of the seas. Its colossal 17,000 items are installed in the west wing of Jeronimos Monastery, and include model ships from the Age of Discovery onward. The oldest exhibit is a wooden figure representing the Archangel Raphael that accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in 1497.

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum  
Founded by petroleum mogul Calouste Gulbenkian and maintained by the foundation bearing his name, this stunning facility boasts three concert halls, two galleries and an orchestra. Comprehensive exhibits feature Egyptian, Oriental, Greco-Roman and European art and boast names such as Rembrandt, Rubens and Renoir.

Centro de Art Modern
The Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian's other major museum, the Centro de Arte Moderna is a white, warehouse-like space showing an unparalleled collection of modern Portuguese art, including influential Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, who caused a scandal with his experiments in cubism, expressionism and futurism; abstract works by iconic modernist José de Almada Negreiros; the haunting grotesque fairy tales of Paula Rego, Portugal's best-known contemporary artist; and the geometric brilliance of Angelo de Souza. Works by modern British artists such as David Hockney, Bridget Riley, Anthony Gormley and Julien Opie serve as points of reference. The café is a Lisbon institution, and good for vegetarians.

Aqueduto das Áquas Livres
The aqueduct was built between 1732 and 1748 and spans 36 miles, bridging the Alcantara valley via a series of 35 arches. At the time of construction, the arches were the world's tallest, and they remain a formidable sight to this day, having survived the massive 1755 earthquake.  The 109 arches of the Aqueduto das Águas Livres lope across the hills into Lisbon from Caneças, more than 18km away; they are most spectacular at Campolide, where the tallest arch is an incredible 65m high. Built between 1728 and 1835, by order of Dom João V, the aqueduct brought Lisbon its first clean drinking water.

Estrela Basilica
This vast neoclassical monument is one of Lisbon's most eye-catching landmarks.  Built in the second half of the 18th century to fulfill a vow by Queen Maria I after she gave birth to a son and heir, it has a huge rococo dome and a façade with twin bell towers decorated with an array of statues of saints and allegorical figures. The spacious pink and black marble interior contains an elaborate Empire-style tomb of Queen Maria I, and an impressive Christmas manger composed of more than 500 figures.  It is also possible to go up to the dome for fantastic city views.

Monument to the Discoveries
One of the most famous sights in Lisbon is the imposing Padrão dos Descobrimentos, situated on the riverbank in the Avenida de Brasilia in the district of Belem and designed to commemorate the Portuguese Age of Discovery. Belem, where the Tagus meets the sea, is the point from which the maritime explorers of yore set forth in their sailing ships to discover the world. The monument was unveiled in 1960 on the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator in 1460, the monarch who was largely responsible for Portugal's role in world exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries. The massive monument takes the form of a caravel with Prince Henry at the prow, backed by images of renowned mariners, royal patrons and others who participated in the golden age of discovery.

Jardim da Estrela
Across from the Estrela Basilica is this delightful neighborhood park, one of the loveliest in the city.  There are exotic plants and trees, a small duck lake, various sculptures and an attractive wrought-iron gazebo that serves as an old-fashioned bandstand. Beyond the park is the English Cemetery, founded in 1717.  Novelist Henry Fielding, author of Tom Jones, died during a visit to Lisbon and is buried here. If you're curious, ring a bell to be let in.

Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George’s Castle)
The walls of Saint George's Castle, sitting atop a hill guarding the Tagus, date from the Moorish occupation in the 10th century, but the site has been a fortress for centuries, possibly from 500 AD. The castle is regarded as the cradle of Lisbon and it provides a panoramic view of the River Tagus and the Alfama medieval district. You can walk the esplanades and climb the ramparts.

Avenida da Liberdade
This boulevard, built in the 19th century in the style of the Champs-Elysees in Paris, is the main avenue of the city.  It runs north for a mile (1.6km) from Restauradores to Marquês de Pombal Square, and is more than 300 feet (90m) wide. Today the avenue still has a certain elegance with fountains and cafe tables shaded by trees, as well as a pavement decorated with abstract patterns.  Some of the original mansions have been preserved, and many are outstanding from an architectural standpoint. In the avenue is also the Monument to the Heroes of the Great War, a tribute to the 50,000 Portuguese soldiers who fought in World War I.  The avenue is also the site of some of the city's grander hotels, banks, airline offices, and designer shops, including names like Louis Vuitton, D&G, Tods, Burberry, among others.

Bairro Alto
The Bairro Alto district (literally the Upper City) is, like the Alfama, an historic enclave dating from 1513, which is reached in a novel way via the Santa Justa Elevator from the lower city. The colourful district resounds to the calls of vendors and fishmongers, and the windows and balconies are festooned with laundry and bird cages. At night the area comes alive with some of the finest fado cafes in the city, along streets lit by Victorian lanterns.

Alfama
Wander down through Alfama's steep, narrow, cobblestoned streets and catch a glimpse of the more traditional side of Lisbon.  As far back as the 5th century, the Alfama was inhabited by the Visigoths, and remnants of a Visigothic town wall remain. But it was the Moors who gave the district its shape and atmosphere. In Moorish times this was an upper-class residential area. After earthquakes brought down many of its mansions (and post-Moorish churches) it reverted to a working-class, fisherfolk quarter. It was one of the few districts to ride out the 1755 earthquake.  With narrow lanes of residential houses and grocery stores, it has a distinct village atmosphere; you can quickly feel like an intruder if you take a wrong turn into someone's backyard. Early morning is the best time to catch a more traditional scene, when women sell fresh fish from their doorways. This is traditional at its best.

Sintra
Considered not only one of the wonders of Portugal but indeed of Europe, Sintra is truly a gem: like a page torn from a fairy tale.  It now holds UNESCO world heritage status and whilst it was once the royal town of the country, with royalty enjoying long summers in its spectacular palaces, it now attracts many visitors throughout the year.   Its unusual geography and subsequent climate create a verdant paradise where beautiful walled gardens abound. The town has been adored over the years by artists and writers from all over the world and the passion for the town reached its peak in the 19th century in the heart of the romantic era.  Hans Christian Anderson found inspiration here, describing Sintra as the "most beautiful place in Portugal" and Lord Byron during his time there christened it his "glorious Eden" a “garden of the earthly paradise".  Highlights are the Parque da Pena and the Jardins de Monserrate. High in the Serra, on one of its steep peaks, we can find the Palácio da Pena, the most complete and notable example of Portuguese Romantic architecture, recently restored and painted in the original colours and standing out among the surrounding greenery.  But it is a walk through the town and up into the Serra that shows Sintra’s unique charm and magical atmosphere.

NIGHT LIFE

Lisbon has a heart for revellers and the city’s nightlife is generally considered to be amongst the best in Europe. The night in Lisbon starts at sunset and goes on till dawn. Undoubtedly, a side of the city not to be missed.

As soon as the sun sets on the horizon, sinking into the Tagus, Lisbon transforms itself and its nocturnal atmosphere emerges: vibrant, exciting and contagious in its energy, that lasts till dawn. Lisbon’s nightlife is known as one of the longest and most vibrant in the whole of Europe and the world. According to the habits of Lisbon locals, the night never begins before 9pm and almost always starts with a dinner in the company of friends. A good suggestion for dinner is a place where, in addition to excellent cuisine, there is also live music and you can relax in a bar atmosphere.

Click here for a full listing of Lisbon Bars & Discos.

Click here for a full listing of Lisbon restaurants.

CITY FACTS

USEFUL LINKS

Coming

Portuguese Embassy                                    http://portugal.embassyhomepage.com
Portuguese Railways                                    www.cp.pt
Lisbon Tourist Office                                   www.visitlisboa.com
Lisbon International Airport (LIS)                 www.ana-aeroportos.pt
European Rail (Train Information)                www.europeanrail.com
Lisbon City Guide                                        www.worldtravelguide.net