Lisbon Oceanarium (Oceanário de Lisboa, Esplanada D. Carlos I, Lisbon) – this is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe. Located in the Parque das Nações (the exhibition grounds for Expo ’98), the Oceanarium has a large collection of marine species (from fish to mammals, birds, and other marine organisms) – totaling some 16,000 individuals of […]
Electricity Museum (Avenida Brasília, Central Tejo, Lisbon) — this museum, housed in a building that was a power plant in the early 1900s, explains to visitors the evolution of energy, and also hosts diverse temporary exhibitions (photography, painting, sculpture) in its vast interior. The Museum is part of the country’s power company, EDP (Energias de […]
Castle of Silves (Rua do Castelo, 8300-117 Silves/Algarve) – located 63 km. west of Faro, this castle is a 50 minute drive (via highway A22). This site originally had a Roma-era castle that was greatly expanded into its present form by the Moors between the 8th and 13th century (when Christian forces under the command […]
Castle of São Jorge (Rua de Santa Cruz do Castelo, Lisbon) – this castle, which overlooks the historic center of Lisbon, was originally built by the Moors during the 10th century, only to be overpowered by Christian forces commanded by Afonso I (the first King of Portugal) in 1147, as part of the Siege of […]
Castle of Alvor (Faro) – located an hour’s drive west of Faro, this castle was originally a smaller fort built over the remains of fortifications erected by Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthagians that passed though that part of Portugal during their respective historic periods. The castle was used by the Moors, only to be destroyed by […]
Castle of Almourol (Ilhota do Rio Tejo, Praia do Ribatejo, Almourol, Vila Nova da Barquinha) – located about 1 ½ hours northeast of Lisbon via car (Highway A1) this castle, once the location of a similar castle built during the Roman Empre, was built by the Knights Templar during the Portuguese Reconquista (1171 AD). After […]
Castelo dos Governadores (Jardim da Constituição, Lagos) — Built in the 17th century, this building is the only surviving element of the complex of the Seven Stations of the Holy Way that were distributed throughout the city in the 18th century. On the main façade, above each of the two main doorways, we can see […]
Belem Tower (Avenida da India, Belem, Lisbon) – built in 1515 as a fortress guarding Lisbon harbor, Belem Tower was often the departure point for many Portuguese ships making their voyages of discovery in the New World (particularly the-then Portuguese colony of Brazil), as well as trading posts (and eventual colonies) in Africa and Asia. […]
Ajuda National Palace (Largo da Ajuda, Lisbon) – this palace, located in central Lisbon was once the permanent residence of Portugal’s royal family, which construction was started in 1795, but never fully completed (due to political turmoil that the country endured during portions of the 19th century – in particular, the Napoleonic invasion of Portugal, […]
25 de Abril Bridge (Lisbon) – this suspension bridge, inaugurated in 1966 (with an appearance and color similar to the Golden Gate Bridge — San Francisco, CA, USA), connects the Portuguese capital of Lisbon to the municipality of Almada on the south bank of the city’s Tejo River. It was named after the Carnation Revolution […]