Destinations - Mediterranean - Lisbon

The capital of Portugal, Lisbon is a city open to the sea and carefully planned with 18th-century elegance. Its founder is said to be the legendary Ulysses, but the theory of an original Phoenician settlement is probably more realistic. Known in Portugal as Lisboa, the city was inhabited by the Romans, Visigoths and, beginning in the 8th century, the Moors. Much of the 16th century was a period of great prosperity and overseas expansion for Portugal. Tragedy struck on All Saints’ Day in 1755 with a devastating earthquake that killed about 40,000 people. The destruction of Lisbon shocked the continent. As a result, the Baixa (Lower City) emerged in a single phase of building, carried out in less than a decade by the royal minister, the Marques de Pombal. His carefully planned layout of a perfect neo-classical grid is still evident and remains the heart of the city.There are still remains of pre-quake Lisbon in the Belйm suburb, which survived the destruction, and the old Moorish section of the Alfama sprawling below the Castle of St. George.

Lisbon is a compact city on the banks of the Tagus River. Visitors find it easy to get around, as many places of interest are in the vicinity of the central downtown area. There is a convenient bus and tram system and taxis are plentiful. Rossio Square, the heart of Lisbon since medieval times, is an ideal place to start exploring. After a fire in 1988 destroyed parts of the historic neighborhood behind Rossio, many of the rebuilt houses emerged with the original faзades but provided stores and restaurants with modern interiors. High above the Baixa is the Bairro Alto (Upper City) with its teeming nightlife. The easiest way to connect between the two areas is via the public elevator built for the city by Gustave Eiffel. Lisbon boasts a good many monuments and museums, such as the Jeronimos Monastery, the Royal Coach Museum and the Gulbenkian Museum.

Cruising up the Tagus River to the Port of Lisbon, two well-known landmarks are passed: the Monument to the Discoveries and the Tower of Belйm. Travelers are greeted by the statue of Christ looming above Europe’s longest suspension bridge.

View all the cruises that call at Lisbon, Mediterranean cruise destination

Companies: Hapag Lloyd Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Cunard Line, Hebridean Island Cruises, Peter Deilmann Cruises , Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Seadream, P & O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Swan Hellenic, Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Classic International Cruises, Costa Cruises, Fred.Olsen Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Star Clippers, Transocean Tours, Voyages of Discovery, Windstar Cruises,

Useful links: