Lisbon city

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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.

At Lisbon's heart are wide, tree-lined avenues graced by Art Nouveau buildings, mosaic pavements and street cafes. Culture and architecture distinguish this capital city uniquely from the other European capitals and make it a truly fascinating and comprehensive city to visit. It is located in the west of the country, on the Atlantic coast at the point where the river Tagus flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Lisbon is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of History.
The heart of the city is the Baixa, city centre. This area of the city is being considered for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The Alfama is one of the oldest quarters in Lisbon. Since it largely survived the earthquake of 1755, the area still retains much of its original layout. Adjacent to the Alfama are the old quarters of Castelo and Mouraria, on the western and northern slopes of the hill that is crowned by St. George's Castle. The Lisbon Cathedral is located on one of the seven hills of Lisbon, to the east of the Baixa. Other monuments include: Praça do Comércio with the beautiful façade of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha nearby, Rossio Square, Restauradores Square, Elevador de Santa Justa, an elevator in Gothic revival style, built around 1900 to connect the Baixa and Bairro Alto, the richly-decorated Church of São Roque, the Baroque and Neoclassical Estrela Basilica, the Manueline Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, Monument of the Discoveries, Monastery of São Vicente de Fora and Carmo Convent. The city of Lisbon is rich in architecture; Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque, Traditional Portuguese, Modern and Post-Modern constructions can be found all over the city.
Lisbon also hosts a great number of remarkable museums of ancient and modern art, some of which are Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, National Museum of Contemporary Art, National Coach Museum, and Carmo Archaeological Museum. The western side of the city is mainly occupied by the Monsanto Natural Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world. One hidden gem is the Botanic Gardens, Jardim Botanico, which you can find between the Avenida de Republica and Bairro Alto. It was created several hundred years ago, by a King of Portugal at the time of the Discoveries.
Lisbon's nightlife is generally considered to be amongst the best in Europe. At night, the city's old quarters come alive with the sound of fado singing and guitar-playing, the musical expression of the soul of Lisbon's inhabitants. There are four major areas you must consider when going out at night: Av. 24 de Julho, Bairro Alto, Docas and Parque das Nações. The most attractive highlights around Lisbon include Sintra, Estoril, Cascais, Ericeira, Mafra, Óbidos, Queluz, Batalha, FatÍma, Peniche and Nazaré.

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