sightseeing in Lisbon

If you are planning to spend some time in the city of Lisbon, you will enjoy many advantages to finding a Lisbon hotel in or near the city center. This way you will be close to many of the beautiful squares, bustling streets and excellent shopping areas, and efficient transportation systems. The population of Lisbon consists of about 600,000 people. Not very large. However, surrounding the main city are a number smaller urban areas together making up the Greater Lisbon Area. This area measures about a thousand square kilometers and includes ‘dormitory’ towns for commuters to and from the city center. In total, Greater Lisbon has a little more than two million inhabitants. It is situated on the northern bank of the Tagus River mouth, known as Rio Tego, in Portuguese. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe and has a fascinating history for those who are interested in the past. It is also the westernmost city on the mainland of Europe. The city of Lisbon consists of 53 ‘freguesias’, which can be translated in English as ‘civil parishes’, or ‘bairros’ which in English are called ‘neighbourhoods’, run as democratic entities. Each little municipality has its own elected president and a small elected staff. Throughout Portugal, there are a little over 300 separate municipalities. These are divided into freguesias, amounting to about 4,000 in all. The city has a moderate climate, seldom going below 5 deg in winter or above 30 deg in summer. The winters are untroubled by frost or snow, and subtropical – Mediterranean vegetation thrives there. Even in the vibrant center of the city you will find beautiful parks where you can enjoy nature and a bit of open space. One of the loveliest and most convenient to the city center is the Parque Eduardo VII. Apart from a little lake, beautiful gardens and greenhouses, you will also be able to enjoy lovely views. It is close to the famous Marquês de Pombal Square and the impressive Liberdade Avenue, which has a similar atmosphere to the Champs Elysées in Paris. For getting around the city of Lisbon, you have several options. There is the metro system which is reliable and fast, but if you want to see a bit of the city while you travel, you should probably choose the trams, ‘eléctrico’, funicular, or the buses. Take special care if you choose to walk and sightsee. The traffic, although not particularly aggressive, is not famed for its pedestrian friendliness, especially at crossings where there are no red lights. However, walking is always a good way to see a city at a more intimate level. This is ideal when you want to explore a particular area of the city more closely. A good alternative to walking is to ride a bicycle. More and more cycle paths are being constructed in some areas. Not every part of the town is suitable, for this. However, a popular area for cycling and sightseeing at the same time is along the safe and very scenic bicycle lane along the Tegus river front from Baixa to Descobertas-Belem-Jerónimos, a historically really interesting area. Most transport systems will help with free transport of bicycles to designated cycling areas, but generally at off peak periods and weekends. Another interesting way to get unusual views of the city is to take one of the many boats, ferries and shuttles that cross the mouth of the River Tagus. There are also the two great bridges you can use to cross the water: the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Vasco da Gama Bridge. To enjoy your tour, you need to be close to the shopping areas, and transportation facilities; hence choose the best lisbon hotel in the city center.

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