Amazing Portugal - Things To Do in Lisbon
By : Johnathan BakersThe western part of the Iberian Peninsula - the part bathed by
the Atlantic Ocean - is the traditional country of Portugal. Long
ago, the territory between the northern part of Portugal and
Spain were not very well defined and the cultural aspects were
very similar.
But when the Castrena culture made its first
appearance with grass thatched huts in a round formation in the
north and later the Romans took over, separating the two
territories.
From the beginning of the 5th century Braga was
named capital of Portugal, then it was invaded by the Visigods
and finally, as almost all the Iberian Peninsula, the Arabs
moved in, leaving a tremendous influence, especially their
architecture, culture and was of governing.
But all this is quite old, and even though it is interesting to
know, when visiting Portugal ( http://www.lisbon-and-portugal.com/travel/portugal.html )and its
capital city Lisbon, many people are looking for actual
entertainment and fun places to visit along with historical
ones.
Lisbon, Portugal's Proud Capital
In Lisbon, there are museums of all kinds: - Museum do Chiado which
is located in one of the most enchanting areas of Lisbon. Here
you can find Portuguese and French Art. It is open on Tuesdays
from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and all other days except Mondays fom 10
a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Science Museum, which is located at the main
entrance to the Science University, is very informative with over 60 interactive themes using
physics, chemistry and maths. It is open from Monday to Friday
from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. and from 2 to 5. It is closed on Sundays.
The
Museum do Carme which is installed in the ruins of
the monastery has an excellent archaeological collection
from many different periods.
The National Museum of Ancient Art
is found in the area called Belem near the river in the
Palace of onde Alvor. It is the most important museum in
Portugal having 65 halls taking in a lot of Portuguese painters
and sculptors and all the combinations that the portuguese made
when it had all its colonies. Extremely interesting and takes
time to see. Open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. from Wednesday to
Sunday, and Tuesday from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Sundays are free.
Lisbon is also known for its open air entertainment :
Eduardo VII Park - found right next to the Marques de Pombal
Square. This park was created to commemorate the English King
Eduardo VII's visit to Lisbon in 1903.
The Gym Pavillion Carlos
Lopez is beautifully decorated on the outside with tiles.
The Estufa Fria ( greenhouse) where you can find all kinds of
plants from all over the world which were brought to lisbon and
have been adapted to the climate change there.
Tapada da Ajuda
is a 200 acre park once used for hunting but now there are
various activities like a children's park, recreation area and
an Astronomy Observatory .
The Botanical Gardens - founded
in 1873 - is considered one of the best in all Europe. There are
over 2,500 species including palm and banana trees. Being as it
is situated on a hill, the different level connected by steps
makes its beauty even more enhancing and delightful for the eye
to see. It is open in winter from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in summer
from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Hotels and Places To Stay
Lisbon needs quite a few days
to really make the most of it, so here are a few of the better places to stay in the area.
The
Four Seasons-Ritz is the tops with beauty gardens and agreat
view of Eduard VII Park.
Carlton Palace Hotel is
a 19th century palace with tropical gardens.
But once you are in Portugal you have to take
full advantage and see places like Sintra, Porto, Albufeira in
the Algarve region and an extra special get away to Madeira or
the Azores Islands. It's all lovely, really.
About the author:
Johnathan Bakers is a successful author and regular contributor to the http://www.lisbon-and-p ortugal.com website. John is also publishing on topics like portuguese culture and history.