Lisbonne

Lisbonne, known in Portuguese as Lisboa and in English as Lisbon, is the capital and largest city of Portugal. It lies on the western coast, at the estuary of the Tagus River, and sits on several hills overlooking the Atlantic. The municipality covers about 100 square kilometers and has a resident population of roughly half a million; the Lisbon metropolitan area comprises about three million people.

Historically a key maritime and commercial hub, Lisbon has roots as Olissipo under the Romans. It passed through Visigothic and Moorish rule before being reconquered in 1147. It became Portugal’s capital in 1255 and remained so for centuries. The 1755 earthquake prompted a major rebuild led by the Marquis of Pombal, giving the Baixa district its grid layout and neoclassical façades.

The city includes quarters such as Alfama, Chiado, Baixa, and Bairro Alto, and the Belém district, home to the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, and the Monument to the Discoveries. The Jerónimos Monastery and its environs form part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lisbon is also known for Fado music and its riverfront and hilltop viewpoints. Nearby Belém and Sintra attract visitors, as does the Parque das Nações, developed for Expo 1998.

Economically, Lisbon is Portugal’s leading financial and administrative center, with tourism and services as major sectors. It is served by Humberto Delgado Airport and an integrated transport network that includes the Lisbon Metro, buses, historic trams, and suburban rail to Sintra and Cascais. The climate is Mediterranean maritime, with mild, rainy winters and warm, dry summers.