Monday, July 5, 2010

Lisbon the City of the Seven Hills

Lisbon is the capital city and the largest city in Portugal, it is one of the few cities that has both a river and coast line. Also it is the largest most western city in Europe and one of the oldest cities in world. The city is also historic you could rent a nearby Villa and see all the fantastic attractions such as various Museums, The Aguas Livres Aqueducts which survived earthquakes, Monument to the discoveries, Tower of belem and the Casa dos Bicos which is privately owned and isn't open but you can still take pictures of the exterior of the building. A short term stay might not suffice as there are loads more attractions to visit catering to everyone's interests.

Ideally one of the best places to stay is on the coast, you will find that Lisbon has some brilliant villas in Portugal, as they will be overlooking the beautiful beaches of Lisbon and you will have stunning views of the Vasco da Gama and 25 de Abril Bridges. Having a privately owned property would be ideal on a beach as you would be able to relax and take in the atmosphere without being disturbed.

Winter trips will be fantastic as the temperature is warm and during summer the climate is warm thanks to the Atlantic breeze by the Gulf Stream., which is a good thing to think about if you want a change of scenery, it may make you think about owning a villa in Portugal.

If your a person who likes to marvel at constructions well Lisbon is home to some beautiful structures. The Vasco da Gama Bridge is the longest bridge in Europe and ninth longest in the world. It was built for the 98 expo and the 25 de Abril Bridge is a bridge that has often confused people who have seen pictures of it as bears an uncanny resemblance of famous well known Golden Gate Bridge (little known fact it was built by the company that constructed the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge) It connects Lisborn to Almada so if you want to visit another city you can and set up a short term rental to go along with your initial vacation rental.

There is also the Cristo-Rei which was influenced by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It sits across the river from Lisbon in Almada and oversees most attractions in the city. It is accessible by car from the 25 de Abril Bridge.

Lisbon is a city which is also big on football as they have two teams that are usually fighting for the top accolades in the league. They are Sporting Clube de Portugal (also known as Sporting), Sport Lisboa e Benfica (Commonly known as Benfica) and C.F. Os Belenenses. The three of them hold 109 titles between them and they also have ventures in other sports such as indoor football, handball, basketball and roller hockey. So there are loads of options for the sports fanatic in you.

Transport in Lisbon is fairly decent, the main heart beat of the transport system is the metro, the bus will get you almost anywhere in Lisbon and the trams which pre date the first world war give an insightful look at the historical city. These forms of transport are the cheapest way to travel around the city, as tourists can purchase special passes which cost up to €13, with the passes you will be able to travel on these modes of transports for an unlimited number of times for a week.

If you were to stay in the south of Lisbon it may be more ideal to choose a vacation rental as it is more of a rural area compared to the rest of Lisbon. But its not a bad thing because it is more country type area. Hiking isn't a big thing in Portugal but this is mainly because they don't hike out of pleasure but its more for business, they usually do it because of tourists. There are a few hiking tours that go along some castles and monuments.

Lisbon has various different regions which have their own distinct flavour to them. There is Alfama which is the oldest district in Lisbon and is a tight knitted maze of narrow streets. Some say it is home to some of the most vintage looking villas in Portugal.

The Chiado is a shopping region, ideally you would want to stay for a days maybe a short term rental as it is the most costly region out of them all. It has the latest international brands stores and also has a busy market sector.

Baixa is the heart of the city, most of the other districts connect which makes it an ideal place to stay.

Bairro Alto is a good mix of all various regions and now is considered as the heart of youth and is seen as a capital for night life in Portugal, it is a region in where the locals and tourists mix.

Estrela district is where the prime minister stays but the main focal point of this region is the Estrela Basilica that is a church which can be seen from far away as it is located on the most western part of Lisbon.

Alcântara is a developing district use to be known for its industrial sector but is now slowly changing with new developments over lofts and villas which will have fantastic views of the river.

Belem is to the west of the city and is a parish of Lisbon and features quite a lot of historical buildings.

Parque das Nações is the most modern part of the city and is another commercial styled city, it also features the Gare do Oriente which is the transport hub of Lisbon.

Lisbon is a city that caters to everyone, has a nice climate and has quite a lot of things to see and do which makes the perfect destination for a get away.

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