Lisboa Region permeates all the senses. Exotic smells drift through historic neighbourhoods, coffee and fried fish mingling around al fresco terraces. Church bells chime, meeting the calls of passing fruit traders. World Heritage monuments capture the heart, while many districts lead the soul on a dance through the charms of past centuries. One of the seven regions of Portugal, it incorporates the municipality of Lisbon, along with another 17 municipalities that have a history that’s just as seductive as the capital. The region can be found on the western coast of Portugal.
Lisboa Region is a jigsaw puzzle of distinctive neighbourhoods, each with their own style and flavours. Even in the heart of Lisbon, there’s a different feel to the roads that lead in opposing directions. Among the major highlights are strolling the ancient district of Baixa, following the Tagus River past medieval monuments and exploring the World Heritage monuments of Belem. Follow the river to the Atlantic Ocean to discover a coastal road that winds out to surf beaches, marinas and golf courses. Keep going further and find the World Heritage Sintra, home to a number of colourful palaces.
Located between Lisbon and Loures, Lisbon International Airport is the largest in Portugal and the hub for TAP Portugal. It can be reached by the extensive city metro system, which runs away from the capital city towards the towns on the edge of the Lisboa Region. A bus service connects destinations along the coastal road and heads into the hills that stand high above the Tagus River. The most famous way to travel is on one of the Lisbon trams, notably Tram 28, which winds through the Old Town and three of the region’s most iconic neighbourhoods, Graca, Alfama and Baixa. Funiculars wind up and down the region’s hills, with the Gloria Funicular operating since 1885.
Connecting two sides of the Lisboa Region is Europe’s longest bridge, Ponte Vasco da Gama. Including the viaducts it measures 17.2 kilometres, which is significantly more than Ponte 25 de Abril, a bridge that copies the design of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.