Parque des Nations Lisbon. Park of Nations (Parque das Nações). Parque des Nations in Lisbon on Google Panorama

The city is ancient. However, along with ancient monuments, you can also get acquainted with the achievements of modern architecture. Nations Park is one such example. This Lisbon quarter was built in 1998 on the occasion of the International Exhibition Expo 98 in Lisbon. That's why it is also called Expo.

This event coincided with a significant date for the Portuguese: 500 years ago, an expedition led by the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama first traveled by sea to.

It is curious that the exhibition ended, but the block that grew up on the site of a former industrial zone was not abandoned and did not fall into disrepair. This often happens with such structures: a lot of effort and money were invested in them, but, having played their role, they later become useless to anyone. Thanks to a well-thought-out layout, the Park of Nations avoided this fate: after the exhibition, the quarter began to develop rapidly.

Firstly, this area is very picturesque, as it stretches for several kilometers along the Tagus River. Secondly, the buildings were originally planned to be suitable for habitation or to accommodate offices. Thirdly, the infrastructure of the Park of Nations is conducive to a comfortable life. There are more than 25 thousand residents in the quarter.

To the Park of Nations in free time Residents of other areas of the capital and tourists rush in. Here you can have a great rest: stroll along the embankment along the river, admire the 17-kilometer long Vasca da Gama Bridge. This bridge, connecting the capital's Parque des Nations neighborhood with the cities of Alcochete and Montijo, is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Europe.

The oceanarium in the Park of Nations is one of the largest in the world. The building, reminiscent of a ship, is built on water. You can get inside via a two-level ramp. Four halls of the oceanarium are dedicated to the biosphere of the North Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The central aquarium, in the shape of a cube running across two floors, represents the inhabitants of the global ocean. In general, the aquarium contains about 7.5 million liters of water, of which 5 million is in the central one.

Entertainment is entertainment, but it’s worth imagining what titanic work the aquarium staff does, because they must “please” each of its inhabitants so that he feels comfortable in the natural environment artificially created for him.

It’s nice to stroll along the embankment at any time - here you can turn into the park, play area, rent a bike or sit in a cafe.

One cannot ignore the very unusual structure, reminiscent of an outlandish sea monster, is the Oriente station. In the evening, the entire structure is illuminated, which makes the station building even more amazing.

Oriente Station is the largest transport artery of the capital: in addition to the railway station, there is a bus station from which departures intercity buses, and a metro station.

Opposite the station - huge shopping mall, which bears the name of Vasco da Gama. On both sides of it are residential high-rise towers. Each tower has its own name: Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael. This was the name of the sailing ships on which the Portuguese navigator discovered the sea route to India.

In front of the shopping center is an amazing 20-meter surreal sculpture depicting an incomprehensible creature that looks more like an alien.

Narrow canals run through the Park of Nations, along which there are 6 cone-shaped fountains reminiscent of volcanoes. To make it more similar, every half minute powerful jets of water burst out of the fountains, like lava.

Almost in the center of the Park of Nations is the Atlantic pavilion in the shape of a flying saucer, which local residents called MEO Arena - concerts are often held here.

The casino building, the Pavilion of Knowledge, the Ballet Theater, the Garden of Palms, Lake Sirens - the best architects and designers of the world put their minds and hands into the creation of these objects. It is impossible to get bored in the Park of Nations - here everyone will find something to their liking.

Tourists are most attracted here by the cable car, which starts from the aquarium building. Its length is 1.25 km. Travel time one way is approximately 10 minutes. The final stop is near the 145-meter tower, which also bears the name of Vasco da Gama. Nowadays the 5-star Myriad hotel in a futuristic style is attached to the tower with panoramic views to the Tagus River and surrounding areas.

Helpful information

How to get to the Park of Nations

From the Oriente metro (or Oriente train station) to the central part of the Parc des Nations - 10 minutes walk.

Opening hours of the Park of Nations

The Park of Nations is accessible 24 hours a day. The cable car operates from 10:30 to 20:00 in the summer months, and from 11:00 to 19:00 in the winter months. The aquarium is open in summer - from 10:00 to 20:00, in winter - from 10:00 to 19:00. Entry closes one hour before closing.

Entrance fee

Ticket price for cable car- 3.95 euros one way. Round trip - 5.90 euros. For children under 7 years old - admission is free. For children from 7 to 12 years old and pensioners - 2 euros one way, 3.35 euros both ways. A ticket to the aquarium will cost 16 euros. For children under 3 years old admission is free. For children from 3 to 12 years old and pensioners - 11 euros.

◎ The Parque des Nations area in Lisbon is where tourists and locals usually come for the whole day. Huge architectural complex, built for the international exhibition Expo’98, main theme which was “Oceans, the legacy of the future.” The idea of holding the exhibition was born in preparation for the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the return of Vasco da Gama from the expedition to India (1498), therefore many buildings at the exhibition bear the name of this famous navigator.

◎ The Parc des Nations in Lisbon stretches for almost 5 km along the Tagus River and covers an area of about 50 hectares. After the exhibition closed, many pavilions were dismantled or converted into more functional buildings, a lot of land was sold, and residential buildings were erected. IN this moment About 28 thousand people live on the territory of the Park of Nations.

◎ Between the key objects of the park there are many pedestrian zones with shady alleys, interesting fountains, children’s playgrounds and, of course, with a huge amount coffee shops and restaurants for every taste. Right in the center of the Park of Nations, on Alameda dos Oceanos street there is a cozy walking area with volcano fountains.

Below we provide a list of the most interesting buildings in the Park of Nations that are worth visiting or just looking at.

Parque des Nations in Lisbon - attractions

Oriente Station

This is the first place you will find yourself when you arrive in the Parc des Nations area. To be precise, if you take the metro to Oriente station, you will go out onto the street from the lower floor of the station and it will remain behind you. We recommend turning around, and maybe even walking around the station itself (although it looks better from the side). Oriente Station has already become one of the landmarks and symbol of the city. And was even named the most impressive in the world (Daily Mail).

Shopping center Vasco da Gama (Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama)

A large shopping center located directly opposite the Oriente train station. During Expo '98, this building served as the entrance to the exhibition. Already in 1999, the building was converted into a shopping center, which is still operating today. To the left and right of the shopping center are the twin towers of St. Gabriel and St. Raphael (Torres São Gabriel and Torres São Rafael), on the lower floors of which there are commercial and office premises, and on the upper floors there are apartments overlooking the Parc des Nations and the Tagus River.

When leaving the Vasco da Gama shopping center (on the opposite side of Oriente Station), it will be difficult not to notice the huge dome on the left, reminiscent of a flying saucer. This is the Altis Arena or the Atlantic Pavilion (Pavilhão Atlántico). During the exhibition, the pavilion was the main stage where concerts and shows took place. After the exhibition was closed, the pavilion did not lose its purpose and many sporting or musical events are held here to this day. Major international stars who come to Lisbon give their concerts here. Until 2017, Altis Arena was called MEO Arena.

Lisbon Oceanarium (Oceanário de Lisboa)

If you go to the right from the Altice Arena, you will see a fancy building erected in an artificial bay of the Tagus River. This is the Lisbon Aquarium and it is considered the best in the world. It includes two large buildings, one of which was built in 1998 and the second, connected by a passage, in 2011 as part of the Oceanarium expansion project.

Vasco da Gama Bridge

The Vasco da Gama Bridge is named after the Portuguese navigator and discoverer. The bridge was opened before the exhibition, in March 1998, and was intended to make access more convenient for residents from southern regions to the exhibition. Construction of the bridge cost more than $1 billion. It is the longest bridge in Europe with a length of 17.3 km.

Vasco da Gama Tower (Torre Vasco da Gama)

The 145 m high tower is one of business cards area of the Parque des Nations in Lisbon. In 2012, a luxury hotel from the SANA Hotels chain was added to the tower.

Book excursions in Lisbon at the best price

These tours are led by creative Lisbon locals who can show you around the city, tell you where to save money and where to best spend your time. Tours are conducted in Russian.

Not far from the historical center of Lisbon there are two interesting places with views of the sea and the most beautiful Lisbon bridges. One of them is the Park of Nations with the Vasco da Gama Bridge, the other is the ancient Belem and the 25th of April Bridge. Parque des Nations is easily accessible by metro, and Belém is either a few stops away by train, bus or tram number 15. The places are completely different in spirit and appearance, but at the same time equally interesting and worth visiting.

1. Parque des Nations - a huge architectural complex on the shores of Lisbon Bay, opened for the world exhibition Expo 98 and the anniversary of Vasco da Gama's return from his first expedition to India. Usually people come here for the whole day - there are many cafes, restaurants, entertainment complexes, there is an aquarium, and a cable car runs along the embankment. I came for a couple of hours - and the main goal was to see famous bridge"Vasco da Gama", one of two suspension bridges within Lisbon through Mar da Paglia Bay and the mouth of the Tagus River.

2. Park of Nations is a paradise for lovers of high-tech and modern architecture.

The Vasco da Gama cable-stayed bridge crosses the bay northeast of the city center. It was opened in 1998 for Expo 98 and the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India. This is one of the most long bridges Europe - 17 kilometers with approaches. At the same time, the length of the channel part is 830 meters and the central cable-stayed span is 420 meters. This is the second bridge over the Tagus River in Lisbon. The opening of this six-lane bridge has significantly relieved congestion. old bridge"April 25" and improve the transport situation in the 3 million Lisbon metropolitan area.

Lisbon is located on the right bank of the Tagus River (one of the main rivers of Spain and Portugal) at its mouth - the wide Mar da Paglia Bay, which extends far inland. So it’s not quite a river anymore, but it’s not quite a sea either. :) The Vasco da Gama Bridge is located above the center of Lisbon along the river and further from the ocean - here the water in the bay is not yet salty, and the color of the water is not ocean blue, but river brown-brown. The depths are also shallow; in the bay, the fairway of the river bed on the right bank and shallow water spaces extending for many kilometers to the left bank are clearly visible.

3. The tides in Lisbon Bay are very strong - I found myself on the shore at low tide: the water went down several tens of meters, exposing the brown bottom. But some time passed, and it began to arrive literally before our eyes.

4. The central part of the Vasco da Gama bridge on the right bank of the Tagus estuary.

5. The trestle part extends for many kilometers along the shallow waters of the bay.

7. It’s already quite far from the ocean here - this part of the bay is quite shallow. The navigable fairway is marked with navigational signs.

8. In the Park of Nations, convenient bridges are laid along the coast.

9. It was built right there on the shore in 1998 large hotel and the 145-meter Vasco da Gama tower with an observation deck at the top. Unfortunately, this observation room has not been working for several years.

Now, from the relatively new Park of Nations, which opened 20 years ago, let’s move to ancient Belém. This is an old district of Lisbon, located on the shore of a bay, close to the ocean. It survived the 1755 earthquake and is home to a number of key must-see attractions in the Portuguese capital. Belem (or Belem, as it is also called) is associated with the sea and the Age of Discovery, the golden time when Portugal was the mistress of the seas.

10. From Lisbon Cais do Sodre station to Belem - just 8 minutes by high-speed train. Moreover, trains run every 20 minutes. The photo shows the square in front of the Belem Palace, the official residence of the President of Portugal.

11. Next is the perfectly preserved Jeronimos Monastery, a living witness of the Age of the Greats geographical discoveries. Its construction began as early as 1501, shortly after the return of Vasco da Gama from his first expedition to India, and was financed mainly by income received from the trade in Indian spices. The monastery, as often happened in those days, took more than a hundred years to build and was completed by the beginning of the 17th century.

14. Colorful houses and the pylon of the "25 April" suspension bridge - which opened in 1966 and connected the northern and southern shore Tagus Bay, near where it flows into the open ocean.

15. On the shore of the bay there is the famous Monument to the Discoverers. From here, centuries ago, brave travelers went to sea - in search of new lands, new adventures, new trade routes with new territories. They were heading towards the unknown... These were dangerous journeys; not all of these brave people were able to return to their home harbor of Lisbon.

17. At the top of the monument there is an observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of Belem, the bay and the bridge.

19. The 25th of April Bridge crosses the shores of the bay closer to the ocean than the Vasco da Gama Bridge. It’s already very deep here, there are no shallow waters and the water is no longer river brown, but real turquoise, sea water. Because of great depths and the difficulties of constructing supports, the bay had to be covered with a large span of a suspension system (a classic solution for bridges across large sea straits). Based on the length of the central span (1017 meters), this bridge is one of the 20 largest in the world. The bridge structures are painted red and are very similar (the central span is a little more than 1280 meters).

20. Unlike the second Lisbon bridge "Vasco da Gama", the "25 April Bridge" is combined: there is a highway at the top level, and a busy one at the bottom railway line, connecting Lisbon with the south of Portugal.

21. A cruise ship passes under the span of the bridge, and the statue of Christ is on the high bank.

(Parque das Nações) – one more popular place in Lisbon. The once former industrial area with abandoned buildings acquired a new look at the opening of the World EXPO in 1998 and turned into one of the prestigious areas of Lisbon with modern architecture And the widest choice commercial, entertainment, educational and sports places for residents and guests of the capital of Portugal.

I will list the most interesting places in the Park of Nations:

Estação do Oriente - Oriente station. Large transport node- modern Train Station, - from where you can get to almost anywhere in the country. This is not just a “station as a station”, but a work of architectural art in the Art Nouveau style.

Commercial center Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama. Large shopping center next to Oriente train station. You can go through it to the Nations, which many do.

Torre Vasco da Gama - Vasco da Gama with a modern design and a viewing platform at the top.

Ponte Vasco da Gama - Vasco da Gama Bridge- the fourth longest in the world and the first in Europe.

Telecabine is a funicular or cable car that runs along the Tagus River.

Its duration is 1.23 kilometers. One way trip duration is 8 minutes. Ferris funicular - this is the correct definition, because from the height of the cable car you can see the Tagus.

Address: Passeio das Tagides - Estação Norte, 1990-280 LISBOA
A one-way trip costs 4 euros and 6 euros round trip.

Pavilhão Atlântico - The Atlantic Pavilion is a large concert venue for famous touring performers.

Oceanário de Lisboa - Lisbon Oceanarium is one of the largest in Europe

Pavilhão do Conhecimento - Pavilion of Knowledge is an interesting place for children. In this museum you can touch everything with your hands, climb, ride, jump, try, explore how it all works...

Casino de Lisboa - Casino of Lisbon

Marina Parque das Nações - Harbor of the Park of Nations - a modern harbor for large pleasure boats and yachts. The curious architecture of the buildings is reminiscent of huge cruise ships.

And in conclusion to what has been said, here in the Park of Nations, as well as in other areas of Lisbon, nightlife is vibrant.

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It’s not hot yet, so it’s very pleasant to walk.

The Park of Nations opened recently, for the international exhibition EXPO-98. Now it is one of the favorite holiday destinations of Lisbon residents.

And here is the aquarium itself, outwardly it does not correspond to the title of the largest in Europe:

Favorite place for photos of almost everyone who comes here:

This group of tourists looks very touching:

Interestingly, the uniform includes panama hats for girls and baseball caps for boys (though there were only two of them).

You cannot take pictures with a flash in the aquarium itself, so most of the photos, due to their quality, immediately went to the trash can...

The slopes from below look very interesting. Personally, they remind me of the “best ghost in the world” from a sheet with slits for eyes and mouth from the stories about Karlsson:

Photos of reservoirs with tropical animals and vegetation turned out a little better:

Looking at this flounder, I still didn’t understand whether it was slightly buried in the sand, or whether it took on the “background” color (even as a child I read that if you put a flounder on a chessboard, it will also become “checkered”).

I hope the penguin is not looking around for food.

And for dessert (although in fact you will meet them at the very beginning of the route) I will introduce you to the main paws of the oceanarium - sea otters (sometimes they are called sea beavers, although it would be more correct to say sea otters). Of course, in statics they lose a lot...

The pool in which the sea otters live (we only saw one) is small, but very deep, since in the wild they often dive to get food. Sea otters feeding sea urchins, crabs and other crustaceans (their homeland is Far East, Pacific Ocean, Kuril region and Commander Islands). And in order to split the shells of crabs and hedgehogs, sea otters practically use a tool - a stone. Having caught prey at depth, the sea otter comes to the surface, lies on its back, places the trophy on its stomach, takes a stone in its paw and uses it to split the shell of a crab or hedgehog. Moreover, the sea otter does not throw away the stone itself, but hides it under his armpit, presses it to his body and dives with it again. And so again and again...

We stayed in the aquarium for a little over two hours. Perhaps this is the minimum that should be allocated to it.

Directly opposite the aquarium there is a boarding point for the cable car. A one-way ticket costs 3.90, with a return ticket - 6 euros. We chose the "one way ticket" and I think we were right. At this time there were no people yet, and almost all the cabins were empty. The trip lasts about 8 minutes, and this is what you can see from above:

The most central and most bulky structure of the park: the Atlantic Pavilion:

Having descended “from heaven” onto the sinful earth, we went to the metro and on the way met unusual fountain. Approximately every 2-3 minutes it “erupts,” which was very important in light of the ongoing Icelandic volcano. The process looks something like this:

Banana season is coming soon:

We returned back by metro the same way, got to Rossio and walked 2 minutes to the stop of tram 15 at Placa da Figueira. Despite the name "high-speed", the tram is very slow! Actually, the reason here is not in the tram itself, but in the number of traffic lights that come across it on its way. And he makes quite a lot of stops and often. As a result, it took us half an hour, if not more, to get to Belém (those who, like us, are going to the Jeronimos Monastery, need to get off at the stop of the same name). We get off the tram - and here it is, one of the wonders of Lisbon architecture and the Manueline style - the famous Jeronimite Monastery, also known as the Jeronimos Monastery.

The southern portal is also famous for the fact that European leaders were photographed against its background after the signing of the Lisbon Agreements. However, Henry the Navigator, whose statue is located above between the doors, looks at this vanity condescendingly: “you come and go, your names will sink into oblivion, but I will always be here and I will always be remembered.”

So much has already been written about the monastery that it simply doesn’t make sense to do it again. The only thing that remains a mystery to me is: what kind of sarcophagi, allegedly belonging to Vasco da Gama and Camões, did we see in the National Pantheon, if both are buried here?

By the way, the tomb of Camoens, located here, is empty. According to one version, the poet was too poor, died of the plague and was buried in an unknown mass grave. According to another, during the earthquake of 1755, his sarcophagus split, and the ashes were carried away by the wind. What actually happened, we will probably never know.

The inside of the monastery is perhaps even more impressive than the outside. An ornate web of arches, columns with a sophisticated relief pattern... All this is fascinating and attracts the eye for a long time. The interior of the monastery church is perhaps the most impressive of similar ones we have seen not only in Portugal. And again, I note with regret that due to the ban on the use of flash, the photos turned out very poorly...

During the restoration of 1850, the monastery was expanded, a western wing was added to it, which now houses several museums. Did this add beauty and grace to the monastery? In my opinion, unlikely. The building turned out to be disproportionately long, and in addition, the original western facade is now lost next to the extension.

On the square in front of the monastery there is a park with a fountain.

On this topic, the following fantasy of playing water with a stone arose:

On the Tagus embankment opposite the monastery there is the so-called Monument to the Discoverers - the great navigators, built in 1960.

The monument is stylized as a caravel sailing with full sails. At the base there are 33 sculptures, each 3 human heights high. The faces of all the figures are carefully drawn, but only one has a real portrait resemblance, the very first one is Prince Enrique the Navigator.

Who, by the way, was not a sailor himself in the broad sense of the word: he sailed only in the Mediterranean Sea, once sailing to Morocco. But he was very interested in navigation and understood the importance of such travel for the development of the country, founded a navigation school, collecting in it the best knowledge of that time about ships, seas and all other subtleties of marine science. Under him, Portugal began to build the most modern ships. In general, it was Prince Enrique (who never became king, not being the eldest son of the monarch) who prepared the ground for further great maritime discoveries made by the Portuguese.

"All of you, paladins of the Green Temple,
Over the cloudy sea, watching the rhumb,
Gonzalvo and Cook, La Perouse and da Gama,
Dreamer and king, Genoese Columbus!

Ganon the Carthaginian, Prince of Senegambia,
Sinbad the Sailor and mighty Ulysses,
Your victories are celebrated in praise
Gray waves rushing towards the cape!

Let the sea go crazy and whip,
The crests of the waves rose into the sky,—
No one trembles before a thunderstorm,
Not one will furl the sails.

Are these hands given to cowards?
That sharp, confident look
What can he do against enemy feluccas?
Suddenly abandon the frigate,

A well-aimed bullet, a sharp iron
Overtake gigantic whales
And notice in the multi-starred night
Security light of beacons"

N.S. Gumilyov, “Captains”

Inside the monument there is an elevator where (for, it seems, 2.5 euros) you can go up to observation deck at an altitude of about 50 m. At first, for some reason, I was skeptical about this procedure, but in the end I have to admit that it was worth it.

And this is a stylization made of paving stones with a map on which the main routes of the famous Portuguese travelers are marked. To understand the scale of the map, pay attention to the figures of ant people on it:

Here are its fragments closer (view from below):

and we move on to our last attraction - the Belem Tower. By this point the heat had already reached its peak for the day, and we thought it was good that it was somewhat cooler during the trip to Sintra.

Belem Tower is one of the oldest buildings in Lisbon. It would be more correct to call it Bethlehem, since this area of the city - Belen - received its name from Bethlehem. Why this is so is very difficult to say today; there are only guesses and assumptions on this matter.

At the end of the 15th century, King John II developed defense systems for the mouth of the Tagus River by building fortresses at Cascais and Caparica. However, these fortresses did not provide complete protection, so to guard the approaches to the Jeronimos Monastery, another fort was built in the early 16th century in the form of a tower, named after the patron saint of Lisbon, Saint Vincent. Along the way, it served as a lighthouse. Its creator was the military architect Francisco de Arruda, who studied fortification art in Morocco, so the architecture of the tower has Arabic motifs, and its shape is reminiscent of the minaret of the El Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech. Whether it was the merit of the architect, or whether it was the will of God, the tower turned out to be very strong - it withstood the great Lisbon earthquake. It was partially destroyed later, during the Napoleonic wars, when the French committed outrages in Portugal, and in the mid-19th century it was restored in modern form. Externally, the Belem Tower represents a seemingly incompatible combination of elegance, pomp, but at the same time military severity.

The tower originally stood on small island not far from the coast, but over time coastline changed so that she found herself practically on the shore.

Not far from the tower there is a metal model of it, which has been fairly tampered with by inquisitive tourists:

The Belem Tower consists of two parts: the bastion and the 4-story tower itself, located on the north side of the bastion. In the bastion, 16 cannons are placed in special niches in the wall:

This is how the tower appears from the bastion:

Inside the tower turned out to be unexpectedly interesting. Despite the apparent small sizes, it is very capacious for internal spaces. All 5 (with the bastion) floors are open to the public, and on each there was something curious: either an original balcony, or beautiful view.

It leads from floor to floor so narrow spiral staircase, that it is very problematic for two adults to pass each other on it.

View of the bastion from the third floor:

On the southern side of the bastion you can see a small sculpture of a rhinoceros head (it has already been torn off from the model):

The story itself is interesting about how this animal, exotic for Portugal, served as decoration for such a brutal object. In 1515, a live rhinoceros was delivered from India to the court of King Manuel I, which made an incredible impression on the monarch, so strong that he ordered a “portrait” of the rhinoceros from Albrecht Durer himself:

Then it occurred to the king to check which of the animals living in his overseas possessions was stronger. To do this, they released a rhinoceros into the arena, having previously angered him, and put an elephant against him. However, the expected enjoyment of the fight did not happen, because the elephant, seeing the enemy, broke through the wall of the arena and ran away. As a result, the rhinoceros received the title of the strongest and they decided to send it as a gift to the Pope. The rhinoceros was loaded onto a ship, which sank along with the unfortunate animal along the way...

At this point, the program for visiting Portugal was completed, but finally we decided to go to Cascais purely “optional” in order (maybe for an internal “tick”) to see the ocean. Moreover, the journey from Belem to Cascais is very quick and convenient: we walked about 15 minutes (however, the heat did not make the walk easy, and the traditional paving stones for Portugal were already quite annoying to our feet) to the nearest station Alges, where trains coming from Lisbon to Cascais. As on the line to Sintra, the interval between trains is very short, about 15 minutes, and the ride to Cascais from here is 25 minutes. True, for travel I had to buy new light green cards (with the abbreviation CP), ordinary city cards are not suitable for this.

Cascais - cute seaside resort town on Portuguese Riviera, the special decoration of which is a large number of palm trees:

The city has a long history, but its true flourishing, which continues to this day, began in late XIX century with the light hand of King Louis I, who chose Cascais as his residence and turned it into a fashionable and expensive aristocratic resort. During World War II, many European politicians, writers and actors, and later members of royal families, found shelter here. As a result, almost the entire city is a large private property owned by emigrants from high society.

Cascais also has its own fortress - a citadel from the 14th century. But it houses one of the residences of the Minister of Defense and a small garrison, so it is not of interest for viewing.

Cozy streets, small squares, embankment - all this allows you to have a good time and relax. If you are lucky with the water temperature, you can also take a swim on the small sandy city beach.

From the city center our path lay to the so-called “mouth of hell” (Boca do Inferno), which received such a menacing name from the sounds with which waves break in a cave in the coastal steep cliffs.

Returning to Lisbon, we once again went up to the Santa Justa observation deck, where we saw the last sunset in Portugal:

Adeush, Lizboa! Goodbye Portugal!

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