
Fast Facts
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Full Name Lisbon Area 87 sq km 34 sq miles Population 720,000 Time Zone GMT/UTC 0 () Daylight Saving Start last Sunday in March Daylight Saving End last Sunday in October Electricity 220V 50HzHz |
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Bairro Alto
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Bairro Alto (literally upper quarter in Portuguese) is an area of central Lisbon, Portugal. It functions as a residential, shopping and entertainment district. Bairro Alto is one of the oldest districts of Lisbon, and it used to have a poor reputation until not so long ago. However, it was always a popular place. Dozens of fado singing clubs animated the area. All the major Portuguese newspapers had their offices in there. Prostitution was visible and considerable. Lisbon's dirty underground culture was based here.
Since the 1990s, the Bairro Alto went through some major changes. Lisbon's city council made extensive repairs, dozens of new restaurants, clubs and trendy shops were opened, and many young people moved in. Cars were banned (except for residents and emergency vehicles) and streets are now pleasant. Today, the Bairro Alto (or just the Bairro) is the heart of Lisbon's youth and of the Portuguese capital's nightlife. Lisbon's Punk, Gay, Metal, Goth, Hip Hop and Reggae scenes, all have the Bairro as their home, due to the number of clubs and bars dedicated to each of them. The fado, Portugal's national song, still survives in the new Lisbon's nightlife. During daytime, the Bairro is still a traditional district where old people go shop their groceries, while the younger generations visit art galleries like Zé dos Bois, bookshops like Ler Devagar or arty gift shops like Hold Me. |
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Belém Tower
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Belém Tower, or Torre de Belém, pron, is a fortified tower located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal.
It was built in the early 16th century in the Portuguese late Gothic style, the Manueline, to commemorate the expedition of Vasco de Gama. This defensive, yet elegant construction has become one of the symbols of the city, a memorial to the Portuguese power during the Age of the Great Discoveries. In 1983 it was classified, together with the nearby Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
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Gare do Oriente
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Gare do Oriente is one of the main transport hubs in Lisbon, Portugal. It was designed by Santiago Calatrava and finished in 1998 for the Expo '98 world's fair in Parque das Nações, where it is located.
It encompasses a Lisbon Metro station, a high-speed, commuter and regional train hub, a local, national and international bus station, a shopping centre and a police office. |
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Lisbon Trams and Funiculars
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Lisbon Trams and Funiculars Transportation in Lisbon is more charming than in most cities. Much is owed to its geography; much of Lisbon has been built on its seven hills. No visit to Lisbon is complete without riding the 1930s trams. The greatest attractions, though, are the funiculars, of which there are three. These are Elevador da Glória, Elevador da Bica, and Elevador da Lavra. Perhaps the most picturesque is the Elevador da Bica, which passes through a charming residential neighborhood just below Bairro Alto. |
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