Lisbon Lisboa Virtual Tours

Laid-back, economical, and blessed with a benign climate, Lisbon is a medieval city with a stunning location positioned on seven low hills beside a river. The capital and largest city of Portugal, Lisbon (pop: 517,000) lies in the western part of the country on the Tagus River estuary. An ancient Iberian settlement, it was held by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, taken by the Romans in 205 B.C., and conquered by the Moors c. A.D. 714. Reconquered by the Portuguese in 1147, it flourished in the 16th century during the heyday of colonial expansion in Africa and India. A major earthquake devastated the city in 1755.
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Sometimes described as a Portuguese blend of San Francisco and Rome, Lisbon may feel like an architectural time warp with its downtown designed for 18th century carriages rather than the strains of modern life, but hosting Expo 98 and the 2004 World Cup stirred the city into action. Metro lines have been extended, mosaic sidewalks repaved and 18th century facades restored. Today you’ll find wide, tree-lined avenues hosting Art Nouveau buildings and street cafes, Europe’s longest suspension bridge, and fascinating museums and monuments. Best of all, it’s compact enough to explore on foot.

VRWAY recently launched Arounder Lisbon, where you’ll find 18 fullscreen panoramas of Lisbon’s top attractions. Here are a few to whet your appetite.

Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos)
The Mosteiro dos Jeronimos and the Torre de Belem are the best architectural representatives of a period in which the Portuguese nation played a leading role in expanding the horizons of both Europe and the world. The 16th century in Portugal was profoundly connected to the Discoveries and the Messianic idea of the Empire, inspiring a unique style exclusive to Portugal that came to be known as ''Manueline'', since it was developed in the reign of D. Manuel I. It combines architectural elements from the Gothic and Renaissance periods and the sea inspired many of the decorative features carved out of the monastery’s stone, such as ropes, fish and conches.

In 1496, King D. Manuel I asked the Holy Sé for permission to build a large monastery on the banks of the river Tagus. The works started in 1501 and almost a century later everything was done. D. Manuel I and his descendants were buried in marble tombs located in the church.

Cristo Rei Sanctuary and Bridge
Standing over 100 meters tall on the opposite bank of the Tejo River from downtown Lisbon, views from the top of the statue are breathtaking.

St George (Jorge) Castle at night
Saint George Castle is a magical place, a charming hilltop citadel with geese and ducks roaming around the castle gardens. Conquered by the Moors in 1147, Saint George Castle has an area of around 6000 square metres with several towers, look-outs, a dry moat and two squares divided by an internal wall with a connecting door. Once used as a fortress, today it is home to many local families and a place that certainly deserves a visit. Located up the hill, with a great view over the city and the Tagus River.

Climb the towers and walk along the reconstructed ramparts of the castle walls, taking in the spectacular views over Lisbon and the Tagus river while local men play backgammon and cards under the trees.

Commerce Square (Praça do Comércio)
This magnificent plaza, facing the river, is the beginning of Lisboa's downtown. It is also known as 'Terreiro do Paço', meaning 'Garden of the Palace', in reference to the Palace that was located here for 400 years, until the 1755 earthquake that almost completely destroyed it. On the north side of the square is an impressive 19th century triumphal arch that leads to one of the main pedestrian shopping areas. Government administrative offices and some restaurants now occupy the spacious arcaded buildings extended around three sides of the square.

San Carlo National Theater
The São Carlos National Theater, the primary opera house of Portugal, is one of the oldest houses in Europe not to have been destroyed and rebuilt.

A decree of 1592 established a royal chapel in Lisbon, comprised of forty-six male voices with musicians, in addition to the royal chamber musicians, who were predominantly Spanish. A rich period of church music followed. The two long-ruling kings of the eighteenth century, João V (1706-1750) and José I (1750-1777), both had a passion for opera and established the first opera houses. In 1755, they built the Teatro do Paços da Ribeira, considered the best opera house in Europe. But it was short-lived, falling in the disastrous earthquake of November 1, 1755.

Seeking a new permanent opera house, a group of merchants and government officials started construction of a new theater as part of celebrations of the birth of the first son of Crown Prince João and Princess Carlota Joaquina. The building, designed by José da Costa e Silva, was inspired and named after the Teatro San Carlo of Naples. The theater is a small one, with five tiers of boxes holding 456 spectators and regular seating for about 400 more.