Lisbon History

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, lies on the north bank of the Tagus Estuary, on the European Atlantic coast. It is the westernmost capital of the continental Europe. The city lies in the centre of the country, approximately 300km away from the Algarve in the south and 400km and 300km from the northern and eastern borders with Spain, respectively.


Lisbon offers a wide variety of options to the visitor, including beaches, countryside, mountains and areas of historical interest only a few kilometres away from the city centre. Approximately 600,000 people live in Lisbon, but the population rises to approximately 1,9 million if we include the various satellite towns. The history of the city goes back to the Phoenicians, then the Greeks and after them the Romans. After the fall of the Roman Empire came the Barbarian invasions and in the VIII century, the Arabs started to invade the country. In 1147 the first king of Portugal won the city from the Moors with the help of the Crusaders, after a four-month siege. Since then, Lisbon has continued to grow and develop, all the time celebrating its rich cultural diversity. Nowadays it is a modern city with a wealth of historic monuments and museums, a warm and friendly atmosphere, moderate climate and full of hospitality.


It is well worth a visit.