Lisbon - an ancient city on the river.

After departing from Tan Son Nhat Airport and transiting at Istanbul Airport in Türkiye for approximately 16-17 hours, we landed at Pedros Rubas Airport in Porto and traveled another 300km by car to experience the vibrant life of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal and an ancient city situated along the river.

A view of Lisbon (Portugal). Photo: Nguyen Son Hung

The 4th most livable city in the world.

Lisbon was founded by the Finns and occupied by the Romans in the 2nd century. In 716, the Mauritians took control of the city, and in 1147, King Alfonse Henriques of Portugal recaptured it and made Lisbon his capital. However, in 1775, after an earthquake, Lisbon collapsed.

Lisbon (in Portuguese, Lisboa), currently covering an area of ​​2,761 km² and with an estimated urban population of 3,028,000 (as of 2025), is a large city and the capital of Portugal, as well as the westernmost continental capital in Europe (second only to Reykjavik). Located in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, on the south bank of the Tagus River, Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world and the second oldest capital city in Europe (after Athens), predating other European-style capitals by a century. Lisbon is the political , economic, and cultural center of the country, an alpha-level global city due to its importance in finance, trade, fashion, media, arts and entertainment, education, and tourism.

Lisbon's GDP is $179 billion, giving it approximately $61,713 per capita income, placing it 40th in the world for highest income.

Lisbon's industry encompasses several key sectors: oil (with refineries located right on the Tagus River), textile factories, shipbuilding and fishing, and automobile manufacturing plants such as Auto Europa. Lisbon's port is one of the busiest in Europe and is home to the important Euronext stock exchange, the pan-European exchange.

According to lifestyle magazine Mondo , in 2021 Lisbon was the 4th most livable city in the world and the 9th most visited city in Southern Europe, after Istanbul, Rome, Barcelona, ​​Milan, Athens, Venice, Madrid and Florence, with 3,639,900 visitors (2019 figures), estimated tourism revenue of approximately 25 billion euros in 2023.

Lisbon boasts a rich architectural style encompassing Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque, Medem, and Post-modern styles. Alongside museums dedicated to archaeology, art, history, nature, science, architecture, and technology, there are also private museums collecting antiquities… One particularly unusual museum is the National Coach Museum, which houses the world's largest collection of horse-drawn carriages and royal chariots.

And unique cultural features

In Portugal, a distinctive cultural feature that impresses in architecture and urban design is the intricately patterned ceramic tiles called Azulejo. The name "Azulejo" originates from Greek, meaning "small polished stone." Initially, Azulejo tiles featured simple artistic designs in neutral colors. Today, Azulejo tiles are decorated with more elaborate patterns and vibrant colors such as gold, green, red, and orange. Azulejo tiles are over 500 years old and have become a traditional artistic element in Portugal, appearing everywhere from churches and homes to public benches and fountains.

Traditional Azulejo, upgraded in technique, form, theme, and application, has become an indelible mark on Portuguese culture. Azulejo connects with the contemporary world in a unique way, giving those who appreciate this art form a rich and distinct experience.

In addition, Lisbon has two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Tower of Bethlehem and the Jeronimos Monastery.

Jeronimos Monastery is located near the Tagus River. The monastery became the royal cemetery of Aviz in the 16th century and was subsequently secularized on December 28, 1833, by decree of the State and transferred to the charity Realcasa pia de Lisboa. Built in the early 1500s, the monastery is notable for its Manueline Gothic architecture. Previously, it served as Santa Maria de Belem and was where Christ monks assisted seafarers transiting Lisbon. The current structure was inaugurated by order of King Manuel I (1469-1521) in 1495 as the final resting place of the Aviz dynasty, with the belief that an Iberian kingdom would rule after his death. This place commemorates a memorable event: Vasco da Gama and his crew prayed and spent the night here before setting sail for the East in 1497. The construction of the large, square monastery (55x55m) began with Boitac. He built the domes and large windows with ornate decorations on the columns. Later, Juan de Castilho changed the original round columns to rectangular ones and decorated them in the Plateresque style. Each wing comprises six ornate vaulted chambers. Four inner chambers rest on large supporting pillars, forming the wide dome. The corner chambers are connected by a cross-shaped vault structure and richly decorated corner columns. In 1983, Jeronimos Monastery was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Belém is famous as the starting point for many of Portugal's great explorers. In particular, it was here that Vasco da Gama departed for India in 1497 and Pedro Álvares Cabral set sail for Brazil in 1499.

Perhaps Belém's most famous feature is its tower, the Torre de Belém, whose image is frequently used by the Lisbon tourism board. The tower was built as a sturdy lighthouse at the end of the reign of Dom Manuel I (1515-1520) to protect the harbor entrance. It sits on a small island on the right bank of the Tagus River, surrounded by water. Another major historical building in Belém is Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery), for which the Torre de Belém was partly built to protect. Belém's most notable modern feature is the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries), built for the Portuguese World's Fair in 1940. At the heart of Belém is Praça do Império: gardens centered around a large fountain, set up during World War II. To the west of the gardens is the Centro Cultural de Belém. Belém is one of the most visited districts in Lisbon. It is home to Estádio do Restelo, the home of the Portuguese sports club Belenenses. Founded in 1919, Belenenses is one of Portugal's oldest sports clubs, based at the 25,000-seat Estadio do Restelo. The club participates in many sports, including handball, futsal, athletics, and rugby union. However, it is most famous for being the first Portuguese football team to have a grass pitch with artificial lighting and for being the first club in the Portuguese Primeira Liga to participate in the UEFA Europa League.

However, to this day, the Algama area remains home to fishermen and the poor, with many 18th-century houses featuring traditional Portuguese architecture, colorful tiled facades, and wrought-iron balconies; its narrow streets and small squares are the venue for Festas de Santo Antonio – the Festival of Saint Anthony, Lisbon's most famous and traditional festival, held annually in June. The week-long festival, centered around June 16th, features street parties, parades, kites, music, and food, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere where tourists and locals mingle, truly embodying the spirit of Lisbon's community.

Nguyen Son Hung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202506/lisbon-thanh-pho-co-ven-song-1dd030d/