Lisbon is the capital and the largest city of Portugal. Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world. Lisbon is recognised as an alpha-level global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, education and tourism. Lisbon is the only Portuguese city besides Porto to be recognised as a global city.
LOCATION
It is mainland Europe’s westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus. The westernmost portions of its metro area form the westernmost point of Continental Europe, which is known as Cabo da Roca, located in the Sintra Mountains.
HISTORY
Roman authors of the first century AD referred to popular legends that the city of Lisbon was founded by the mythical hero Odysseus on his journey home from Troy. Lisbon became the capital city of the new Portuguese territory in 1255. The first Portuguese university was founded in Lisbon in 1290 by King Denis I. Most of the Portuguese expeditions of the Age of Discovery left Lisbon during the period from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century, including Vasco da Gama’s expedition to India in 1498. The 16th century was Lisbon’s golden era: the city was the European hub of commerce between Africa, India, the Far East and later, Brazil.
BEST TIME
The best time to visit Lisbon is either from March to May or September to October, because the weather is still warm, hotel rates are cheaper and there are fewer crowds than in summer. But you can visit Lisbon any time of the year. The worst time is August, at least if you want to have some space to yourself.
CLIMATE
Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and warm to hot, dry summers. In the coldest month – January – the highest temperature during the day typically ranges from 10 to 18 °C, the lowest temperature at night ranges from 3 to 13 °C . In the warmest month – August – the highest temperature during the day typically ranges from 25 to 32 °C, the lowest temperature at night ranges from 14 to 20 °C.
COMMUNICATION
Humberto Delgado Airport is the busiest airport in Portugal, the 3rd busiest in the Iberian Peninsula and the 20th busiest in Europe, and the motorway networkand the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular links the main cities of Portugal (such as Braga, Porto and Coimbra) to Lisbon.
ECONOMY
The Lisbon region contributes with a higher GDP than any other region in Portugal. It is one of the major economic centres on the continent, with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe’s Atlantic coast. Most of the headquarters of multinational corporations in Portugal are located in the Lisbon area. The Lisbon metropolitan area is heavily industrialized, especially the south bank of the Tagus river.