LISBON TRAVEL GUIDE

1. Listen to the Podcast Episode:
​This podcast will provide you with the essential information you need in order to have a base knowledge about Lisbon's location, history, area, population and density, language and some landmarks of the City of Lisbon before you visit. Start with Part 1 and then Part 2.

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City Identity Card​

1. LOCATION:
Lisbon is situated on the western coast of Portugal, along the estuary of the Tagus River. It is located in the central-western part of the country.

2. GEOGRAPHIC BORDERS:
Lisbon is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south, the municipalities of Oeiras and Amadora to the northwest, and Loures and Odivelas to the north.

3. SIGNIFICANCE IN HISTORY:
As one of the oldest cities in Europe, Lisbon has a rich history dating back over two millennia. It was a significant hub during the Age of Discovery and played a crucial role in maritime exploration. Lisbon was also heavily impacted by the devastating earthquake of 1755 and subsequent rebuilding efforts.

4. AREA:
Lisbon covers an area of approximately 100 square kilometers (39 square miles), making it the largest city in Portugal.

5. POPULATION AND DENSITY:
As of September 2021, Lisbon had a population of over 500,000 people within the city proper, with a greater metropolitan area population of around 2.8 million inhabitants. The city is densely populated, especially in its historic districts.

6. LANGUAGE:
Portuguese is the official language spoken in Lisbon and throughout Portugal. English is widely spoken, particularly in tourist areas and among the younger population.

7. LANDMARKS:
Lisbon boasts numerous iconic landmarks, including the historic Belém Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the imposing São Jorge Castle overlooking the city; and the 25 de Abril Bridge, reminiscent of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The Alfama district, with its narrow streets and historic charm, is also a notable landmark.

8. ECONOMY:
Lisbon has a diverse economy, with key sectors including tourism, finance, technology, and services. The city's port is one of the busiest in Europe, facilitating trade and commerce. Lisbon is also becoming increasingly recognized as a hub for startups and innovation.

9. GASTRONOMY:
Lisbon's culinary scene is characterized by fresh seafood, traditional Portuguese dishes like bacalhau (salted codfish), and pastéis de nata (custard tarts). The city's vibrant food markets, such as Mercado da Ribeira, offer a variety of flavors and culinary experiences.

What you can definitely try on the streets:
1. Bifana (pork sandwich)
2. Pastel de bacalhau (codfish cake)
3. Ginjinha (cherry liqueur)
4. Grilled chorizo Pão com chouriço (chorizo bread)

Drinks:
1. Portuguese wines (including Port wine and Vinho Verde)
2. Gin Mare (Portuguese gin)
3. Café com cheirinho (espresso with a touch of brandy)
4. Amêndoa amarga (almond liqueur)
5. Limonada (lemonade)

Desserts:
1. Pastéis de Belém (custard tarts)
2. Queijadas de Sintra (cheese pastries)
3. Tarte de amêndoa (almond tart)
4. Arroz doce (rice pudding)
5. Bolo de bolacha (cookie cake)

10. FLAG AND LOGO
Lisbon's flag features a field of alternating black and white, with the city's coat of arms centred. ​

Transcription of the Episode:

Part 1:
Hi! Welcome to the fifth episode of About Cities!
I hope you enjoyed the previous episodes about Damascus and Toronto because I have definitely enjoyed making them.
Make sure to like and subscribe because that will motivate me to create some more.

In this episode, I will be covering the city where I'm currently at.
I'll give you some hints and let's see if you can guess. It's located in Western Europe.
This city has a nickname as the City of Seven Hills, the White City or the City of Light.
Have you guessed?

This episode is about Lisboa or Lisbon.
Let's start with the geographical location.
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and it is located on the western coast overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated on the northern bank of the Tagus River or the Tejo River in Portuguese and it is bordered by the central mountains to the northwest. And to the east, we have the municipality of Loures.

The distance between Lisbon and Porto, which is the second most important city in Portugal towards the north, is approximately 310 kilometers, which takes around 3 to 4 hours of driving depending on the traffic. And the distance between Lisbon and Albufeira, which is in Algarve or the south of Portugal, is around 260 kilometers, which takes around 2.5 to 3.5 hours of driving depending on the traffic.
And if we drive east of Lisbon for 2 to 3 hours, we reach the Spanish border at the City of Badajos.

Something that I didn't mention in the previous episodes is the latitude location of these cities.
So, Lisbon is located at a higher latitude than Damascus and lower latitude than Toronto, at 38.7 degrees north.

The City of Lisbon has an area of 100 square kilometers. And if we compare it to the area of the City of Damascus, which we came across in a previous episode as 105 square kilometers, it's very comparable. So, Lisbon and Damascus are similar in size as opposed to Toronto, which is 6 to 7 times bigger than both Lisbon and Damascus.

The official language spoken in Lisbon is Portuguese, which is the 6 most spoken language in the world.
And apparently there's a difference between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese in pronunciation.

​Now, to the population in density of Lisbon, as of January 2022, Lisbon had a population of 500,000 people.
And the density based on the area is 5,000 people per square kilometers. From comparing with Damascus and Toronto, we can see that Damascus has the highest population density among the 3 cities, followed by Lisbon and then Toronto.

The flag of Lisbon is also known as the flag of Saint Vincent, is black and white with the coat of arms of Lisbon in the center.
And the city logo is a silhouette of a ship with two crows sitting on its sides,
which originates from the legend of Saint Vincent, who is the patron saint of the city of Lisbon.

And I've already mentioned in the beginning of the episode, the nicknames of the city of Lisbon, which are the city of 7 hills, La ciudad da Sette Colinas in Portuguese, other nicknames include the white city or the city of light.
But the origin of the name of the city of Lisbon is uncertain and there are several theories about its origin.
One of the theories mentions that the city's ancient name, Olisipo or Olisipo, potentially comes from the Phoenician phrase "Ulysse Ubo",
meaning "delightful little port". Another theory about the origin of Lisbon's name traces it back to the legend linking its foundation to Odysseus, Olisys, who founded Lisbon after leaving Troy and later, Olisipo became Olisipona, which became Lisboa in Portuguese.
Something to note that under Julius Caesar's reign, Lisbon was called "Felicitas Julia".

The five minutes are up, and we reached the end of the first part of our episode about Lisbon.
I really hope you enjoyed listening in and that you learned something that you didn't know about this beautiful city.

Stay tuned to learn more in the second part about the city of Lisbon.
Muito obrigada!

Part 2: 
(0:01) Hi, welcome to the sixth episode of About Cities. 
(0:05) In this episode, we'll continue our journey learning about Lisbon, 
(0:08) starting by the key moments that have shaped Lisbon's identity over the centuries. (0:14) So let's begin! 
(0:17) Lisbon's history started when the Phoenicians established the city in the 8th century BC as Olisipo.
(0:24) This early port city laid the groundwork for Lisbon's future importance in the Iberian Peninsula. 
(0:31) Fast forward to the Roman era, which is believed to have started in 205 BC, 
(0:36) the city of Lisbon became an important commercial and military port due to its strategic location along the Tagus River. 
(0:44) The city was integrated into the Roman province of Lusitania, 
(0:47) with its capital at Emerita Augusta, modern-day Merida, Spain.(0:51) If you visit Lisbon, you can visit the Museum of Lisbon, 
(0:56) which has the Roman ruins of the Roman Theatre of Lisbon that dates back to the 1st century AD. 
(1:03) In the year 711 AD, Lisbon fell under Moorish rule during the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, 
(1:11) and the city remained under their control for 400 years. (1:15) So this era has left a lasting impact on Lisbon that can still be seen and felt today when you walk the streets in Lisbon.
(1:23) And some of these aspects include the architectural influence, 
(1:27) specifically in the Alfama district, which was built with narrow winding streets, 
(1:33) labyrinth layout, which is typical of North African medinas or cities. 
(1:38) Another influence from the Moors is the ceramic tiles, or the azulejos, 
(1:43) that you see them all around Portuguese cities, on building facades, and in the interiors as well. 
(1:50) In 1147, Lisbon was recaptured by Christian forces during the Second Crusade, 
(1:56) and the army who recaptured the city was led by Afonso Henríquez, who became the first king of Portugal.
(2:03) Between the 15th and 17th century, Lisbon emerged as a thriving center of exploration and trade, 
(2:10) and this era was called the Age of Discovery, 
(2:13) where some of the most famous world navigators started their journey from Lisbon, 
(2:20) like Vasco de Gama, who reached India, and Cabral, who landed in Brazil. 
(2:24) And now to the most defying event in the history of the city of Lisbon, 
(2:29) which is the earthquake that happened in 1755 on November 1st, which is All Saints Day. 
(2:37) You can't visit Lisbon without hearing about its devastating earthquake.
(2:41) It was one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in history. 
(2:45) It was estimated to have had a magnitude between 8.5 and 9, 
(2:49) and it killed tens of thousands of people because the earthquake was followed by tsunamis and fires. 
(2:56) After the earthquake and under the direction of Marquês de Pombal, 
(3:00) a new urban plan was developed for Lisbon, 
​(3:03) which included wider streets, standardized building regulations, and earthquake-resistant construction techniques.
(3:10) Then, in 1910, Lisbon witnessed the fall of the monarchy and the establishment of the First Portuguese Republic, 
(3:17) and in 1974, the Carnation Revolution happened against the dictatorship of António Salazar, which lasted 40 years. 
(3:24) Now that we've covered the main events that happened in the history of Lisbon, 
(3:28) we can move to the more fun stuff, starting with the top foods to try in Lisbon, based on my recommendation, of course. 
(3:35) A main dish that you can try in Lisbon and that originated from Lisbon is the bacalhau abrach, 
(3:42) which is basically shredded codfish mixed with eggs, onions, and potatoes.
(3:47) The second dish that I would recommend is the sardinhas assadas, or grilled sardines, 
(3:52) which is particularly popular during the summer month and especially during the festival of Santo António, 
(3:59) which happens in Lisbon in June. 
(4:01) Another recommended food to try is the bifanas, which is a marinated pork sandwich served in a crusty bread. 
(4:08) It originated from the Alentejo area, rather than Lisbon.(4:11) Now, to the dessert, the most famous dessert that you can try in Lisbon is the pastel de nata. 
(4:16) Almost every bakery will have their own pastel de nata, 
(4:20) but you must try the ones that come from the most famous chains that make these pastries, 
(4:26) which are Mantegaria, Fábrica de Nata, and the famous one that originally created the first recipe of the pastel de nata in Belém area, (4:35) which is called Pastéis de Belém. 
(4:37) A drink that you must try when you are visiting Lisbon is the cherry liquor, which is called ginjinha, 
(4:42) and you can try it on the street.
(4:44) They serve it in a shot glass as an aperitif in the streets of Alfama district. 
(4:48) And now I will recommend some of the landmarks that you must visit when you first visit the city of Lisbon, 
(4:54) and I will include the list with some extras in the description and on my website. 
(4:59) Starting from Rocio Square, in the same day you can visit Rocio Square, Santa Justa, Elevator, and the Carmo Convent.
(5:07) You can also walk around Chiado area and Praça do Comércio, ending up in the Arco de Augusta, to watch the sunset at the top. 
(5:15) I would highly recommend visiting the Monastery of Jerónimos, the Belém Tower, and the Padrão, the Monument of Discovery. 
(5:23) And because Lisbon is the city of seven hills, there are many miradouros, or lookouts, that you can visit and look at the city from above.
(5:32) And the two that I highly recommend are Santa Lucia Miradouro and Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, 
(5:39) which is close to St. George's Castle, if you would like to visit also the castle. 
(5:44) We've reached the end of our episode about the city of Lisbon. 
(5:48) I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new.
(5:51) Muito obrigada, which means thanks a lot, and see you on the next episode of About Cities.