In every city there is one specific place where the locals and foreigners gather to spend their leisure time. It’s the best place to get acquainted with the traditions of the city and enjoy the best attractions as well.
For example, Berlin’s center is Alexanderplatz, whatever happens in the city doesn’t pass the square without a notice. The same exact scenario can be seen in Lisbon. Its center of life is the Parque das Nações (meaning “Park of Nations” in English). The area has become the most dynamic and active place in the city just recently. This place was chosen to host the Expo 1998 World Exhibition. Although this is the reason why the place got the name Park of Nations, some locals still call it Expo for short.
There are a few attractions that are located in the park. Some of them have remained from the Expo, others have been constructed later. The most known places are the Oceanarium, the Science Museum, the Lisbon Casino, and so on. I would like to draw your attention here, Lisbon Casino, a 3-store building with around 1000 slot machines and more than 20 gambling tables, is located right next to a science museum, as the Portuguese say, the Pavilion of Knowledge. The choice might be difficult, remember, time is limited, use it wisely.
You can also do your shopping here. The huge and modern Vasco de Gama mall will definitely satisfy all your needs for shopping. Isn’t it interesting how the Portuguese have named too many things after Vasco de Gama? On the other hand, it’s completely logical, he’s one of the best heroes of the Portuguese.
I didn’t mention this randomly. Another remarkable thing you can see in the Park of Nations is the Vasco de Gama bridge. In fact, it’s the longest one in whole Europe. This bridge is one of the remnants of the ’98 Expo. To picture the real value we have here, consider this, 17 kilometers long, and only 10 of those are on the river Tagus. Admit it, it’s not something you see everyday, keep your camera all ready, picture time might come too quickly.
The Park of Nations is also the right place to observe latest Portuguese trends in architecture, design, and so on. More than 100 events are organized here in the Pavilhão Atlântico. You should check their agenda and see if you can be a witness of some mind-blowing events. I bet that will make the park even more unforgettable. We add the smiling faces of the people, fun that radiates the air, and you have the best sightseeing day ever.
As you can see the best and most famous attractions are located here. So, instead of planning to see the sites of Lisbon one by one, you can just group some of them under one name, Park of Nations. Although other places like Alfama and a number of restaurants to try Portuguese cuisine are also important, make the park the first point on your list. It’ll be encouraging to start from the best jewels of the city.
