Real Estate
Portugal - Buying Property in:
Capital City of Portugal - Area Information:
Lisbon
Real estate opportunities and property information
The city's traditional centre is the Baixa; its rectangular grid was laid out
by the Marquês de Pombal following the earthquake in 1755, and is marked
at the river end by Praça do Comércio and at the upper end
by Rossio and Praça de Figueria squares.
To the west, the elevadors (funiculars) link the Baixa to the Chiado
shopping area and Bairro Alto, with its nightlife. To the east are
the narrow, well-worn streets leading up to the Castelo de São
Jorge and the Alfama and Graça residential areas?
Please read our guide to buying
and selling real estate in Portugal.
Belém, at the western end of the city, is the site of a complex
of museums surrounding the Mosterio dos Jerónimos and Centro
Cultural de Belém, as well as riverfront attractions like
the Torre de Belém. This fanciful tower is a reminder of the
importance of Lisbon's (and Portugal's) Age of Discovery in the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries, when explorers like Vasco Da Gama set out
to discover trade routes and conquer new lands. This seafaring heritage
is displayed in the unique Manueline architectural style of the tower
and is an important part of the national identity, appearing as a
theme in Portuguese literature. Portugal's role as a commercial and
military power faded, however, with the period of Spanish rule (1580-1640).
Today, its main industry is tourism and it is also a regional centre
for commerce, notably in the service industries.
Lisbon is on the north bank of the Rio Tejo (River Tagus) and is
rediscovering its waterfront, with the entire Expo98 site currently
undergoing a reworking as a fashionable living area; many of the
pavilions are being retained as museums, and the new convention centre
and fairgrounds are located here. This follows on the Docas - the
old dock area near the Ponte 25 de Abril - that has been refashioned
as a promenade of bars and clubs over the past few years. The bridge
itself is reminiscent of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, and
it is easy to draw further comparisons: both cities are built on
a series of hills (Lisbon has seven of them), with trams and funiculars
rattling up the steep and narrow streets. Both have a series of neighbourhoods
with strong individual identities. But Lisbon has an obviously more
European flair, and the influx of people from its former colonies
- Africans and Brazilians - have added a unique feel to the city
and a decided impact on the nightlife's sounds and rhythms. The city's
easygoing pace is typified by the nightlife, where restaurants are
still full at 23.00 and bars and discos wind down towards dawn.
During the summer, Lisboetas who have not gone to the Algarve for
the weekend hit the beaches along the coast near Estoril and Cascais
or across the river in Caparica. Although summers can be hot, the
city's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean provides cool breezes, keeping
the temperature comfortable.
For
more information on Portugal Property and to arrange your viewing
visit:
Portugal
Property Viewing Arrangements
Portugal
Property Search
For more information on Real
Estate in Portugal please browse through the Portugal
Real Estate |
