Travel to Portugal

Cristo Rei

Cristo Rei is a Catholic monument in Lisbon, inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, inaugurated on May 17, 1959. The construction of Cristo Rei was approved on a Portuguese Episcopate conference in 1940, as a plea to God to release Portugal from entering World War II.

Lisbon Oceanarium

The Lisbon Oceanarium is located in the Park of Nations, and is dedicated to the ocean. It has a large collection of marine species, like birds, mammals, fishes, cnidarian and other marine organisms, being one of the largest aquariums in the world.The exhibition is divided in 5 sectors, each sector displays the fauna and flora of the 4 oceans, Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Antarctic; then the central sector exhibits species from the open ocean, like sharks and groupers.

Alfama

Alfama is the oldest district of Lisbon, located between Tejo river and the Castle of Lisbon, and boasts numerous important historical attractions, like the Lisbon Cathedral, that dates from the 12th century, the Castle of São Jorge, royal residence until the early 16th century. Alfama is like picturesque labyrinth of narrow streets and small squares, and lately has been invigorated with the renovation of the old houses and new restaurants.

The Gulbenkian Museum

The Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon was created from the personal collection of Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian who longed to see all his treasures displayed in a museum. At this museum we will find a great variety of Egyptian artifacts, paintings by masters such as Rembrandt, Manet, Monet, Renoir, and Cassat; and the museum's gardens are worth a visit too, as they are like a little oasis in the middle of downtown Lisbon.

Rossio Square

Rossio Square is located in Lisbon, and it's the popular name of the Pedro IV Square. It has been one of its main squares since the Middle Ages, and the setting for popular celebrations as well as revolts, bullfights and executions. In 1755 there was an earthquake in Lisbon, and most buildings around the Square needed reconstruction.

Torre de Belém

Torre de Belém (Belem Tower) is a fortified tower located in the Belém district of Lisbon, built in the 16th century in the Manueline (Portuguese Gothic style) to commemorate the expedition of Vasco de Gama. A memorial to the Portuguese power during the Age of the Great Discoveries, this elegant and defensive construction is one of the most popular symbols of the city.

Palace of the Dukes of Braganza

The Palace of the Dukes of Braganza is a palace located in Guimarães, Minho, built between 1420 and 1422 for the Count of Barcelos, Afonso, who was the bastard son of King João I of Portugal, and the future Duke of Bragança. This palace is today a National Monument, it houses a museum and the main facade in the second floor is the Official Residence for the Presidency of the Republic.

Castle of Guimarães

The Castle of Guimarães dates from the 10th century and was built to defend its monastery from Muslim and Norman attacks, a construction ordered by Dona Mumadona Dias. The fortress needed an urgent renovation after a century, and the noblemen from the court of Count Dom Henrique destroyed what was left of the original construction and extended the castle's area and added 2 entrances, so it continued to be the official royal residence through the 11th and 12th centuries.

Viriathus Statue

Viriathus Statue in Viseu is a memorial for Viriathus, who was the most important leader of the Lusitanian tribe that resisted the Roman expansion into the regions of Western Iberia, considered a Portuguese national hero and lived from 180 BC to 139 BC. This Portuguese hero led the Lusitanian guerrilla to many victories over the Romans, between 147 BC and 139 BC, before he was betrayed by some of his own men and killed.

Viseu

Viseu is a city in central Portugal, and an important hub for being crossed by a main European road link, the A25, connecting it to Aveiro and Guarda, and Salamanca in Spain. Viseu is very famous for its wine, Dão, and its annual agricultural fair, where you will see lots of handicrafts like black pottery, bobbin lace, embroidery, etc. This city is very rich in churches, convents and chapels, and in the Cathedral there is a sacred museum with a very interesting exhibition.