Lisbon - Parque das Nacoes Travel Guides | Lisbon | Sub Regions | Lisbon - Parque das Nacoes

The Expo 98 site of Parque das Nações is a far cry from the medina streets of Alfama and the colonial triumphalism of Belém. This one-time industrial wasteland to the northeast of the city has been transformed into a modernist playground, united by the theme "The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future". Coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's ‘discovery’ of the sea route to India, Expo 98's exhibits were unashamedly intended to flaunt Portugal's maritime triumphs. Today, the park is one of the best places in the city for all-round family entertainment. Stretching for 2 km along the Tagus, cable cars glide above coastal walkways and exotic gardens to the highest lookout point in the city, the Torre de Vasco da Gama. The state-of-the-art Oceanarium is the largest in Europe and the Interactive Science museum reveals the park's educational dimension. Perhaps nowhere in the city is the dynamism of New World Lisbon more apparent than in the concordian elegance of Oriente, the new metro and railway station designed by Spanish master architect Santiago Calatrava.

The discount card, Cartão do Parque, is available from the kiosk in front of the Vasco da Gama shopping centre on Alameda dos Oceanos. It allows free entry to the Oceanarium, Torre Vasco da Gama, round trip on the cable car, 50% discount on the Knowledge Pavilion, 20% discount on bike hire, 15% discount on bowling and 15% discount on selected restaurants. Adults E14, under 12s E7. Bikes hire from Tejo Bike , next to the information kiosk, 1000-2000 summer, 1000-1800 winter, E4 per hr, E2 ½ hr and E1.50 for every addtional ½ hr, children E3 per hr, ½ hr E1.50, each addtional ½ hr E1.

Sights

Calatrava’s Oriente metro station is a cathedral to modernity, a three-aisle nave with steel-supported glass archways like gossamer wings and flooded harmoniously with blue sky. The subway terminal itself is a collage of tile murals, designed by some of Lisbon’s best contemporary artists. The train station serves the eastern zones of Lisbon and TAP and Swiss Air passengers can even check in here.

Emerging from the station, a walkway leads to more slithers of steel and sheets of glass, the Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre. Passing though here brings you out at the centre of the park in front an information booth on Caminho da Água, selling maps, discount tickets and passes. Turning right brings you to the southern section of the park with its showcase Oceanarium and the Science Museum, see below. The first attention-grabber is the Pavilhão de Portugal, designed by Portugal’s leading architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, the man behind Chiado’s reincarnation. It’s a remarkable sight, its roof undulating like a silver wave. The Teatro Camões at the southern fringes is a key venue for classical theatre productions and in front is the eye-catching Reflexo do Ceú Navigante, a shimmery sculpture of a compass by Japanese archictect, Sasumu Shingu.

Turning left, directly in front of you is the giant mushroom shaped Pavilhão Atlântico, an excellent concert venue which has played host to Bob Dylan, Massive Attack and Robbie Williams. Skirting its left-hand side will bring you to the riverside walkway where cable cars pass along Olivais dock, above a line up of chain restaurants alongside the herbaceous Garcia de Orta gardens. Visible from any vantage point is the Torre de Vasco da Gama, see below, and adjacent is the Sony Plaza, another sports and concert arena.

Alameda dos Oceanos, T 21 891 71 00. Tue-Fri 1000-1800, Sat, Sun and holidays 1100-1900. E5, children 7-17 years E2.50, 3-6 years E2, 2 and under free, family ticket E11.

The Interactive Science Museum was opened in 1999. Themed exhibitions include the Exploratorium, the concept of American physicist Frank Oppenheimer and premised on harnessing the human perception of nature. While stuffy science classrooms may come to mind, kids love the diverse range of interactive displays and simulations. Children can experiment with their own physical strength, attempting to launch a hydrogen rocket. To keep the under-six amused The Unfinished House is a kids’-only construction site with foam bricks and panels, pulleys and wheelbarrows. There is also a bookshop and cybercafé free of charge with entry ticket.

T 21 891 70 02 21 . Summer 1000-2000, winter 1000-1900. E9, children under 12 years, E4.50.

Lisbon’s wonderous Oceanarium draws weekend-liberated Lisboetas and kids on school trips by the coach load. The second largest in the world (Japan is the largest), it is the innovative design and mesmerizing odyssey of marauding maritime roamers, rather than its size which makes it one of Lisbon’s best sights for all round family entertainment. Designed by Bostonian Peter Chermayelf with 30 cm-thick transparent concave acrylic, it gives you the feeling that you are entering the ocean.

The ‘one ocean’ theme embraces every coastal habitat and temperature zone. It’s transfixing. Sinister requiem sharks and barracudas roam, manta rays rood and a not-so-pretty sergeant fish cruises alongside sand tigers, needle fish and the largest inhabitants, two massive bullsharks. Don’t miss the furry sea otter All Stars Eusebio and Amália.

Descending to the lower level, you experience, close up, life on the ocean floor, with living coral reefs, heavenly sea dragons, Roman hermaphrodites and South Australian fish, including the Port Jackson sharks, which live apart but during breeding season will travel over 800 km to meet each other.

Cais das Naus, T 21 891 80 00. 1000-2000. E2.49. Cable cars between the Vasco da Gama tower and the Olivais Marina Locks: Jun-Sep weekdays 1100-2000, weekends and holidays 1000-2100, Oct-May weekdays 1100-1900, weekends and holidays, 1000-2000. E3 one way, round trip E5, children E1.50, round trip E2.

Standing 140 m-high, the Vasco da Gama tower is the tallest building in Lisbon. You can ride up to the top, where there is an expensive restaurant and exhilarating panoramic views of the city and across the river. It’s even more memorable at night, with the sea silver-streaked under a bright moon.

Ponte Vasco da Gama is a beautiful feat of engineering. The longest bridge in Europe spanning 17.2 km, it was inaugurated on 4 April 1998 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the discoverer. The aim was to create a north-south traffic bypass and it was built to withstand an earthquake four times greater than the Great Earthquake of 1755. More than 300 families were relocated from slums and rehoused to enable its construction.

Travel Guides | Lisbon | Sub Regions | Lisbon - Parque das Nacoes
		Flights Cheap flights to any destination worldwide click here		Car Rental Compare prices for worldwide car rental click here		Hotels Lowest prices on over 60,000 hotels worldwide click here		Travel Insurance Compare Travel Insurance prices click here