City Secrets Lisbon: The Essential Insider’s Guide

Lisbon is the city where dreams are made and broken, treading in the footsteps of ancestors past. Lisbon is a city that never sleeps, full of bustling street sellers in quaint marketplaces. Home to the world’s best kept secrets, Lisbon is waiting to be explored; from tranquil underwater caves to crumbling medieval castles, Lisbon is crawling with underrated treasures.

Oceanario De Lisboa

Located in Parque das Nações, Lisbon’s Oceanarium is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe and is home to over 16,000 animals and 450 different species. Designed by architect Peter Chermayeff, the aquarium was originally built for the Expo 98 World exposition and has become one of the most notable attractions that Lisbon has to offer. Family friendly, the aquarium generates high levels of profit each year and its educational appeal has attracted schools all over Portugal. From educating visitors on the dangers that marine life faces each year to segregating species into eco-systems, the aquarium is an educational experience that you won’t forget. The aquarium is split into four separate sea-landscapes: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Antarctic oceans. By splitting the aquarium into sections it can replicate the temperature, conditions and environment that each species would be under in the real world. Each habitat is a treat waiting to be explored: The Antarctic habitat showcases playful penguins competing in a game of slip and slide, the Pacific is home to dramatic otters vying for your attention and the Indian Ocean mimics the tropical Seychelles with Golden Butterfly fishes gliding through warm vegetation. The seamless layout of the aquarium encapsulates its desire to promote environmental conservation awareness but above all is a fun and innovative experience that should be checked out.

Torre de Belém

A tower of secrets, Belem is steeped in the footsteps of the past. In 1515 Torre De Belem was commissioned by King John II as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon’s harbour during the Portuguese age of discovery. Belem is situated in the civil parish of Santa Maria de Belém and sits on a basaltic outcropping of rocks belonging to the geomorphological Volcanic Complex of Lisboa-Mafra. But Belem is more than just a historic site of justice but is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site too. As a world heritage site Belem is a fascinating Portuguese attraction to explore and encapsulates the maritime discoveries made during the sixteenth century in Portugal. The historic tower is also an architectural haven built in the Manueline style with elaborate rib vaulting, crosses of the Order of Christ, armillary spheres and twisted rope common to the nautically-inspired organic Manueline style.

Lisboa Story Centre

Where better to explore Portugal’s cultural heritage and history than Lisboa’s Story Centre? A unique attraction, Lisboa’s story centre provides an insightful yet exciting look into Lisbon’s past reliving memories, stories and influences that still dot the urban landscape of this unique city. It is playful yet highly educational striking an unusual balance between historical accuracy and creative licence. The family-friendly facility consists of six zones arranged chronologically and each dedicated to a particular period, or chapter, in the city's history. Enhanced by stunning models, paintings, narration and dialogue, each component certifies the story centre’s innate capacity for realistic storytelling . Perhaps the best historical experience is the 1755 Earthquake captured in 4D as the room shakes and trembles replicating the key features of a real earthquake. The futility and the anguish of the people trapped in the momentous earthquake echoes around the room and holograms flitter across the screen to authenticate the experience.

Grutas de Mira de Aire

There is no doubt that Grutas de Mira de Aire is one of the most breath taking and underrated attractions that Lisbon has to offer. Unearthed in 1947 the cave entrance is 300m in altitude and reaches 180m in depth inside. Discover a 150 million year old legacy predated back to the Middle Jurassic age, when the dinosaurs populated this region, whose footprints can be seen here today. Let your guide take you on an unforgettable journey through time as you bathe in a glow of coloured lights and learn about the caves natural beauty. Marvel at the unique limestone shapes, formed over millions of years, such as the "Jellyfish", the "Martian" and the magnificent "Organ" which will leave you astounded. Above all the tranquil cave is a magical light and sound show which creates an immersive yet fundamentally historic overview of an important cultural site that is sometimes overlooked.

WRITTEN BY: Ana De-Jesus

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