Lovers of modernity and hi-tech should definitely visit the Park of Nations, or in Portuguese Parque das Nações, which is located in the Portuguese capital.
The history of this quarter takes us back to the events of twenty years ago, when Lisbon hosted a major international exhibition, Expo 98, dedicated to the oceans. Its organizers took as a basis an important date - the 500th anniversary of the return of the great navigator Vasco da Gama from the expedition. This explains the fact that so many park objects bear the name of the traveler.
The Park of Nations covers an area of 50 hectares, and the length of the modern architectural quarter is five kilometers.
Before becoming a popular tourist destination, Parque des Nations was an unremarkable place with oil refineries, mountains of garbage, destroyed buildings and warehouses. Although it was located in a picturesque area - a bay of the Tagus River, this did not add any attractiveness to the quarter. Needless to say, after the exhibition the area was completely transformed, and not a trace remained of the former devastation.
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Attractions of the Parque des Nations in Lisbon
The modern appearance of the quarter is given by an impressive list of attractions. Just look at him:
- Vasco da Gama Center,
- Towers of Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael,
- Vasco da Gama Tower,
- Vasco da Gama Bridge,
- cable car,
- Portugal Pavilion,
- Casino,
- Theater,
- Harbor of the Park of Nations.
Now let's talk about everything in order.
Oriente Station
The first thing travelers who arrive at the Parc des Nations by public transport pay attention to is the Oriente train station. With its unusual futuristic design, this building can surprise almost any traveler. But this is only at the beginning. If you look around, you will notice that the gray “glass” building perfectly balances the surrounding composition of mirrored and glossy facades of office buildings. The building was designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava.
In fact, Oriente Station is distinguished not only by its architectural features, but also by its important role, as it represents a major transport hub in the country. The multi-level building houses a metro station, a bus station just above, and a train station at the very top. They say you can go from here to almost anywhere in the country.
Vasco da Gama Shopping Center
Directly opposite the train station is a shopping center that looks like a spaceship. The multi-storey building houses a variety of shops, restaurants and food outlets where you can have a tasty meal before a long walk, and on the outdoor terrace you can admire panoramic views of the Tagus River.
Towers of Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael
These twin residential high-rises are located next to a shopping center. They got their name in honor of the sailing ships of the navigator Vasco da Gama. Evening lighting gives these buildings a special charm.
Vasco da Gama Tower
Another skyscraper in the Park of Nations is the Vasco da Gama Tower. With its appearance (the steel structure is shaped like a sail), the tower fits into the overall structure of the Park of Nations. The building contains a panoramic restaurant, observation deck and living quarters. Before the closure of the observation decks and restaurant in 2008, the Vasco da Gama Tower was considered the tallest building in the country.
Vasco da Gama Bridge
The list of objects named after the navigator continues with the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Built 20 years ago, it was considered the longest bridge in Europe until May 2018. The structure has an earthquake-resistant design, consists of six lanes and connects highways that come from the Portuguese capital.
Cable car
A wonderful view of the Tagus River and Lisbon opens from the funicular. The duration of the cable car is 1 kilometer 230 meters.
Portugal Pavilion
Compared to other sites in the Park of Nations, the Portugal Pavilion may seem like a modest structure to visitors. But this is only at first glance - the minimalism of the building emphasizes the natural beauty of the quarter: the cable car, the bridge and the river.
Lisbon Aquarium
At the Lisbon Aquarium you can have a great time watching marine life: fish, sharks, stingrays and other inhabitants of the underwater world. The project of the largest oceanarium in Europe belongs to Peter Chermayeff.
Lisbon casino
In the Lisbon casino you can not only test your passion and luck, but also attend a performance, concert or even a play. Not only Portuguese, but also visiting artists often perform on the casino stage.
Ballet theater
The basis of the repertoire of the Camões Theater is a dance program, in particular ballet. The building is framed by a glass facade and is located near the river.
Nations Park Harbor
The harbor of the Park of Nations is a concentration of yachts and pleasure boats. In general, as you already understood, there is really something to see in the Park of Nations.
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How to get there
Due to the fact that there is a train station building and a metro station in the Park of Nations, getting to the attraction will not be difficult.
So, the most convenient way to overcome this path is by metro. The closest station to the attraction is Oriente.
Bus: Buses No. 794, 705, 744, 750, 759, 708, 725 go regularly to the Park of Nations.
Train: your stop, as in the case of the metro, is Oriente.
By car: If you are driving from the east bank of the Tagus River, your route will pass through the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Allow about 25-30 minutes for the route, which, by the way, includes toll sections. You can leave your car in a paid underground parking lot near a shopping center or train station.
If you don't want to go into the details of the route, just call Taxi. You can use the services of local services, or you can call Uber, which is popular among many Russians.
Parque des Nations in Lisbon on Google Panorama
Video about the Park of Nations
The Parque des Nations is located in the north-eastern zone of Lisbon. It is located along the banks of the Tagus River for 5 km. The huge complex was built for the last World Exhibition and Fair of the 20th century - EXPO-98. After the exhibition closed, the territory was named the Park of Nations and became not only a landmark of Lisbon, but also the most popular vacation spot for Lisbon residents and guests of the city - in addition to thematic pavilions, there are more than 40 restaurants and bars, and concert halls. With the closure of Expo 98, a significant part of its buildings became a component of the urban environment. The area itself has undergone a drastic redevelopment with the aim of creating a prestigious residential and commercial area and even moving many government and museum institutions here. The Lisbon casino is also located here.
A modern Orient railway station was built in this area. The building also houses a metro station and a bus station. This is the exit from the Orient train station.
The Eastern Railway Station is a project by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, connecting Lisbon with the rest of Europe.
The Parc des Nations is a dynamic, lively place that is one of the main attractions of modern Lisbon. Residents of the city come here to relax, have fun, stroll, play sports and shop. This is the transition from the station to the large shopping center "Vasco da Gama"
Hotel "Tivoli Oriente" - "Tivoli Oriente"
A very beautiful shopping center. Water flows from above on the glass roof.
We go out to the park area and the Tagus River.
This is the entrance to the shopping center from the river.
You can ride around the territory on such a train
Funny sculpture
From the aquarium you can take the funicular to the Vasco da Gama Tower. Line length 1 km.
We head along the alley to the Oceanarium.
I have posted a separate gallery about the Lisbon Aquarium, the largest in Europe. Take a look, it's a very nice aquarium.
Lawns around the aquarium.
Now the pictures are taken through the glass of the cable car cabin, so the quality depends on the cleanliness of the glass :) This is the oceanarium from above.
Round building - Atlantic pavilion
Exhibition pavilions
View of the tower and Vasco da Gama bridge. The bridge is a grandiose structure, striking in its scale and shape, the pride of Lisbon.
It is currently the longest bridge in Europe, with a total length of 17,185 km. The bridge was opened to traffic on March 29, 1998, 18 months after construction began. The bridge consists of five objects: the Northern viaduct, the Expo viaduct, the main bridge, the central viaduct and the southern viaduct. Each of these objects was built using special technologies. The main bridge is a cable-stayed bridge with a length of 829 meters, the height of the pylons reaches 150 m.
Built as a continuation of the main bridge, the central viaduct, with a length of 6631 m, is the longest of all objects. Seventy-five 80m spans forming its bridge deck were manufactured directly at the construction site. Poured on benches, the precast blocks were combined in groups of eight to form a prestressed beam 78 meters long and weighing 2,000 tonnes. Such a complex was installed on a barge, which performed the dual function of transportation and lifting. This method made it possible to manufacture and install one span every two days.
There are six lanes marked on the bridge; more than 50 thousand cars cross it every day. The author of the project was Michel Verloger, his main task was to build a bridge that could withstand all earthquakes, which are not uncommon in Portugal.
The Vasco da Gama Tower is 140m high with a panoramic restaurant, which is said to offer stunning views of the Parc des Nations, Lisbon and the Tagus River. It was not possible to get in, as a luxury hotel with the same name is being built onto the tower.
The length of the central span of the bridge, hanging on metal ropes, is 420 meters. Records were also broken in terms of the pace of construction - the bridge was built in only 18 months. Its construction took 730 thousand cubic meters of concrete, and its safety margin is such that it can withstand an earthquake four times stronger than the one that happened in Lisbon in 1755.
Along the Tagus embankment there is something like a botanical garden, the trees have signs.
The exhibition lasted only 5 months, then all objects were repurposed, and the territory was turned into the Park of Nations, striking in its scale and open spaces. This is a modern residential and business area with an excellent waterfront, lots of art and chic restaurants.
The most interesting building in the park is, of course, the Vasco da Gama Tower. Just recently she looked like this. Unfortunately, the observation deck at the top has been closed to visitors for quite some time.
In 2012, the five-star hotel MYRIAD by SANA Hotels was added to it. This is the only hotel on the seafront and the best in Lisbon, so we spent a few nights here (booking.com).
The view from the hotel windows, the low tide is clearly visible. We filmed a time lapse of low tide, see this link.
Living here is very convenient, as Oriente station is a 15-minute walk from the hotel. And from it you can easily get to both the center and Sintra. In the mornings we went for a run on the embankment and watched the sunrise.
In the evening the embankment also looks fabulous
Near the bridge, in order to increase the area of the embankment, bridges were built directly over the water.
The embankment itself stretches for 5 kilometers, so it’s simply impossible to get around everything here in one day, but two days will be enough. If you have a bike, then you can do it in a day.
A cable car was built along the coast.
Country flags
Ukraine
Luxury housing
Artificial bay
Local residents of this bay
The largest indoor aquarium in Europe
Low tides give this place a special flavor
You can have lunch in the Vasco da Gama shopping center, near Oriente station. There's a huge food court there.
How to get there: by metro, train or train to Oriente station.
Welcome to Lisbon Modern!
The futuristic architecture of East Lisbon is the complete opposite of the city's older quarters. Most of them were built by innovative architects for Expo 98, the World Exhibition that took place in the Portuguese capital between May and September 1998. At the end of the exhibition the new area was named City Park of Nations, and is now one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in Europe.
This place attracts with its diversity - from architecture to cultural attractions. Of course, there is something to see here with children. Therefore, you can safely devote one of the days of your stay in Lisbon to a trip here.
The main highlight of the area is Oceanarium, recognized as the world's most impressive aquarium. This is a real ocean oasis where you can get acquainted with the life of the underwater world of our planet in a carefully recreated habitat of marine animals, fish and plants.
This is a place where little visitors can expand their knowledge and see the living inhabitants of the ocean depths.
Website http://www.oceanario.pt/
Open seven days a week
The next mandatory item in the local program is Museum of Knowledge, helping to “recharge the brains” of the younger generation.
Science interactive museums for children are usually found in all major European cities (for example in or Experimentarium in Amsterdam), and Lisbon is no exception. Touch with your hands, climb, check out scientific and fantasy exhibits in action - what could be more exciting for a young tourist!
Opening hours 10-18; Saturday, Sunday and holidays 11-19. Monday is a day off.
Undoubtedly, the child’s attention will also be attracted by the hanging cable car, allowing you to look at the architecture and the river from a bird's eye view. The trip lasts 8 minutes.
Boarding the cabin takes place just opposite the Oceanarium. Starts work at 11-00, ends at 20-00 (in winter at 18-00).
Other attractions include water gardens, an observation tower, a marina and a number of outdoor bars and restaurants overlooking one of the longest bridges in the world.
The two striking twin towers are designed to look like giant sailing ships and are named after two of Vasco da Gama's ships, San Gabriel and San Rafael.
For those interested in shopping, there is a large Vasco Da Gama shopping center(Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama), where the whole of Lisbon comes to shop.
However, the selection of stores is standard, mostly chain stores, although there are some interesting local brand names.
Nations Park in Lisbon - how to get there
— By metro (Oriente station)
— By train from Santa Apollonia station (Oriente station)
— From a (Commerciu Square) you can take bus number 728. Also (from different parts of the city) buses 705, 710, 719, 721, 7 50, 768, 781, 782, 785 go here
Not far from the historical center of Lisbon there are two interesting places with views of the sea and the most beautiful Lisbon bridges. One of them is the Park of Nations with the Vasco da Gama Bridge, the other is the ancient Belem and the 25th of April Bridge. Parque des Nations is easily accessible by metro, and Belém is either a few stops away by train, bus or tram number 15. The places are completely different in spirit and appearance, but at the same time equally interesting and worth visiting.
1. Parque des Nations - a huge architectural complex on the shores of Lisbon Bay, opened for the world exhibition Expo 98 and the anniversary of Vasco da Gama's return from his first expedition to India. Usually people come here for the whole day - there are many cafes, restaurants, entertainment complexes, an aquarium, and a cable car stretched along the embankment. I arrived for a couple of hours - and the main goal was to see the famous Vasco da Gama Bridge, one of two suspension bridges within Lisbon across Mar da Paglia Bay and the mouth of the Tagus River.
2. Park of Nations is a paradise for lovers of high-tech and modern architecture.
The Vasco da Gama cable-stayed bridge crosses the bay northeast of the city center. It was opened in 1998 for Expo 98 and the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India. This is one of the longest bridges in Europe - 17 kilometers with approaches. At the same time, the length of the channel part is 830 meters and the central cable-stayed span is 420 meters. This is the second bridge over the Tagus River in Lisbon. The opening of this six-lane bridge has significantly relieved congestion on the old 25 April Bridge and improved the transport situation in the Lisbon metropolitan area of 3 million.
Lisbon is located on the right bank of the Tagus River (one of the main rivers of Spain and Portugal) at its mouth - the wide Mar da Paglia Bay, which extends far inland. So it’s not quite a river anymore, but it’s not quite a sea either. :) The Vasco da Gama Bridge is located above the center of Lisbon along the river and further from the ocean - here the water in the bay is not yet salty, and the color of the water is not ocean blue, but river brown-brown. The depths are also shallow; in the bay, the fairway of the river bed on the right bank and shallow water spaces extending for many kilometers to the left bank are clearly visible.
3. The tides in Lisbon Bay are very strong - I found myself on the shore at low tide: the water went down several tens of meters, exposing the brown bottom. But some time passed, and it began to arrive literally before our eyes.
4. The central part of the Vasco da Gama bridge on the right bank of the Tagus estuary.
5. The trestle part extends for many kilometers along the shallow waters of the bay.
7. It’s already quite far from the ocean here - this part of the bay is quite shallow. The navigable fairway is marked with navigational signs.
8. In the Park of Nations, convenient bridges are laid along the coast.
9. A large hotel and a 145-meter Vasco da Gama tower with an observation deck at the top were built right on the shore in 1998. Unfortunately, this observation room has not been working for several years.
Now, from the relatively new Park of Nations, which opened 20 years ago, let’s move to ancient Belém. This is an old district of Lisbon, located on the shore of a bay, close to the ocean. It survived the 1755 earthquake and is home to a number of key must-see attractions in the Portuguese capital. Belem (or Belem, as it is also called) is associated with the sea and the Age of Discovery, the golden time when Portugal was the mistress of the seas.
10. From Lisbon Cais do Sodre station to Belem - just 8 minutes by high-speed train. Moreover, trains run every 20 minutes. The photo shows the square in front of the Belem Palace, the official residence of the President of Portugal.
11. Next is the perfectly preserved Jeronimos Monastery, a living witness of the Age of Discovery. Its construction began as early as 1501, shortly after the return of Vasco da Gama from his first expedition to India, and was financed mainly by income received from the trade in Indian spices. The monastery, as often happened in those days, took more than a hundred years to build and was completed by the beginning of the 17th century.
14. Multi-colored houses and the pylon of the 25th of April suspension bridge - opened in 1966 and connecting the northern and southern shores of Tagus Bay, near the place where it flows into the open ocean.
15. On the shore of the bay there is the famous Monument to the Discoverers. From here, centuries ago, brave travelers went to sea - in search of new lands, new adventures, new trade routes with new territories. They were heading towards the unknown... These were dangerous journeys; not all of these brave people were able to return to their home harbor of Lisbon.
17. At the top of the monument there is an observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of Belem, the bay and the bridge.
19. The 25th of April Bridge crosses the shores of the bay closer to the ocean than the Vasco da Gama Bridge. It’s already very deep here, there are no shallow waters and the water is no longer river brown, but real turquoise, sea water. Due to the great depths and the difficulty of constructing supports, the bay had to be covered with a large span of a suspension system (a classic solution for bridges across large sea straits). Based on the length of the central span (1017 meters), this bridge is one of the 20 largest in the world. The bridge structures are painted red and are very similar (the central span is a little more than 1280 meters).
20. Unlike the second Lisbon bridge “Vasco da Gama”, the “25 April Bridge” is combined: at the upper level there is a highway, and at the bottom there is a busy railway line connecting Lisbon with the south of Portugal.
21. A cruise ship passes under the bridge span, and a statue of Christ is on the high bank.