Lisbon secrets — the beginning

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in Europe, almost everyone that ever steeped foot in Europe was here at or at least used Lisbon for commerce.

There were Pre-Celtic tribes, then The Indo-European Celts invaded the Pre-Indo-European population. There are archaeological findings from the Phoenician, according to a legend Lisbon was even founded by Ulysses. It was great during the Roman Era but afterwards it was invaded by Sarmatians, Alans and Vandals, Visigothi and finally by Muslim forces.

In 1147 it was reconquered by the first Portuguese King Afonso Henriques, and in 1255 it became the capital of Portugal, a country that has some of the oldest defined borders (at least in its continental space).

From Lisbon departed the ships that were used by the Portuguese to go to Brazil, Africa, India and so many other places, it made it one of the richest cities in the old world with the trade in spices, slaves, sugar, textiles and other goods.

On the following centuries, Portugal lost its independence to Spain, regained it, lived through one of the worst earthquakes that are in our written memory, a tsunami, was invaded by Napoleon 3 times, the king fled to Brazil, there was a civil war, a regicide that brought us the Republic, a dictatorship that lasted 40 years, a peaceful revolution that took us of the dictatorship and finally the entry in the European Union in 1986.

All this makes Lisbon an amazing city, with remains of all of these either in the architecture in the archaeological pieces or even in the culture.

Nowadays, we have not only a big and interesting history but also a city with all the modern technologies, and amenities, a great night, amazing food and that has tourism as one of his biggest bet.

On the last couple of weeks and months, Lisbon was considered as one of the top cities to visit in near future, so and since I lived here for half of my life, I’ll start writing not only about my trips out of here, but also about my city and some of her secrets, trying to help anyone that comes here.

So even if this is not a secret for anyone that knows a little bit about it or that goes to Wikipedia, this will be my first post on the “Secrets from Lisbon” category.

posted also in wandererwannabe.com