Portugal regions – Lisbon region
While Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, it is also the focal point of an entire region of the country, known as the Lisbon region.
The city itself has more than enough charms to captivate its visitors, from its exquisite architecture and cosmopolitan flair, to its wonderful natural beauty. The city is well-known for being distributed over seven hills, alongside the Tagus river, and the capital offers lots of historical attractions, wonderful shopping opportunities and a great nightlife. Lisbon is a wonderful blend of old and new.
The enchanting Sintra is one of the city’s truly must-see sights, a landscape of lush mountains and verdant forests, and populated with castles, palaces and massive mansions. The atmosphere created by the cool mountain air and beautiful scenery extends to the coast, which offers wonderful views across the beaches and cliffs. In this region of the city, the Praia de Guincho attracts professional surfers and windsurfers from around the world.
The greater Lisbon area includes a lot of great attractions such as the Mosteiro da Batalha in Leiria – which is by far one of the most impressive examples of Gothic architecture in Portugal.
This region is also where you’ll find sunny Cascais, one of the most well-known and chic seaside resorts in the country, renowned for its history for being a summer retreat for Portuguese nobility since the 19th century. Nowadays Cascais is a very lively town, boasting several sandy beaches and some great restaurants. Going further south following the Tagus river, you’ll find that Costa da Caparica and Setubal are totally worth visiting for their natural beauty.
Going along the coast will allow you to visit the rather impressive walled town of Obidos and Caldas da Rainha, well known in the region and not only, for its ceramics. On a side-note, you will find some great golf courses in this region.
