Friday 2 November 2012

Lisbon, Parque das Nações


Welcome to the Parque das Nações!

This lively leisure, commercial, and residential area of Lisbon is beautifully located next to the River Tagus Estuary. The Expo '98 World Exhibition was held here after a huge recovering process of the area during the 1990s . "The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future" was the theme of  Expo '98. The aim: to commemorate the 500 years of Portuguese discoveries.
In the photo below, Gil, the mascot of Expo '98. The name was chosen in honor of the Portuguese navigator Gil Eanes, who, in 1434, sailed beyond Cape Bojador in Africa, until then impassable.

From Férias Portugal 2012

This is one of the several volcano fountains in the park

From Férias Portugal 2012

Love it!

From Férias Portugal 2012

One of my favorite Parque das Nações spots: The Water Gardens ( Jardins da Água )

From Férias Portugal 2012

Lisbon Oceanarium (Oceanário de Lisboa), the largest indoor Aquarium in Europe, designed by Peter Chermayeff, the same architect of Osaka Oceanarium, the largest aquarium in the world.  In the photo below, Vasco, the Lisbon's Oceanarium mascot.

From Férias Portugal 2012

In Lisbon's Oceanarium central tank, you will find about 100 species from around the world, including sharks, rays, tuna, barracudas, groupers and moray eels. One of the main attractions is a large Sunfish. Around the main tank, there are four more tanks, representing different world environments: the North Atlantic rocky coast, the Antarctic coastal line, the Temperate Pacific kelp forests and the Tropical Indian coral reefs.

From Férias Portugal 2012

If you want to enjoy the amazing view of the Tagus River and of the largest bridge in Europe - Vasco da Gama Bridge - I strongly recommend you a trip in the Parque das Nações cable car (teleférico).

From Férias Portugal 2012

From Lisboa 2011

Finally, if you want to discover more sights of Lisbon, take your train in Parque das Nações, at Oriente Station (Gare do Oriente). Designed by Santiago Calatrava, it's one of the largest stations in the world.   
In Oriente Station, you'll find a Metro station, a high-speed, commuter and regional train hub and a local, national and international bus station, as well as a shopping center, named after Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India through the sea (1498).

The view of Gare do Oriente from Vasco da Gama Shopping Center

From Férias Portugal 2012

I have enjoyed a splendid day in Parque das Nações with my goddaughter, her mother and her sister. I'm sure you will enjoy it too, if you want to visit it one day!

Back in 1998, it was like this...Have fun!

6 comments:

Sami said...

Parque das Naçoes is a very special place in Lisbon.

Presépio no Canal said...

Yes, it is. :-) I love to take a walk there and afterwards enjoy a nice dinner in a terrace and a show in Arena Lounge.

restlessjo said...

Has it been added to recently? We were there a couple of years ago and I don't remember some of this. Of course, we did the Aquarium and the cable car.

Presépio no Canal said...

If I'm not wrong, everything is the same as before. What exactly don't you remember?

Tânia Barreira said...

De facto o parque das nações é dos sitios mais bonitos de Lisboa!

Presépio no Canal said...

Olá Tania! :-)

Bem-vinda ao Presépio!

Sim,concordo consigo.Agora, então, com as árvores mais frondosas, o Parque das Nações está ainda mais bonito. Muita gente a passear de bicicleta também. Foi bom, muito bom lá ter voltado! :-)