Lisbon, Portugal

The capital and largest Portuguese city, with almost 3 million inhabitants in the broader Metropolitan Region (Grande Lisboa), is also the major financial and political center of Portugal. Interesting sights are the historical borough of Belém situated along the Tagus River (Rio Tejo) with the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, an astounding example of the so-called Manueline architecture, a fusion of Gothic and Renaissance with inspiration from the exploration period. The upper quarter of Bairro Alto in central Lisbon is the main shopping district, and the center of the nightlife.