On November 1, 1755, one of the strongest earthquakes in history hit the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, which almost completely destroyed the city.
That earthquake was so powerful that it led to a chain of natural disasters one after the other, including many fires and huge tsunami waves, which caused enormous damage.
Following the severe disasters of that year, no less than a third of the city's population was wiped out, as was the city's popular commercial center (Praça do Comércio), the Royal Riviera Palace and countless other important monuments.
In fact, the damage in the city was so great, that to this day its destructive effects can be seen in various places in the city (such as the Karmo monastery which remains to this day without a roof).
The great disaster did cause tremendous damage when it resulted in the death of tens of thousands of people, caused the loss of approximately 50 percent of Portugal's GDP and destroyed many important historical sites, but despite this, the residents of the city who survived the severe earthquake did not lose their spirit for a moment; they succeeded to rise from the heavy disaster and slowly, over the years, Lisbon was brought back to life, until it became one of the most popular and touristic cities in Europe.
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Almost two million tourists visit Lisbon every year, including tourists from Israel who come to the city as part of the organized tours issued by the Pegasus company, most of them of course do not miss the popular sites of the city, such as the Belem Tower, the Jerónimos Monastery, the Vasco da Gama Bridge, the Sao Jorge Fortress and Comercio square, but besides the well-known and beloved sites, the Portuguese capital city has a lot more to offer its visitors, from the unique carriage museum to a doll hospital.
We have compiled five slightly different attractions that you should not miss on your next visit to Lisbon.
Boutique shops, restaurants and graffiti in the most colorful complex in the city
The vast majority of tourists who visit the capital of Portugal spend their time in the city center.
However, a short drive from the center, in the magical Alcantara neighborhood, is the LX Factory complex located in an ancient building from the 19th century, where you can find exhibitions and galleries, street art and graffiti, artistic displays, small designer shops as well as delicious restaurants, cafes and bars.
The shops in the colorful complex are one of a kind, and among other things you can find boutique stands of young designers, shops for plant care products and even a small origami shop that allows you to try the Japanese art of folding.
The most famous store in the complex is undoubtedly the Ler Devagar bookstore, which is considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
It is located in a former printing house (which is now on the top floor) and you can find piles of books that reach up to the ceiling.
Besides shops, the complex also offers a unique culinary experience, with some of the best restaurants and cafes in the city.
The Cantina restaurant, for example, the first restaurant opened in the complex, offers dishes from Portuguese cuisine, baked in an ancient wood oven.
Not far from it is the popular dessert shop LXeese, which offers one of the best cheesecakes in town.
Burger lovers should not miss Burger Factory, which according to many locals has the best hamburger in all of Lisbon.
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It turns out that the most beautiful view in Portugal is inside a "secret" bar
One of the reasons that make Lisbon one of the most beautiful, desirable and romantic cities in Western Europe is the many viewpoints it has.
Throughout the length and breadth of the city there are many views of the impressive and powerful views of the city, but there is one view that is considered exceptional - the view from the unique Secret Garden LX bar.
This is a "secret" sighting, not known by many, certainly not tourists.
It is inside a hidden bar with colorful walls, which offers, apart from the extraordinary view, delicious cocktails and a wide range of alcoholic drinks.
But with all due respect to the rich cocktail menu and the delicious food served in this special bar, the icing on the cake is of course the balcony, from which the same spectacular view can be seen, and where you can spend long hours enjoying the peace and beauty with a delicious drink in hand.
Besides the most beautiful view in Portugal, the bar regularly hosts live performances by local artists, and sometimes even parties until the wee hours of the night accompanied by a local DJ.
So if you have come to visit Lisbon and feel like taking a break from the city, Secret Garden LX, which offers a varied menu and an amazingly beautiful view, is exactly the place for you.
Just don't forget to take your camera with you.
Street food, local jams and Portuguese wine in one of the most magical markets in the city
In the Portuguese capital city there are quite a few colorful markets, including of course, the famous Time Out market, which is considered the busiest and most popular market in Lisbon, where you can find hundreds of different stalls.
In contrast, the Campo de Ourica market is a relatively small market, offering local raw materials, special food stalls and fresh and varied goods such as homemade jams, wines made in Portugal, local cheeses and more.
Besides stalls offering fruits and vegetables, fish and meat, jams and pastries, this colorful market also has quite a few street food stalls, providing a real and authentic culinary experience.
Among the tastiest places in the market you can find U Try Hamburger - a stand that offers fresh hamburgers produced on the spot and Tasquinha - a sushi stand where you can find all types of sushi, consisting of high-quality, fresh ingredients and fish caught that morning.
This is what the doll hospital looks like from the inside
@annehorel A weird place to visit in Lisbon: the doll hospital!
#weirdtok #weirdtourism #dolls #halloweenvibes #lisbon #halloween ♬ Halloween ・ cute horror song - PeriTune
When was the last time you visited a doll hospital?
The Doll Hospital is undoubtedly one of the most special places in Lisbon.
This is a complex divided into a museum, a shop and yes, also a hospital for dolls, intended for people who are interested in repairing old dolls and toys.
Visiting a place that has existed since 1830 is an amazing experience, and you shouldn't miss it when you come to the city.
Legend has it that the doll hospital in Lisbon was created in a rather unique way.
Several years before the hospital opened, a young girl named Carlota used to sit in the area, fixing broken dolls.
In a short time, the word about the prodigy who fixes dolls reached all the children of the town, who gave her their broken dolls for her to fix, and that's how the unique place was actually founded.
In the doll hospital in the city you can spend long hours there, learning about the history of the dolls in the store, watching local artists repairing and caring for old toys and dolls and of course being impressed by the unique museum, where you can find an amazing collection of unique toys.
Carriage Museum in Lisbon, Portugal (Photo: ShutterStock)
A glimpse into the rich history of the Portuguese royal family
In order to preserve the collection of carriages of the royal house, in 1905 Queen D'Emilia of Orléas and Bragança decided to establish the carriage museum, which is still considered to be one of the most special museums in all of Portugal.
It houses a unique collection of carriages from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, considered the largest and most expensive collection of its kind in the entire world, and provides a glimpse into the evolution of these amazing means of transportation, which were first horse-drawn and later the first cars to be produced.
Each carriage in the museum, which is within walking distance of the Tagus River, is more luxurious than the next, showcasing the tremendous efforts of local artists, with the aim of making the carriages shiny, luxurious and eye-catching.
In this special museum you can spend long hours and be impressed by the rich history of the Portuguese royal family.
The article is sponsored by the company Pegasus Organized Trips Abroad - as part of its goal to promote familiarity with world cultures and the enrichment of knowledge.
In partnership with Pegasus
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