Lisbon has a lot of “ests”. It is one of the oldest cities in the world – it predates Rome by centuries. It also has the largest river in the Iberian Peninsula; the Tagus River. The river is so wide (14 km) that it can hold all of the warships in the world! Lisbon is also home to the oldest running bookshop in the world, Livraria Betrand (it’s 287 years old!). And, if you like bookstores, you can visit the Livraria do Simão, one of the smallest bookstores in business. It is so small that when a customer walks in, the shop owner usually has to walk out. And, can you imagine a construction project lasting almost 400 years? The Church of Santa Engrácia is noted as having the longest construction period of any church in the world!

Are you good at keeping secrets? We bet you’re good but not as good as these guys.
Only 6 people in the world know the recipe for Pastel de Belém, a delectable Portuguese treat that is a must try. The guardians of this recipe take many special precautions such as memorizing the recipe and working in a back room deemed, “Oficina do Segredo”, away from spying eyes. Our mouths are watering just thinking about it!

Your trip isn’t complete without hearing Portugal’s traditional music genre, Fado. Lisbon is the birthplace of Fado (destiny in English), a melancholy and nostalgic form of music. You can learn more about it at the Fado Museum. So whether a love of music, “ests” or food drives your journey to Lisbon, you definitely won’t be disappointed!