Parque das Nações, Lisbon

Parque das Nações (Nations’ park)

Parque das Nações is a recent neighborhood recreated in the late 90s with the aim of hosting the EXPO98 event, the world exhibition that took place in Lisbon in 1998, where most countries in the world were represented, with their cultures and shows. Parque das Nações is the most modern area of ​​the city of Lisbon, with infrastructures of contemporary design, a part of the city created from an old industrial area to originate the new neighborhood of the city of Lisbon which we call Parque das Nações. Parque das Nações is integrated in the Parish Council of Parque das Nações, an old and degraded industrial area of ​​Lisbon before Expo 1998. Parque das Nações was transformed into one of the noblest and most desirable areas of the city, with about 5 km of riverside area next to the Tagus, make it a popular place for families with children, executives, tourists during the day, and young people to socialize and have fun at night.

The Expo, as it is also known, is one of the main places of nightlife in the Portuguese capital due to the street of bars and clubs that are found here. Parque das Nações is highly sought after by contemporary architecture lovers due to the various buildings of modern architecture, namely the Portuguese Pavilion by Álvaro Siza Vieira, the Lisbon Oceanarium by Peter Chermayeff, the Atlantic Pavilion by Regino Cruz , Teatro Camões by Manuel Salgado and Gare do Oriente by Santiago Calatrava;

for nature lovers, Parque das Nações has approximately one third of the territory populated with gardens and green areas with urban art, namely Alameda dos Oceanos, Jardins Garcia d’Orta and Hanging Gardens; buildings with drawings by António Segui, Arthur Boyd and Erró, or with works by Adalgisa Duarte, António Vidigal and João Cutileiro on avenues and sidewalks

Parque das Nações is one of the main points of arrival and departure of passenger transport in Lisbon, with trains (suburban and long-haul), bus, metro (with direct connection to Lisbon Airport) and taxis. Parque das Nações is a modern, cosmopolitan, multicultural place, where you can stroll, do sports, do business and live safely.

Administrative Organization

Parque das Nações is managed by the Parish Council of Parque das Nações.

Attractions to visit in Parque das Nações (top 10)

1. Oceanário de Lisboa: is one of the largest public aquariums in the world, located at Esplanada Dom Carlos I. Oceanário de Lisboa was opened in 1998 with a project by the architect Peter Chermayeff with the objective to attract public attention to the overexploitation of the oceans, presenting the following attractions:
   • Central aquarium with approximately 5 million liters of salt water;
   • More than 1 million visitors per year;
   • Submerged Forests Exhibition by Takashi Amano;
   • Animals of the Oceanarium – with over 25 thousand species, namely sea otters, Magellanic penguins, rock jumping penguins, anemones, and sharks.
2. Casino de Lisboa: is the largest casino in Portugal, located in Alameda dos Oceanos. Casino de Lisboa was opened in 2006, receiving approximately two million visitors per year, with the following highlights:
   • 3 Casino de Lisboa restaurants: are: Le Buffet, a restaurant with buffet of Portuguese specialties; Hua Ta Li: – luxury restaurant with Chinese cuisine; BelTejo: – space for birthdays, galas, meetings or dinners.
   • 4 Bars of Casino de Lisboa: are: Arena Lounge; Paly Bar; Joker Bar; Baccarat Bar.
   • 2 Venues for shows :
     • Arena Lounge: the room where the circus and live music shows are held;
     • Auditório dos Oceanos, the privileged space for the exhibition of theater plays.
   • 1100 slot machines
   • Roulette Stands, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud Poker, French Banking: and Ponto e Banca.
3. Vasco da Gama Shopping Center: is a shopping center with lots of natural light due to modern glass construction, with 4 floors of shops and restaurants with wide spaces, several parking floors, located in Avenida Dom João II. The Vasco da Gama Shopping Center was inaugurated in 1999, thus designed to honor the Vasco da Gama navigator, presenting the following attractions: 170 stores with 2 floors of restaurants, with the main brands of ready to wear, reading, technology and hypermarket; 6 movie theaters; 1 Health Club.
4. Pavilhão de Portugal: is a multicultural space managed by the University of Lisbon, located at Alameda dos Oceanos. The Portugal Pavilion was opened in 1998 with a project by the architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, presenting the following points of interest:
   • Central square used for official ceremonies and other public events of approximately 60 by 50 meters;
   • Pre-reinforced concrete visor with 1400 tons of weight, one of the great innovative projects of Architect Siza Vieira; and the Exhibition Center.
5. Pavilhão do Conhecimento: is the space where the Centro Ciência Viva: of Parque das Nações is located, located at Largo José Mariano Gago. The Knowledge Pavilion was opened in 1998 with a project by the architect Carrilho da Graça, and later, converted into the Centro Ciência Viva, an interactive science museum. The Ciência Viva Center has several activities and spaces, namely: Ciência Viva Circuits; Auditorium; Library; Cafeteria; Increased Doing Exposure; Explora Exhibition; Escape Modules Exhibition; Women in Science Exhibition; Academia Ciência Viva.
6. Teatro Camões: is a cultural space where diverse performances are held, located in Parque das Nações, near the Oceanário. Teatro Camões was opened in 1998 with a project by the architect Manuel Salgado, presenting the following points of interest: a glass facade facing the Tagus River; an Auditorium with 873 seats; and the Orchestra Space, 16 meters wide and 5.5 meters deep.
7. Jardim Alameda dos Oceanos: is a mall approximately two kilometers long, located at Alameda dos Oceanos. The garden was opened in 1998, with three different paths, namely:
   • Caminho Sul: located between Torre da Galp and Rotunda do Cabeço das Rolas;
   • Caminho da Gare do Oriente: is the widest and wooded path located close to Gare do Oriente and the Pavilhão de Portugal;
   • Caminho Norte: is the path with fountains, water games and shrub beds.
8. Telecabine Lisboa: is a cable car, located in Parque das Nações that runs along the entire coastline of the exhibition, with a connection between the old Vasco da Gama Tower and the Oceanarium. The cable car was inaugurated in 1998, with forty cabins with capacity for eight passengers, providing a view over the Parque das Nações and the Tagus River in an 8 to 12 minute journey over a length of 1230 meters, at 30 meters in height.
9. Estação do Oriente: is a modern architecture station that houses the train, bus and metro stations, located on Avenida Dom João II. Estação do Oriente was opened in 1998 with a project by the architect Santiago Calatrava, being one of the most important transport interfaces in the city of Lisbon, since it is served by train, bus, metro and taxis. Estação do Oriente received the Brunel Architecture Prize in 1998, with the glass cover on the top floor as the main highlight.
10. MEO ARENA (Pavilhão Atlântico): is the largest pavilion of events and shows in the country, located in Rossio dos Olivais. MEO ARENA (Pavilhão Atlântico) was opened in 1998 with a project by the architect Regino Cruz and the international office Skidmore, Owings and Merril. MEO ARENA (Pavilhão Atlântico) was the stage for several national and international music concerts, business and municipal events and political events.

Other attractions to explore at Parque das Nações

• Vasco da Gama Bridge: is the longest bridge in Europe and the fourth most extensive in the world, with a connection between Lisbon and Montijo. Vasco da Gama Bridge was inaugurated in 1998 with the current name to honor Vasco da Gama in the year that celebrated 500 years of arrival in India, with a project by TPF Consultores. Vasco da Gama Bridge has several important features, namely:
  • Extension of more than 17 km;
  • Central towers 150 meters high;
  • Tray 47 meters above the water level;
  • Three weather stations along the bridge;
  • 91 traffic management cameras.
• Parque Tejo: is a landscaped site, located on Passeio do Tejo. Parque Tejo was inaugurated in 1998, with a connection between Parque das Nações and the mouth of the Trancão River. Parque Tejo has the following points of interest:
  • Landscaped site along the Tagus River;
  • Area very frequented at the weekend by Lisboners and tourists to rest and practice sports activities;
  • Privileged place for bird watching along the Tagus Estuary.
• Rossio dos Olivais: is the center of Parque das Nações, located between the Vasco da Gama Shopping Center and the Atlantic Pavilion. Rossio dos Olivais is known for the presence of the flags of the countries that participated in the Universal Exhibition of Lisbon in 1998, for the water corridor and for the large number of trees planted.
• Marina do Parque das Nações: is one of the most recent marinas in the city of Lisbon, located at Rua Rio Tejo. The marina has a capacity for 602 moorings for boats up to 25 meters in the South Basin and cruises or mega yachts up to 230 meters in Ponte Cais. The marina offers the following services: Sailor support; Hypermarket with delivery of direct purchases on the boat; Laundry; Books and films for customer use; Banks; Health care; Bicycle rental; Birthday parties.
• Sky Bar Oriente: is a rooftop, located at Avenida Dom João II. The Sky Bar Oriente features the panoramic view of the Tagus River and Parque das Nações; and the panoramic Bar.
• Torre da Galp: is an old oil tower, located at Rua Tomás da Fonseca. The Galp Tower is an example of industrial archeology, recovered for the Universal Exhibition in Lisbon in 1998 to remember the period when Parque das Nações was an oil refinery.
• LX Skate Park: is a skate park, located in Parque das Nações. The LX Skate Park presents as a point of interest the variety of ramps and obstacles for skateboarding maneuvers, the quality of the floor for skateboarding, the proximity of the riverside promenade of Parque das Nações; and the proximity of the Vasco da Gama Bridge.
• Jardim Cabeço das Rolas: is a garden at Parque das Nações, located on Avenida Ulisses. The Cabeço das Rolas Garden has the curiosity of being 33 meters above the water level of the Tagus River, having been a place for the passage of doves. The Cabeço das Rolas Garden has the following points of interest: View over the Tagus River and the Vasco da Gama Bridge; Lake with 2500 m2; Fountains and fountains; Several species of trees, namely orange, cypress and olive trees.
• Jardim Garcia d’Orta: is a garden of exotic flora, located at Rua Alfredo Pimenta. Jardim Garcia d’Orta was inaugurated in 1998 with a project by landscape architect João Gomes da Silva, with plant species from Cape Verde, Goa, São Tomé and Princípe and the Azores and Madeira.
• Jardins d’Água: are landscaped spaces with themes related to water, located on the riverside area of ​​Parque das Nações. Jardins d’Água were inaugurated in 1998, presenting the following points of interest: Jardins da Palmeira; Mediterranean orchard; Lake Ulysses; Cascade Building; Hydraulic Garden.
• Hospital CUF Descobertas: is one of the renowned hospitals in the city of Lisbon, located at Rua Mário Botas. The CUF Descobertas Hospital was opened in 2001, with a daily capacity of approximately 1500 consultations, 2000 exams, 300 emergencies, 60 operations, 10 deliveries and 35 patients discharged. CUF Descobertas Hospital offers the following spaces:
  • 158 hospital beds
  • Central Operating Room with 5 rooms
  • Delivery Block with 3 rooms
  • 116 specialty consultation offices
  • Tile panels by Abdoulaye Konaté;
  • Work by ngela Ferreira;
  • Structure by António Vidigal;
  • Statue representing Queen Dona Catarina de Bragança by Audrey Flack;
  • Tiled panels representing cartoon characters by the Icelandic artist Erró;
  • Works by Fernanda Fragateiro, namely Jardim das Ondas, statue representing a Giraffe;
  • Calçada Portuguesa representing the waves of the sea in front of the flags of the countries that participated in the Universal Exhibition of Lisbon, by Fernando Conduto;
  • Tile panel of the ECRAN building by Jorge Martins;
  • Iron sculpture approximately 20 meters high and 15 tons representing the Sun, by Jorge Vieira;
  • Portuguese sidewalk representing sea monsters by Pedro Proença.Roteiro Arte Urbana, with the various exhibition areas of urban art in Parque das Nações, namely:

• Hanging Gardens
• Esplanade Dom Carlos I
• Campus of Justice
• Lisbon International Fair
• Jardim Sul
• Vasco da Gama Tower

Main streets and squares of Parque das Nações

• Avenida Dom João II: is one of the largest and busiest avenues in Parque das Nações, with a connection between the Rotunda of the Republic of Colombia and Avenida Ulisses. Avenida Dom João II was built for the Universal Exhibition of Lisbon in 1998, so designated since 2009 to honor King Dom João II. The avenue is close to several points of interest, namely:
  • Statue of homage to Dom João II by the sculptor Manuel Rosa;
  • Vasco da Gama Shopping Center;
  • Oriente Station.
• Avenida Ulisses: with connection between Praça do Príncipe Perfeito and the Rotunda of the Republic of Argentina. Avenida Ulisses has the following points of interest:
  • Alameda dos Oceanos;
  • Water Gardens;
  • Water Path;
  • Jardim Cabeço das Rolas.
• Avenida Fernando Pessoa: is one of the avenues of Parque das Nações, with a connection between Alameda dos Oceanos and Avenida Marechal Gomes da Costa. Avenida Fernando Pessoa is close to several attractions, namely Alameda dos Oceanos; and the Galp Tower.

Educational establishments

• Colégio Oriente
• Colégio Pedro
• Creche
• Externato João XXIII

Tourist developments

• Olissipo Oriente
• Tivoli Oriente
• Tryp Oriente
• VIP Executive Arts

Places to shop

• Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama
• Gare do Oriente

Transport and Access

• Gare do Oriente
  AeroShuttle: bus that makes the direct connection between Parque das Nações and Lisbon Airport every thirty minutes with tickets at Tryp Oriente, Tivoli Tejo, Olissipo Oriente and VIP Art’s hotels
  Buses: (Rodoviária de Lisboa and Transportes Sul do Tejo)
  Trains: suburban (Azambuja Line and Sintra Line), national (Alfa Pendular, Intercidades and Regional) and International (Sud-Expresso and Lusitânia Comboio Hotel)
  Express Buses
  Metropolitano: (Red Line)

Location of the Parish of Parque das Nações on the map of Lisbon

Parque das Nações is located …

Parque das Nações is located on the edge of Lisbon, close to Marvila and Beato