Lisbon Oceanarium -- Europe's 2nd Largest -- Over 8,000 Animals & Plants

Lisbon Oceanarium

TripAdvisor raves, "The World’s Best Aquarium’ – Lisbon's Oceanarium today is an iconic attraction to tour in Lisbon. We have added key tips to ensure that your visit there is exceedingly successful, addressing from location, transportation, what to do once you get there, whether it's cool for kids and adults to how to skip extremely long lines. We have answered all the questions swimming in your head. Just continue reading.

What is Lisbon Oceanarium?

If you're considering going to Lisbon to tour its many attractions, chances are perhaps you've stumbled upon these terms: Lisbon Oceanarium. And now, you are probably asking yourself, "What is this place?" Great question! Lisbon Oceanarium is a huge public complex which has a fine, public aquarium as well as a large complex around it. In fact, it's Europe's second largest oceanarium and home to over 8000 plants and animals of more than 500 various species. So, if you love sea life and the ocean, this is obviously a must-do.

What can anyone do while at Lisbon Oceanarium?

Since Lisbon Oceanarium is far more than just a public aquarium, visiting here, you'll be coming in touch with the oceans and the sea life and creating memorable experiences.

Expositions

The initial thing which pops into your mind is seeing algae and fishes and  much more. Each year the Lisbon Oceanarium hosts two unique expositions.

• Permanent exposition – it's the same one all year long;
• Temporary exposition – it varies as the seasons change.

Permanent exposition

The Central Aquarium provides this and it's stunning! Imagine, with around 5 million liters of very salted water, plus 4 different environments, make you believe you are near the ocean. 

It hosts two levels, the “above the floor” level, and here you could observe species such as sea otters, penguins, and then the “subaquatic” level, from where you'll marvel at many kinds of sea stars, sharks, plants, fishes, and algae in their normal habitat.

What you'll see

You will catch sights of algae, plants, fishes, mammals, amphibians, invertebrates, birds, and more.

But the temporary exposition occurs just a few times every year.  Generally, it differs, and depending on the season, the species shown are different from season to season.

However, the main focus is certainly to present the full range of the biodiversity that the oceans offer.

Family fun

Despite observing all types of sea life co-existing in varying natural habitats are sufficiently extraordinary, the Lisbon Oceanarium has gone one step further by offering a few exciting experiences for the entire family. Here's a list of activities you or your children may engage in while here:

• Playing CSI;
• Birthday party;
• Fado for the small kids; 
• Sleeping with the sharks;
• Underwater vacations;
• Concerts for toddlers;
• The sea is intended for all ages.

Tip on how to skip long lines

Everyone hates to wait forever and that is why you can avoid the queue just by purchasing the skip-the-line-tickets at automated machines.

How to visit

• Buses (Carris) Closest stop: Oriente (East) Station.
• Underground. Red line: Oriente (East) Station.
• Trains. Alfa Pendular and Intercity trains, inter-regional and regional trains (connections to the North and South of Portugal are available), and the Azambuja line (Lisbon-Azambuja)
• By road.
• Boats.

The Oceanarium which is located in the Parque das Nacoes, now is open daily.

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Mosteiro Dos Jeronimos (Monastery) -- 10 Most Fascinating Facts

Mosteiro Dos Jeronimos (Monastery)

As one of Portugal's most beautiful architectural works, Jeronimos Monastery commands a lengthy history in respect to the nation's political development. Here's my list of 10 most fascinating facts:

1) Order to build it was given in 1496.

By the year 1496, Portugal was already making headway in its string of discoveries, and Vasco da Gama was returning from successful sea journey to India.

King Manual l asked the pope's permission to construct a great monastery situated on the Belem coast to show his gratitude to the Virgin Mary whom he firmly thought had guided his seamen to safety.

After gaining permission, construction of the new monastery started soon.

2) Jeronimos Monastery isn't its genuine name.

The monastery in fact replaced an older church standing on the same location, which was dedicated to Santa Maria de Belem.

Although the real name of new building is Mosteiro da Santa Maria de Belem, it bears "Jeronimos," explaining where "Jeronimos Monastery" originates.

3) Monks received the order to pray.

Since the construction of the structure amounted to a great event in religious history for the country's people at that period, several religious groups wanted to receive the honor of taking up the space. Finally, King Manual l invited the Order of St. Jerome.

For this privilege these monks were "obligated" to pray every day for Prince Henry the Navigator, for the king, and for his future successors.

Also, the monks gave spiritual advice to sailors departing from and returning to Belem.

4) Same monks conceived the pastel de nata

Another thing you surely won't overlook in Belem is, Lisbon's best pastel de natas. It actually makes sense that this current renowned dessert was invented in the Jeronimos Monastery several years ago.

Though the dessert's first record of sales date as far back to the 1830s, there's a belief that the monks came up with the recipe around one century before that.

During that period, the monks and nuns in the monastery used large quantities of egg whites in order to starch their clothes. The remaining yolks allowed space to be creative, which finally became the main ingredient to this delicious dessert.

5) It was designed in Manueline style.

The monastery is now broadly considered one of the greatest examples of Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline architecture in the world.

The whole facade which features elaborate visuals etched into limestone, is a symphony of intricate sculptural themes incorporating nautical objects used in the Age of Discoveries.

6) The major 1755 earthquake did little damage.

The monastery withstood the great earthquake's terrible shake in 1755.

Despite the earthquake razing several buildings to the ground, the monastery survived with light damage to its balustrade and high choir, which were repaired promptly and easily following the event.

7) Vasco da gama's tomb lies here.

As a symbol of the Age of Discoveries, it's quite suitable to find Vasco da Gama's remains in one of the monastery's tombs.

The building's patron, King Manual l and his family have also been lay to rest in the monastery's lower level.

Nearby to them, a few of the country's most renowned authors lay permanently here as well, such as Luis de Camoes and Fernando Pessoa.

8) It became known as one of Portugal's 7 wonders.

All seven wonders are historic sites, retaining monumental importance to the country's culture and past, two of which stand not only in Lisbon but also in Belem.

The Jeronimos Monastery is one of them and the Tower of Belem is the other. So a short walk to Belem allows you to check off two of these 7 wonders in one brief visit.

9) Money for erecting it came from varying sea voyages.

It's frequently very shocking to ponder on the time required for this monument's evolution. It's construction wouldn't have been on the cheap side and the country wasn't exactly flourishing at that time yet.

The monastery took more than a century to build. Throughout this long era, treasures from various expeditions to South America, Africa, and Asia provided the funds to finance the construction's continuation.

10) It is a UNESCO world heritage site.

On account of the monastery's cultural and historic significance to Portugal, it was honored in 1983 with a UNESCO World Heritage status.

It's today one of Lisbon's most visited landmarks.

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Prinsengracht -- Canal Introduces -- 7 Popular Attractions -- in Amsterdam

 Prinsengracht, Amsterdam

Named after William l, Prinsengracht's name means Prince's Canal. He was in addition called William of Orange and participated in the eighty Years War that led to the Dutch Republic's independence. Prinsengracht is Amsterdam's longest, major canal, shaping the canal ring's outer circle. As the 3rd and outermost of 3 central canals, together they form the city's 4th outlay, which was an expansion project begun in 1612 and lasted 50 years to complete. By then, Amsterdam had grown four times larger.  In 2009, the 3 central canals were given the UNESCO World Heritage Site status. A few of the city's best-known structures could be seen along it, from Unicorn Lock, Hudde's Stone to Noorderkerk, creating a picturesque stroll. Let's start the tour here:

Unicorn Lock

Prinsengracht's entrance called Eenhoomsluis, or Unicorn Lock, is one out of 16 waterlocks that were constructed around Amsterdam in the 17th century, in order to control the canals' water level as well as to protect the city from the sea. Since the city was a seaport, this worked as a sealock. Visitors could yet observe that the city-side's lockdoors are much lower than the outer flood doors, which were erected to safeguard the city from North Westerly storm and spring tides.

Hudde's Stone

The horizontal line running across this stone suggests the sea-dykes' height around Amsterdam in those days. The tidal average high-water level via those dykes turned into the benchmark for the canals' water level, which was 9 feet and 5 inches below that benchmark. Mayor Hudde put in a system of watermills, locks, and measuring stones by which citizens can have their feet dry and prevented from getting sick from the canals' pollution and stench.

   

Amsterdam Cafe Papeneiland

On the opposite side of the canal, stands a cafe on the corner of the Brewer's Canal, Papeneiland, one of Amsterdam's oldest cafes, established in the year 1641. It was originally a catholic cafe standing on a small island only outside the city.

The construction of a secret tunnel began in the 17th century that originated from the Posthorn church, beneath the canal itself, leading to the cafe's basement. That tunnel allowed the Catholics to escape the city in case of danger. If you politely ask the cafe's barman about it, he might take you to the actual basement and where the tunnel begins. Former president Bill Clinton spent a few hours here while visiting Holland back in 2011, enjoying the cafe's renowned home-made apple pie.

Posthorn Hidden Church

The reformation proved to be of huge significance for Amsterdam, for it sparked the city's fast growth during the 17th century. During this critical time, Catholics were tossed out of churches and out of public office and were not permitted to practice their religion in the open. As a result, they constructed 14 semi-clandestine concealed churches to exercise their faith in. Everyone knew they existed but they tolerated it if they continued in that fashion. Posthorn Church was one of these secret churches, which could be identified via a posthorn's gablestone above the door.

Northern Church

Built after Western Church, Northern Church was commissioned by rich merchants, who wanted the common smelly citizens such as farmers and fishermen and others to enter. Though it took 13 long years to complete the fancy Western Church, the Northern Church was built in only 2 years.

Amsterdam's Narrowest House

The majority of the foreigners arriving in the early 17th century were merchants, all wanting a home standing on the canalside in order to hoist merchandise from their ships in the canals directly to their homes' attic for storage. All of such homes on the canals were erected deep and narrow and with very steep staircases. The local tax laws of the 17th century led to this particular architectural style. Estate on the canalsides was rare and valuable, and taxes were paid via the width of the homes' canalfront. The narrowest home sits on Singel canal nr 7, which is just 1 meter wide but the rear is 7 meters wide; that was an excellent size in a good site, plus the owner did not have to pay a lot of taxes. 

Anne Frank House Museum

The modern structure standing nearby is the Anne Frank Museum, which is one of the country's busiest museums, boasting nearly a million tourists every year. Three homes down is where Anne Frank hid throughout the war and drafted her famed diary.

 

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