The largest cultural institution in Portugal was founded in 1955 when Calouste Gulbenkian, the Armenian oil millionaire, donated his estate to the country that had welcomed him during World War II. This museum houses his extensive collections and is part of a larger complex that includes concert halls, a park, restaurants and a museum of modern art.

Even today, the former Reichsparteitagsgelände (Nazi Party Rally Grounds) in the south of the city is still home to gigantic ruins representing the Nazi regime’s deluded notion of grandeur. The 11 km² complex was where the Nazi Party orchestrated its propaganda campaign. The documentation centre is located in the north wing of the Kongresshalle, which was designed by the Nazis to hold 50 000 people and was never completed. The permanent “Faszination und Gewalt” (“Fascination and Terror”) exhibition housed in the 1300 m² venue, chronicles the causes, relationships and consequences of the Nazi dictatorship.

The area where Expo 98 was held has been successfully transformed into a centre for exhibitions, leisure and culture. The extensive amount of building since the Expo almost overshadows pearls such as Siza Vieira’s Portugal pavilion and Santiago Calatrava’s adjacent Oriente Station. Green park spaces with public art link landmark contemporary buildings like the Camões Theatre and the Lisbon Oceanarium. Trendy waterfront restaurants, the glass-roofed Centro Vasco da Gama mall with shops and cinemas — everything you need for a fun weekend. Kid-friendly exhibits attract families to the Knowledge Pavilion, while the Telecabine Lisboa cable car offers sweeping views with a touch of adventure.