Portugal

For centuries Coimbra, a university town rich in tradition, significantly influenced intellectual life... in Portugal and even today more than a fifth of its inhabitants are students. There are many historical monuments to visit in the picturesque old part of the town. The cathedral Sé Velha resembles a fortress. The choir, in particular, with its Flemish altar retable and the azulejo-covered inside walls is well worth seeing. The first Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques, found his final resting place in the Augustinian monastery Mosteiro de Santa Cruz. At the beginning of the 16th century the Romanesque monastery was rebuilt in the manueline, or Portuguese late gothic, style. Also dating from this period are the richly decorated portal facade and the unique choir stalls. The Old University Library, the most beautiful Baroque hall in Portugal, houses over 30,000 volumes, including 2,000 manuscripts of immeasurable value. more

This area on the east bank of Lisbon, which was set up for Expo 98, is now known as the Parque das Nações... (Nations Park). The sheer variety of the buildings put up for Expo is staggering. The filigree glass and steel structure of the Estação Oriente station, the suspended concrete ceiling of the Pavilhão Portugal and the fascinating stretch of the Ponte Vasco da Gama - this place is home to modern architecture of world-class standards. All this against a promising backdrop devoted to culture, entertainment and business in equal measures. While Lisbon's International Exhibition has moved into the main buildings of the World Exhibition, some of the pavilions are still showing the original Expo exhibitions, including a virtual show on the history of the oceans. You can also see real-life sea creatures in the impressive underwater tanks at Oceanário, Europe's largest aquarium. The experience can be rounded off with a ride on a gondola with a view over the river, theatre, casino, restaurants or a massive concert hall. more

The Hieronymus Monastery is the most significant historical building in the whole of Portugal and is... one of the city's finest examples of Manueline architecture. King Manuel I had the building constructed in extravagant splendour in the heyday of the country's expeditions from 1502, funded by the lucrative trade with Asia. Several architects worked on this enormous task for around 100 years. The west wing was not completed until the 19th century. In 1984 UNESCO placed the monastery on its World Heritage List. Very impressive is the south portal with 24 life-size figures of saints and dignitaries. The Blessed Virgin Mary of Bethlehem stands in the centre. On the centre pedestal stands Infante Dom Henrique, better known as Henry the Navigator. At the main entrance, the west portal, the birth of Jesus is depicted in picture scenes. Many of the most important personalities in Portuguese history are buried in the church grounds. more