City Go

Lisbon Oceanarium was inaugurated in 1998 as the centrepiece of the 1998 World Fair. It opened by the theme "Oceans, a Heritage for the Future", which has defined its activity since then. The Oceanarium has a large collection of 450 marine species, about 16.000 animals. The main exhibit is a 1000 m2, 5000 m3 tank with four main acrylic windows and smaller focus windows, making it a constant component through the exhibition. Four tanks around the central tank house four habitats of the world: the North Atlantic, the Antartic, the Pacific, and the Tropical Coral Reef, so temperatures might change significantly from room to room. The Oceanarium is one of the few aquariums in the world to house a sunfish because of their demanding requirements for care. It supports ocean conservation through the promotion of scientific knowledge and is a pioneer in the reproduction of some species, contributing to marine biodiversity. Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (7 p.m. during...

The collection originated during the French Revolution, when many works of art were seized by the occupant, especially from religious institutions. The museum was founded in 1801 by Napoleon Bonapart but it was only in 1830, with the independence of Belgium that it became a bigger institution. The remarkable collection of Old Masters covers a period running from the 15th to the 18th centuries, including Roger van der Weyden, Petrus Christus, Dirk Bouts, Hans Memling, Hieronymus Bosch, Lucas Cranach, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Jack Jordaens, Phillippe de Champaigne, Le Lorrain, Jusepe de Ribera. Opening hours: Tue. to Fri. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entrance fee: €8 How to go: Central Station or Parc metro stations.

The Old Town Hall was established in 1338 as the seat of the Old Town administration. It consists of a complex of several gothic houses connected together. The oldest part of the complex consists of a tower which was completed in the 14th century. In 1410 the astronomical clock was placed on its south side. The most valuable monument and centre of all events of the past is the late gothic council hall with a richly decorated wood ceiling. There's also the gothic chapel from the 14th century, the Jirikoka hall named after the bust of king Jiri z Podebrad and the Brozikova hall taking up the height of two storeys, modified to its present form in 1910. In the underground, it's possible to access the city level several metres below today's level and it gives an insight of the beginning of the Old Town. Due to constant flooding, the terrain had to be artificially levelled so that as early as in the 13th century the original ground floor of the houses had already become...

Oporto is the second largest city in Portugal and the unofficial capital of northern Portugal, which is named after Oporto (Portus Cale in Roman times). The city was founded in pre-Roman times by Celtic peoples. It was a lesser city during the Roman period, used as an intermediate port between Olissipo ( Lisbon ) and Bracara Augusta (Braga). It was under Muslim rule for 150 years and was reconquered in 868 by D. Vimara Peres, a Galician Knight and a vassal of the King of Leon. In 1387 King John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster were married in Oporto, beginning Portugal's oldest standing alliance, with England. It was also from Oporto that the Portuguese forces embarked to conquer the city of Ceuta, initiating the Age of Discoveries. By the end of the 18th century, Oporto emerged as an important industrial centre. During the 19th century, Oporto became one of the main stages of several wars, first the Napoleonic invasions and later the civil war between liberals and ...