Apparently having beaches just a few minutes away from downtown is not enough for the people of Lisbon. Soon they’ll also have a beach right in the center of the city, by its largest square. By the end of this summer, work will begin to create a real urban beach by the river next to Comercio Square.
This area was in fact a beach in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it was where many of the ships used during Portugal’s Age of Discovery were built and docked. The name comes from that time — “Ribeira das Naus” (the “Ships’ Riverfront”).
This new urban space will cost close to 15 million euros, and will include plenty of shade from a 10-acre park.
Everything is supposed to be ready in just over a year from now, so if it all goes as planned, you can sunbathe by the Tagus at the end of next summer or early autumn.
Next year the Lisbon waterfront will also be in the spotlight during one of the stages of the worldwide 2012 Volvo Ocean Race, happening on the eastern waterfront of the city, where the river becomes the Atlantic.

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1. 10 Lisbon Outdoor Sightseeing Activities for the Summer
2. Lisbon’s New Riverfront “Portable Garden”
3. Lisbon’s Biggest Square Reopens, Renovated
4. Lisbon’s Avenida da Liberdade Invites You for a Stroll
5. Lisbon’s New Tourist Office is Also a Cultural Attraction

This entry was posted on Monday, June 13th, 2011 at 12:37 pm and is filed under Activities, Baixa/Downtown, Beaches. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.