The striking contemporary architecture of this riverside park is a stark contrast to the historic buildings of the older areas of Lisbon. Many of the structures of the Parque das Nações were built by innovative architects for Expo 98, the World Fair that was hosted in the Portuguese capital. The theme of the fair was “The Oceans: A Heritage for the Future” and the Parque das Nações (Park of Nations) was designed with this in mind.
It is one of the largest urban development projects in Europe, where you can find some of the most notable examples of modern architecture.
From Parque das Nações are part of the Oceanarium (one of the largest aquariums in the world), the Vasco da Gama bridge (the largest bridge in Europe), the Vasco da Gama Tower (Expo 98 observation point and now a hotel with restaurant belonging to the hotel group SANA), Estação do Oriente, Pavilhão de Portugal (one of the emblematic works of Siza Vieira), the twin towers São Gabriel and São Rafael that had the oceans as inspiration and have the names of the caravels of Vasco da Gama, a Casino, a marina, the Meo Arena (pavilion used for the biggest concerts in the city) and a cable car that runs about 1km.
All these attractions extended for 5km along the Tagus River. This area also includes excellent restaurants and bars where you can take a break and enjoy a coffee or cold beer.