Christmas Markets in Lisbon

Lisbon's history spans over three millennia, from Phoenician traders through Roman provincial importance to its golden age during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, when Portuguese explorers departed from the Tagus River to chart new worlds. The devastating 1755 earthquake destroyed much of medieval Lisbon, prompting an ambitious rebuilding that created the elegant grid-pattern Baixa district defining the city center today. This resilience shaped Lisbon's character, blending Moorish influences, maritime heritage, and Pombaline architecture into a distinctive cultural identity. Winter celebrations hold deep roots in Portuguese Catholic traditions, with elaborate nativity scenes and festive illuminations adorning churches and public squares for generations.