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Lisbon

Capital of PortugalLisbon lies on the Atlantic side of the Iberian Peninsula, at the mouth of the Tagus river, along the river's northern shore.

Why it's the capital

Thanks to its central position, Lisbon replaced Coimbra as Portugal's capital in 1255. Later, most Portuguese voyages of the Age of Discovery set out from here, including Vasco da Gama's journey to India in 1498.

Fun facts

  1. On 1 November 1755, an earthquake destroyed about 85 percent of the city's buildings, and the rebuilding largely followed the plans of the Marquis of Pombal.
  2. Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
  3. Old legends claimed that the city was founded by the mythical hero Ulysses.

Finding it on the globe

Lisbon is the westernmost capital of mainland Europe: aim at Portugal's Atlantic coast, where the Tagus river reaches the ocean.

Sources: Wikipedia: Lisbon