The Eurovision Song Contest 2018 kicked into high gear on May 8 in Lisbon, with tens of thousands of music fans further boosting the record tourist numbers in the city.
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After a week of rehearsals, contestants from 19 countries took to the stage of the 20,000-capacity Altice Arena on Tuesday in the first night of the semi-finals of the show watched by an estimated more than 200 million people around the world.
Officials expect Saturday's final of the annual musical spectacle to draw some 30,000 foreign visitors to the city.
Local authorities are meanwhile working to use Lisbon's moment in the Eurovision spotlight to showcase the city's charms and lure more visitors for the years to come.
"We can never have too many people getting to know us," Lisbon mayor Fernando Medina told reporters when asked whether the city, which has seen a surge in visitor numbers in recent years, really needed any more tourism.
Locals know their country's economy depends heavily on tourism, but they also fear Lisbon may not be able to handle the huge influx of visitors already pouring in.
Lisbon is also the city where pop star Madonna moved to last year.
10 travel tips for Lisbon
Traditional singing, old town alleys, trams and cream cakes: Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is not only beautiful, but also varied - so let's check it out.
Being located on a slope, Lisbon offers lots of beautiful views. Here the view from the vantage point Miradouro de Santa Luzia on the historical district Alfama and the river Tejo, on the left you can see the white dome of the Panteão Nacional.
Image: picture-alliance/zb/R. Oettel
Looking at the ground
Walking through Lisbon you should often look at the art on the ground: black basalt and white limestones are all over the city, like here on Rossio Square, assembled into various mosaics.
Image: picture-alliance/Bildagentur-online/Rossi
Taking the tram
The famous tram line 28 winds squeakily through the hilly narrow streets of the old town district of Alfama. It's very romantic - and perfect when you're tired from all the running.
Image: picture-alliance/Arco Images/J. Moebes
Discovering art
There are countless museums in Lisbon. Those interested in design and fashion should visit the newly renovated Museu do Design e da Moda (MUDE). Precious works by Rembrandt, Rubens and Turner can be found in the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian. The typical Portuguese pictures of painted ceramic tiles - Azulejos - can be admired in the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (picture).
Image: picture-alliance/Arco Images GmbH/P. Goll
Taking the elevator
In the center of Lisbon, the famous Elevador Santa Justa steel elevator takes you comfortably from the lower to the upper city. Built in 1902, the lift connects Baixa with the higher parts of Chiado and Bairro Alto.
In one of the many bars in the old town you can listen to the traditional melancholic singing called Fado. At the Caixa Alfama festival in Lisbon, fado singers across different generations perform once a year. And there is also a museum dedicated to this music, which has been part of the immaterial UNESCO World Heritage since 2011: the Museu do Fado.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. S. Goulao
Marveling at architecture
Strolling along the promenade along the banks of the River Tejo you will also find the MAAT Museum (Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia). The building, which opened in 2016, with its wave form is an attraction. In front of it, steps invite you to sit down - or you can choose the huge accessible roof.
Image: MAAT
Eating sweet things
This Portuguese specialty can be found on every corner of Lisbon: Pastéis de Nata, puff pastry tartlets filled with custard. Some bakeries have a long tradition. In the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém in the district of Belém, the tartlets have been produced according to a secret recipe since 1837.
Image: picture-alliance/ZB/R. Hirschberger
Enjoying the night
NIn the evening, the alleys of the old nightlife district of Bairro Alto fill up with people. Eating, drinking and dancing - this is possible in many restaurants, bars and clubs all night long.
Image: picture-alliance/Y. Levy/robertharding
Relaxing on the beach
And now a little holiday on the beach: Lisbon is surrounded by a beautiful Atlantic coastline with many sandy beaches, like here in Sesimbra. Some beaches can also be reached by public transport from Lisbon.