Parque Das Naçoes

Parque das Nacoes (Park of Nations) was built for the 1998 World Exposition and has since become Lisbon's most modern district. The Camino passes through it in the first hours after leaving the Se Cathedral, following the Tagus riverfront past the Vasco da Gama Tower, the Oceanarium (one of the largest aquariums in Europe), and beneath the vast Vasco da Gama Bridge, which stretches 17 km across the estuary and is one of the longest bridges in Europe.

The district feels like a different city from the medieval Alfama you left an hour ago: wide promenades, contemporary architecture, riverside cafes, and open plazas. It is a pleasant stretch of walking, flat and well-paved, with the Tagus estuary always to your right. The contrast between old and new Lisbon is the first of many transitions on this Camino.