24 October 2022
Lisbon, the home to Benfica, Juve's next opponents in the Champions League, is the capital and largest city of Portugal, whose origins can be traced back to pre-historic times, making it one of oldest cities in the world.
What's more it is the second oldest capital in Europe, after Athens, and mainland Europe's westernmost capital, the only one situated on the Atlantic coast.
Today Lisbon has a population of just over 500 thousand inhabitants, the population increases to three million when the entire urban area is considered.
SIGHTSEEING
Due to the rich history of the city there are plenty of sights worth visiting. There are two UNESCO world heritage sites, Belém Tower, one of the most famous and visited landmarks in Portugal, and Jerónimos Monastery, on the Tagus river near the launch point of Vasco da Gama's first journey, where in fact his tomb has been relocated, in the nave of the monastery's church close to those of King Manuel I and King John III, whom the explorer had served.
Other sights include Edoardo VII Park, found in the city centre on the Avenida da Liberdade. Once home to Portuguese nobility it is now one of the most expensive shopping streets in Europe.
As for culture, from the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos and the Queen Maria II National Theatre for classical tastes to the more modern Belém Cultural Centre, all preferences are catered for, as they are also considering museums and galleries, from the National Museum of Ancient Art to the Berardo Collection Museum and the National Museum of Contemporary Art.
For football fans, another musuem worth visiting is the Museu Benfica-Cosme Damião, located near the club's stadium.
THE STADIUM
The Estádio da Luz is a UEFA category four stadium, completed in 2003 and built on the site of Benfica's original ground. Although the capacity has been reduced from 120 thousand to 65 thousand, it is still one of the biggest stadiums in European football.
The venue's official name has always been Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica but locally has been called Luz after the neighbourhood in Lisbon where the stadium was built.
It was used for five matches in Euro 2004, hosted by Portugal, including the final, and was also home to the Champions League 2020 final when the knock-out phase was based in Lisbon due to COVID-19.
In European competition overall, Benfica have played 105 matches at their ground, winning 66 of them, losing just 19.
