Three non-stop days

[worldfairs]

Text extracted from "Guia Expo'98"

First day

From the major pavilions to street entertainment, sea excursions and gastronomic experiences

Visitors who have three days (consecutive or otherwise) are advised to start with an "aerial tour", taking the cable car along the banks of the Tagus and Olivais rivers. Entering from Porta do Norte, simply turn left and descend towards the river. It's a one-kilometre ride that gives you a first glimpse of the site and a chance to stop off in front of the Nautical Exhibition, just a stone's throw from the Oceanarium.

The fish, otters, penguins and all their inhabitants are only visible from 10pm, by which time there are already queues.
Having satisfied the obvious curiosity of those who have heard worlds and worlds about the Oceanarium, the Portuguese Pavilion follows, acting as the host country pavilion and offering the first 'dive' into the central theme of the event. Rounding the quay, you enter the Alameda dos Oceanos, beneath the ceremonial square. At the exit, a cafeteria offers traditional Portuguese snacks, but for a quick summer lunch, take advantage of the nearby Natural and Healthy kiosk. It's time to head to the International Zone North, the white building with the corrugated roof and moving walkway facing the Alameda dos Oceanos. The aim is to visit four pavilions from the participating countries - Germany. Russia. Finland and Algeria - taking the opportunity, weather permitting, to visit their neighbours.

Close to Germany, 'on board' a submarine, is Monaco, designed by the architect who designed the Chiado Museum in Lisbon. In the same set of modules as Russia is Spain, with its three-dimensional kaleidoscope, and French cinema, which promises to be popular because it is in three dimensions.

With an entrance overlooking the river, Finland presents real and virtual characters skating on the ice, and nearby Peru travels to the importance that the sea has always had in human life. Finally, as the afternoon wore on, Algeria offered a crossing between the coast and the Sahara desert, and India sold silks in its shop.

Tired of seeing exhibitions? You can always take a look at one of the stages, laugh with the Olharapos and be surprised by the megaphones. If you're hot and tired, find a bench (in front of the river), a lawn (near the Oceanarium), some shade (in front of the Portuguese Pavilion) or a terrace. You can also take a stroll through the Garcia de Orta gardens.

A word of advice: keep your eyes peeled and your ears sharpened, as one animation can hide another. If it's sunset, look out for the Pilgrimage. At this time of day, visitors deserve to dine in a quiet place with a different menu. The Finnish restaurant with its smoked salmon is one option. Then, whichever route you take, the evening party is constant and takes place mainly outdoors.


There are six plots designed by landscape architect João Gomes da Silva. Symbols of the botanical adventures of the Portuguese in the 15th and 16th centuries, they feature more than 500 trees and countless plant species. From the temperate rainforest (Macao and the island of Coloane) to the savannah of Timor, via the vegetation of Goa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Madeira, the Azores, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Angola.

[worldfairs]

Second day

This time you choose Porta do Sol to enter. Say goodbye to the Olharapos, turn right at Alameda dos Oceanos and bite into a Sintra cheese (at Casa do Preto) on your way to the South International Area.

Today, the pavilions of Mexico, the Seychelles and Ja pão are marked out, with neighbouring countries as diverse as Angola, Croatia, South Africa and Venezuela. From the biodiversity of the Mexican coast to the Croatians' homage to the Adriatic Sea and the collection of rare shells belonging to the former Japanese emperor Hirohito, it will be hard to leave in time for a stroll along the Coastal Path (between the Nautical Exhibition and the northern end of the Dock) before having a quick lunch. Facing the river, opposite the entrance to the Utopia Pavilion, is the self-service Kangaroo.

Visitors now have a few hours of hard "work" ahead of them. Start at the Territory Pavilion and take a look at the Swatch Pavilion and the Macau Pavilion (with its oriental architecture), side by side on the way to the fun Water Pavilion.

Strong emotions can be found in the Virtual Reality Pavilion, where long queues have to form because visitors are so curious and the space only has capacity for 40 to 45 people at a time. To beat the clock and save your feet, it's worth trying the free small bus service that runs through the site. Once you're at the other end of the Dock, laze around on the lawn in front of the ship, take a look at the Water Gardens or see what there is to buy in the shops.

If food is also culture, then take your cue and dine at the Panama floating restaurant. And to start a different evening, take the cable car up to the Vasco da Gama Tower.

Before you try the Expo Adrenalina, there's an unmissable kiosk for those who can't live without coffee: the Delta coffee shop, between the Egypt restaurant and the Ao Peso takeaway. An important tip for anyone preparing for a long night at Sony Square.

The climb is worth the 500S of the ticket. In the bow section (three floors built over the river) is the European Communities Pavilion. The silhouette of this "ship" features a 120-metre-high mast and a structure symbolising a sail. On the top floor, above the roof, there is a terrace. At the top of the "mast" is another panoramic terrace and ten metres below, in the "galley basket", is a restaurant.