Lisbon is a city.
Lisbon ( [ ˈlɪzbən ] Lisboa , [ liʒˈβoɐ ] ) is the capital and the largest city of Portugal , with a population of 552,700 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km ² . It is continental Europe 's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast . Lisbon is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance , commerce , media , entertainment , arts , international trade , education and tourism . Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world , and the oldest in Western Europe , predating other modern European capitals such as London , Paris and Rome by centuries .