Lisbon is a city.
Lisbon . Its urban area extends beyond the city 's administrative limits with a population of around 2.7 million people , being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union . 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 .