As one of the oldest cities in the world, Lisbon blends ancient grit with modern glamour for an unparalleled travel experience.São Jorge Castle, built on a site that was fortified as early as the 1st century BC, flies the Portuguese flag. From its walls, the Alfama district tumbles down to the Rio Tejo, or Tagus River. Because it survived the devastating earthquake of 1755, Alfama is the oldest district in the city.The Jerónimos Monastery, richly decorated in the Manueline and Plateresque styles, offers a quiet stroll beneath arches carved from golden limestone. King Manuel I ordered the monastery constructed to serve Portuguese explorers.The Rossio, or King Pedro IV Square, is located in the Pombaline Lower Town. Popular since the Middle Ages, modern citizens prefer to meet there. Perhaps the best view is from above, where visitors can look down and see wide streets cutting through the maze to this central spot.Continue the tradition of exploration in one of the world's oldest cities with the color photos in Linger in Lisbon: From Belém Tower to the Tagus River (a Travel Photo Art book). Laine Cunningham, a three-time recipient of The Hackney Award, writes fiction that takes readers around the world. Her debut novel, The Family Made of Dust, is set in the Australian Outback, while Reparation is a novel of the American Great Plains. She is the editor of Sunspot Literary Journal.