Set at the mouth of the Tagus river, the city of Lisbon has been a place of multiple cultural encounters and crossed influences ever since its early foundation. Different ethnic and religious communities have coexisted throughout the centuries in the city, which has been the capital of Portugal since the XIIIth century. Many different peoples from all corners of the World have arrived to or departed from Lisbon. The echo of their knowledge, experiences and customs have long remained reflected in Portuguese history and culture. But Lisbon has also been a point of departure and a place of arrival for many Portuguese who for many reasons have crossed the seas and left their mark all over the world. In this course we will focus on the history of Lisbon from this perspective.