The twin bell towers and white dome of one of Lisbon’s biggest religious buildings recall the baroque churches of Rome. It was built in 1779, on the orders of Queen Maria I who is buried inside. A nativity scene containing over 500 cork and terracotta figures by 18th-century sculptor Joaquim Machado de Castro is a main attraction amid Italian paintings and multicolored marble. More than 100,000 people packed the church and surrounding streets for the funeral of fado diva Amália Rodrigues in 1999. Across the road, the Jardim da Estrela is one of the city center’s most relaxing parks, featuring ponds and shady tropical plants.
Largo da Estrela. 21/396-09-15. Free. Daily 8.45am–8pm. Tram: 25, 28. Bus: 713, 773, 774.
Cemitério dos Prazeres MONUMENT This graveyard is the end of the line for westbound travelers on Tram 28. Opened in the 1830s, Prazeres cemetery is Lisbon’s largest. An improbable attraction maybe, but it is a historic and absorbing place to visit, featuring lane after lane lined with cypress trees and ornate mausoleums built to house the remains of Portugal’s most distinguished families. A white pyramid built in 1849 for the family of the Dukes of Palmela is Europe’s largest private mausoleum and is replete with masonic symbolism. The cemetery lies on the edge of the leafy Campo de Ourique neighborhood, which makes a pleasant place to stroll with many cafes, restaurants, and Art Deco buildings.
Praça São João Bosco. 21/396-15-11. Free. Winter 9am–4:30pm. Summer 9am–5:30pm. Tram: 25, 28. Bus: 701, 709, 774.
Fundação Amália Rodrigues Casa Museu MUSEUM On a street where you can find Portugal’s parliament and Lisbon’s best collection of antique shops is the home of fado’s greatest singer (p. 35). This three-story ochre house has been left largely as it was when Amália lived here, up to her death in 1999 at the age of 79. The guide tells the story of her rags to riches story through thousands of the diva’s personal items including swanky dresses, jewelry, and portraits. Poignantly, the star’s pet parrot still lives in the kitchen and occasionally says “olá” to visitors. It’s a fascinating insight into the star’s lifestyle. In the summer from 5–7pm there are live fado performances in the patio cafe behind the house.
Rua de São Bento 193. www.amaliarodrigues.pt. 21/397-18-96. 5€; 3.50€ students and over 65s; free under 5s. Daily 10am–6pm. Metro: Rato. Bus: 707, 727.
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian MUSEUM One of the world’s greatest private art collections was amassed by Armenian oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian (p. 30). Thanks to Gulbenkian’s discerning taste, many of the foundation’s 6,000 items are masterpieces. The museum treads a path through almost every era in the history of art. There are funeral masks from ancient Egypt and Assyrian carvings made in 888 b.c. You’ll discover rare Greek vases and Roman jewels, Persian rugs, Ottoman ceramics, and Armenian Bibles sumptuously illustrated in the 1620s. One gallery overflows with Japanese and Chinese porcelain, the next features furniture and tableware from the palaces of French kings and Russian czars.
Rembrandts, Turners, and Manets shine among the European art . Among our favorites are a wistful Portrait of a Young Woman painted in 1490 by Florentine master Domenico Ghirlandaio and a wintery Claude Monet landscape, The Thaw. The final room is devoted to the gem-encrusted genius of Art Nouveau designer René Lalique .
All this is held in a low-lying 1960s building that also holds concert halls, conference rooms, and temporary exhibitions. Its landscaped gardens are filled with wild birds, leafy paths, and tumbling steams, making a perfect place to escape the city bustle. On the other side of the garden, a separate museum holds the Modern Collection , considered the most complete collection of 20th-century Portuguese art and a big selection by international artists. The same ticket gets you into both. There are good cafe/restaurants in both museums and in the gardens.
Av. de Berna 45. www.gulbenkian.pt. 21/782-30-00. 10€; 5€ for under 25s and over 65s. Free for under 12s and for all Sunday after 2pm. Wed–Mon 10am–6pm. Metro: Sebastião or Praça de Espanha. Bus: 713, 716, 726, 742, 746, 756.
Lisbon for Kids
The display of aquatic life at the Oceanário de Lisboa (p. 113) is indisputably Lisbon’s No. 1 attraction for kids (and for many adults), but there’s much else to keep children happy, from trips to suburban beaches on the Cascais coast (p. 147), to a hands-on science museum, “dragon boats,” and equine dancing displays.
Escola Portuguesa de Arte Equestre RIDING SCHOOL Horse lovers will delight at the dressage skills performed regularly by the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art. The shows are held in a specially designed riding ring just up the road from Belém’s National Coach Museum (see p. 111). Wearing 18th-century aristocratic outfits, riders mounted on beautiful Lusitano horses execute a series of precise routines to uphold an ancient tradition of Portuguese equestrian expertise. It’s considered one of the “big four” such riding schools alongside those of Vienna, Saumur in France, and Jerez, Spain. Spectators can attend hourlong training sessions mornings Tuesday through Saturday at 10am, or attend grand gala nights held the final Friday of every month at 9:30pm. Check in advance for other times.
Calçada da Ajuda, next to No. 23. www.arteequestre.pt. 21/923-73-00. Training sessions 8€–12€; Gala nights 25€–38€. Metro: Belém. Tram: 15. Bus: 728, 714, 727, 729, 751.
Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa ZOO Lisbon’s Zoo has been charming kids for over 130 years. It holds over 2,000 animals from 300 different species. One that you’re unlikely to see anywhere else is the Iberian lynx—the world’s rarest cat struggles to survive in the wild of southern Spain and southeastern Portugal. The pair here are part of a conservation program.
The zoo fell on hard times in the 1980s but has turned itself around and is now a modern and much-loved animal park, where Portuguese children flock to see rare red pandas, a dolphin show, or the “enchanted woods” where exotic bird fly in the open air. It’s designed to let visitors get as close as possible to the animals and includes a cable car that whisks visitors over the enclosures.
Praça Marechal Humberto Delgado. www.zoo.pt. 21/723-29-00. 22€, 16€ seniors, 15€ kids 3–12, free under 3s. Summer daily 10am–6:45pm; Winter 10am–5:15pm. Metro: Jardim Zoológico. Bus: 701, 716, 726, 731, 746, 754, 755, 758, 768, 770.
Museu
