Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (Rua Serpa Pinto 9, Lisbon) – this 18th century theater house holds various opera and ballet productions. It has a long history of hosting famous and popular performances, ranging from the works of Rossini to the works of Tchaikovsky. Teatro Nacional de São Carlos draws top companies from around the […]
Roman Ruins of Milreu (Rua de Faro, Estoi) – located just 10 kn north of Faro, the remains of a Roman villa at Milreu, dating from the 1st or 2nd century, was remodeled in the 4th century and occupied until the 6th or 7th century. It has been declared a National Monument by the Portuguese […]
Queluz National Palace (Largo Palácio, Queluz) – this palace goes back to the 18th Century, and acts as one of the last examples of Rococo architecture. This palace was originally built as a summer retreat for Dom Pedro, the famous Duke of Bragança. Admission: Adult (€8.50) Seniors & Children (under 18) (€6.50). Hours: daily between […]
Museu de Marinha (Praça do Império, Lisbon) – this museum, managed by the Portuguese Navy, chronicles that country’s extensive history as a maritime power. Located in the tourist-friendly Belém district, it is housed within the Jerónimos Monastery, and shows a range of historic objects – from archaeological items to paintings and scale models of Portuguese […]
Museu Nacional des Coches (Praça Afonso de Albuquerque, Lisbon) – located within the old Horse Riding Arena of the Belém Palace in Lisbon, this museum houses one of the most extensive collections of horse-drawn coaches in the world. The Arena itself was originally built in 1787 and was previously used for training horses and for […]
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (Rua das Janelas Verdes, Lisbon) – housed in a former palace of the Count of Alvor, this museum has collections of paintings, sculptures, textiles, furniture, drawings and other decorative art from the Middle Ages until the 19th century. It is said to be a good place to learn Portuguese history […]
Castle of Silves (Rua do Castelo, 8300-117 Silves/Algarve) – located 63 km. west of Faro, this castle is a 50 minute drive (via highway A22). This site originally had a Roma-era castle that was greatly expanded into its present form by the Moors between the 8th and 13th century (when Christian forces under the command […]
Cabo de São Vicente Lighthouse (Farol do Cabo de São Vicente, EN 268, Sagres) – built in 1846 and located on the southwest tip of Portugal, this lighthouse was constructed over the ruins of a 16th century Franciscan convent. This lighthouse happens to preside over one of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe. The area’s […]
Lisbon – Strategically located in the geographic centre of the country, Lisbon (with a population of over half a million residents), acts as a monument of its past as Europe’s first seafaring and colonizing power (from the 1400s onward). Lisbon (the second oldest European capital after Athens) was home to explorers such as Vasco da […]
Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (Praça do Império, Belém, Lisbon) – founded in 1893, this museum (located within a former dormitory for monks) houses archaeological findings from all regions of Portugal. Artifacts shown here range from the Palaeolithic era to the Middle Ages. Admission: Adult (€5), Seniors (€2.50), children (under 14) – free. Free admission for […]