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It doesn’t matter how long you have lived in a place. There are always new things to see and do, it is only a matter of finding them.

Estufa Fria

Sunday is the perfect day to explore this green oasis right in the heart of the city (read: Marquês de Pombal). Why Sundays though? Well, if you happen to a Portuguese citizen, entrance is free until 2 p.m.! So make sure not go on a binge drinking tour the night before as to feel fresh the next morning to venture yourself in this peaceful and lush venue. You can easily travel all around the world through the various trees and plants settled here.

Tapada da Ajuda

tapada
[tɐ.pˈa.dɐ]
feminine noun
1. enclosed woods in which hunting animals are bred.
2. fenced terrain.
3. park.

/priberam.org

Established in 1645 as Tapada Real de Alcântara by King João IV, this 1 sq. kilometre botanical area was once a royal property for recreational purposes (hunting, leisure). When the ruling monarchy decided to move its residency to the Ajuda neighbourhood, after the infamous 1755 earthquake, the area was renamed to Tapada da Ajuda, as it is known today.

Make sure that your trekking adventure includes a stop at the Exhibition Pavilion to admire its intricate iron and glass work, Lisbon Astronomical Observatory and the viewpoint marked by a trigonometrical station at 134 meters, offering panoramic views of the city and river.

Nevertheless I couldn’t help but notice how neglected and underused this whole area was: abandoned infrastructure, grim historial buildings, inadequate paths for pedestrians/cyclists, poorly maintained green areas…  The silver lining was feeling like I was walking through my own private estate as it proved difficult to come across any other human beings. Yet I do hope that Tapada da Ajuda gets the love that it deserves!

If you do fancy royalty, it is worth checking the Ajuda Botanical Garden nearby.

Museu do Aljube

For 48 years Portugal was subjected to one of the longest fascist dictatorships in European history, whose most influential figure was António de Oliveira Salazar.

In 1910 Portugal overthrew its monarchic regime and for the next 16 years the First Portuguese Republic was established. It was a rather hectic time, instability and neglect ran across the country

The Aljube Museum now serves as living memory of those who fought for freedom and democracy when that was something Nowadays we take most of the things for granted that only a couple of decades ago were unattainable.