Palácio Nacional da Ajuda

"This 19th-century palace was once the royal residence of Dom Luís I when he was king of Portugal. It is now used as a museum that you need tickets to access. The wildly opulent space houses a fantastic collection of decorative art, including chandeliers, marble statues, porcelain, tapestries, and much more. Some of the rooms are also used as gallery spaces for contemporary art exhibits. The property is pretty spectacular and overwhelming in its grandeur. There’s weight to every room considering how much there is to look at, whether it’s an old cabinet filled with porcelain cups or massive gold-framed portraits. If you’re into royal collections, this is likely the best you’ll find in all of Portugal." - Alia Akkam, Chadner Navarro

"Tell me: What’s this place all about? This 19th-century palace was once the royal residence of Dom Luís I when he was king of Portugal. It is now used as a museum that you need tickets to access. What’s it like being there? It’s a wildly opulent palace that houses a fantastic collection of decorative art, including chandeliers, marble statues, porcelain, tapestries, and much more. Some of the rooms are also used as gallery spaces for contemporary art exhibits. Who comes here? A lot of Portuguese families who want to see historic pieces owned by one of their former kings. Did it meet expectations? The property is pretty spectacular and overwhelming in its grandeur. There’s weight to every room considering how much there is to look at, whether it’s an old cabinet filled with porcelain cups or massive gold-framed portraits. If you’re into royal collections, this is likely the best you’ll find in all of Portugal. So then what, or who, do you think it’s best for? If you’re a fan of Versailles, this isn’t anywhere near that level of fabulosity—however, you do get a glimpse of the type of luxury that Portuguese royalty enjoyed. If looking at old lived-in artifacts isn’t your thing, you can skip it. But depending on when you show up, there could be a cool exhibit showing off works by some of today’s most important Portuguese creatives." - Chadner Navarro

"A Royal Palace Atop a Hill This royal palace was probably much-visited this year, due to an exhibition of Joana Vasconcelos, a very important Portuguese artist. The palace was built on a hill, after being destroyed at its the previous location (in front of the river) in the 1755 earthquake. But it wasn’t finished, because the royal family fled to Brazil during the French invasion. In 1968, it opened as a museum, with important collections of decorative arts of the 18th and 19th centuries, such as furniture, jewelry, textiles, painting, ceramics, photography, and sculpture. Many important state ceremonies take place here as well."