Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 213 960 915; Praça da Estrela; basilica free, nativity scene €1.50, roof €4; 9.30am-noon & 2-7pm)
The
curvaceous, sugar-white dome and twin belfries of Basílica da Estrela are visible from
afar. The echoing interior is awash with pink-and-black marble, which creates a kaleido-
scopic effect when you gaze up into the cupola. The neoclassical beauty was completed in
1790 by order of Dona Maria I (whose tomb is here) in gratitude for a male heir.
Do not miss the incredibly elaborate 500-piece Nativity Scene made of cork and terra
cotta by celebrated 18th-century sculptor Joaquim Machado de Castro; it's in a room just
beyond the tomb. Climb the dome for far-reaching views over Lisbon.
GARDENS
Jardim da Estrela
(Largo da Estrela; gardens 7am- midnight , cafe 10am-11pm)
Seeking green respite? Opposite
the Basílica da Estrela, this garden is perfect for a stroll, with paths weaving past pine,
monkey puzzle and palm trees, rose and cacti beds and the centrepiece - a giant banyan
tree. Kids love the duck ponds and animal-themed playground. There are several open-air
cafes where you can recharge.
Jardim Botânico
GARDENS
(Botanical Garden; 213 921 800; Rua da Escola Politécnica 58; admission €2; gardens 9am-8pm, butterfly
house 11am-5pm Tue-Sun)
Nurtured by green-fingered students, the Jardim Botânico is a quiet
pocket of lushness just north of Bairro Alto. Look out for Madeiran geraniums, sequoias,
purple jacarandas and, by the entrance (upper level gardens), a gigantic Moreton Bay fig
tree. It's also worth a peek inside the butterfly house.
Palácio da Assembleia da República
(Assembly of the Republic; Rua de São Bento; closed to the public)
The columned, temple-like Palácio
da Assembleia da República is where Portugal's parliament, the Assembleia da República,
makes its home. It was once the enormous Benedictine Mosteiro de São Bento, and is dec-
orated with lofty Doric columns and graceful statues of temperance, prudence, fortitude
and justice.
NOTABLE BUILDING
British Cemetery
CEMETERY
