First off, the cashier at entrance was the nicest person! Thank you for your kindness on 10/2/25…read more You are a wonderful example of human kindness. These gardens were beautiful, set in a magically tranquil spot. The paths went on & on. We all felt wonderful in here!

Lovely botanical gardens within a MASSIVE greenhouse. So many different type of plants and flowers…read more Really nice to walk around after being in the city for a while. Would definitely recommend.

This garden is amazing. It's ancient, it's huge, and it's filled with more boxwood than I could…read morepossibly imagine - the scent was heavenly. The peacocks roaming around were a nice touch, I encountered a lemon tree, a banana tree, and a massive rubber tree. And I definitely need to return in the summer when the plants are in bloom.

An amazing botanical garden where you can definitely spend an afternoon. It looks like they were…read morehaving some sort of affair there maybe a family reunion or some such with a band or maybe a wedding not sure. What a perfect spot.

What a lovely respite in the middle of Belém. Quiet. Huge. Interesting collection of trees and…read moreplants. Inexpensive. And the biggest flock of peacocks either of us has ever seen. Dozens of them. If there was a small restaurant or even a coffee shop, the aJardim Botânico Tropical would be heaven. Note: you can reenter with same ticket.

We didn't plan to visit this tropical garden in the Belem area because we had limited time and…read morethere are so many nice places to go. But we couldn't resist it because the garden staff was so warm and welcoming. I am not only talking about the regular staff at the ticket kiosk who answered our questions patiently, but also the animal staff. When we passed by the entrance, several bird staff came up and walked around us cheerfully and kept talking. I couldn't understand their language but by the way they spoke, I felt very welcomed and would feel bad if not following them to enter. Soon in the garden, the kitty staff ran a long way towards me enthusiastically and offer himself for touching. He also accompanied us to walk around for a long way until he had to stop to poo. No worries, we understand that you have your own business to mind and thanks for your company! It's a very beautiful garden with a variety of tropical plants and the garden map illustrates where they are. This garden is also very big and if you have limited time in this neighborhood, the Ajuda garden up to the hill is also a great choice as it has a lot of exotic plants especially with a variety of smells and the garden is specially designed for blind people to enjoy.

We've been in Lisbon for several weeks, and have by-passed this garden a number of times while…read morewalking to various surrounding eateries in the neighborhood; but, always there's been a line to get in, so we've never stopped. Well, as we close-out 2024, and with this being a slow Monday for us, we decided to give it a try. We arrived at the Jardim Botânica da Universidade de Lisboa--that's a mouthful!--at around 10:00 am, and there was no line. YAY!!! The entry fee of $5 per adult seemed very reasonable (we didn't do the adjoining natural museum next door). I'll start by saying that one needs an open-mind coming here, without too much expectation, because you're not gonna get some kind of spectacularly verdant tropical oasis (especially at this time of year with most deciduous trees having already shed its leaves). What you will get for your 5-bucks is a peaceful oasis amidst the bustling Príncipe Real, especially along the hubbub and trolley clatter that's Rua da Escola Politecnica. No doubt, on a busy day, perhaps it's not quite so peaceful with tourists and kids clammering about; however, on this particular day, it was very peaceful, very calming. If I lived nearby, I'd certainly pay $5 to find me a bench to do some reading, or perhaps people-watching. Yes, the garden does need some tending to; however, in a jam-packed city like Lisbon, any open space devoted to a garden or park gets two thumbs-up from me! And, too, it was really nice to see parrots doing their thing, and the sounds of birds, over nearby construction cranes and such. And, too, some of those trees were spectacularly ancient! The two Northern California sequoias were an awesome surprise!! The cactus garden held some REALLY old specimens, too! The Australian eucalyptus trees were also huge! Without doubt some of these trees are way long in the making and have been here for a VERY long time, indeed! Some areas were a bit unruly, but that's nature! The adjoining pathway gardens behind of the natural museum, which were separate from the main gardens, was a bit sad-looking and unkempt with nothing open; but, perhaps in the summertime it's more lively and appealing. Still, though, it made for a pleasant stroll to pass the time. Overall, despite some exhibits being closed and/or looking dismantled (the "Sensory Garden," for example), I'm still giving Lisbon's Botanical Gardens the full 5-stars just for being alive in a city that's compromising.... Muito obrigado!!! :D

I have seen a handful of botanical gardens in my day, and this one is not particularly spectacular…read more I would love to be able to say more about this place, but it was just not very interesting. There are signs saying what each plant or tree is, but there is no further information about them. There isn't much variation either, or if there is, it isn't apparent. The bed area up top was somewhat nondescript, though there is a fountain. The greenhouse had a special display of plants from the time of dinosaurs, but it wasn't set up to be particularly enthralling. Moving down the hill you come across more trees, a succulent garden, and what is supposed to be a couple of ponds. We were there in May and they were empty. The butterfly house was also closed. It's a nice green area, but the images that come to mind when I think of a botanical garden do not fit what is here, which is really just a glorified shady park-like area. Luckily the entrance fee of €2 per adult is not terrible, so see it if you want. But my tip would be to check out the dozens of other beautiful (and free!) parks throughout Lisbon ahead of this one.

When I stayed in Lourinha two years ago someone suggested I visit Buddha Eden. I looked at the…read moresituation required to get there by bus and decided to skip it. People kept suggesting I go, though, so when I found myself with a car for two weeks I made sure to visit Buddha Eden. I've been to plenty of sculpture gardens and few of them feel worth going out of my way for. Given that Buddha Eden is between Lisbon and Obidos, I absolutely think it's worth stopping. I'd say it would take at least 90 minutes to see the garden. If you want to take your time you could easily spend half the day here. If you've been to a number of tourist sites in Portugal, the biggest selling point of Buddha Eden might be that it is unlike anything else in Portugal. Many of the cities, historic buildings, museums, and gardens have a certain style to them and they can blur together after a while. The weird kitsch of Buddha Eden is a refreshing change of pace. The garden is surprisingly lovely. They did an impressive job of creating dramatic vistas. There is a huge amount of art crammed into the space, organized in a way that doesn't feel cramped at all. There's a variety of artistic styles. It's a weird mix, which probably means there's something for everyone. The art functions both as individual pieces and as a part of dramatic landscapes, so even if you hate all the sculptures it's still pretty impactful. While there's the focus on Buddhism, it's very much a sculpture garden and not a religious site. This is a rich guy's pet project, which all the delightful eccentricities that come with someone who doesn't need to answer to a board, experts, or funders. I went on a weekday at the start of shoulder season and was happy to practically have the gardens to myself. There were at least two dozen cars in the parking lot, but the grounds are large and most people clump together on the tourist train, so I could enjoy open vistas. If you're not taking the tourist train, you'll be doing a bit of walking. Like all of Portugal, there are mostly uneven surfaces and there are some steep grades. If you have mobility issues or small kids there may be limits to what you can see. Still, it's a big area and the train will take you to see most of it. There's some shade, but a lot of the park is in the sun so you'll want to be prepared on hot days. Dogs are allowed. They have to be kept on a leash. If you don't speak Portuguese you might be cursing me when you see the sign at the ticket booth that dogs aren't allowed. The sign says the dogs aren't allowed *on the train*. Dogs are allowed on the garden. Just be polite and make sure your dog doesn't mark the sculptures, please. The cafe in the garden is cafeteria style. There are also two little carts selling ice cream and drinks. While there isn't a picnic area, I doubt anyone would mind if you brought a sandwich and enjoyed it while sitting on one of the many benches. There's also a restaurant at the entrance. The bathrooms in the park are at the cafe in the garden. There are also bathrooms in the parking lot, before the ticket booth. At the exit there's a wine shop where they give free samples. Some people refer to this as a wine tasting and some people complain that it's not a real wine tasting. If you want a wine tasting experience, this is not it. It is a chance to pick up some local wine and taste it before you buy. Apparently there are other museums related to the winery, something listed on the website but not advertised at all at the gardens. You can take the train to Bombarral from Lisbon or Caldas and then get a cab to the garden.

If I had not read about this in a tour book we would have missed one of the more intriguing stops…read moreon our trip. About 13 kilometers southeast of Obidos is this massive sculpture garden built by a rich philanthropist. The older sections are filled with giant Asian statues - Buddhas, Terra Cotta warriors, etc. There is also a newer section still in the works with African themed sculptures and another area with modern sculptures. It feels like a bit of a hodge-podge but it really interesting and a great place for photos. Worth the price of admission and the drive if you are already visiting nearby Obidos.

This is a beautiful park to spend a leisurely day, sipping sangria or laying down on a picnic…read moresheet. It's impeccable, has several kiosks that serve food and drinks, plus a roof top restaurant too. The sculptures, and stories all around the park are beautiful.