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.
