Tapada das Necessidades: Lisbon's walled park with the kings' cacti

Behind a high wall in the Prazeres neighbourhood, west of central Lisbon, stretch ten hectares of parkland that most visitors to the city never factor in. The Tapada das Necessidades is the garden of the Palácio das Necessidades, the pink building that today houses Portugal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The word "tapada" historically means an enclosed, wooded estate set aside for hunting, and that character still shows: dense thickets, shaded paths climbing uphill and open clearings, rather than manicured flower beds.

The origins

The origins go back to a hermitage dedicated to Nossa Senhora das Necessidades built in 1604. From 1742 King João V had a palace, a convent and a church erected here, buying up the surrounding farmland: it's considered one of Portugal's first landscape gardens. In 1843 Fernando II had it partly redesigned in the English-garden style. With the fall of the monarchy in 1910, the complex entered a long phase of neglect, and traces of that neglect can still be seen today in some areas: it's part of the place's character, so don't expect a polished park.

The cactus garden

The botanical highlight is the Jardim dos Cactos, the cactus garden, considered among the oldest and richest in Europe and holding one of the largest collections of succulents in the world. It sits next to the other landmark feature: the Estufa Circular, a domed greenhouse of iron and glass built by Pedro V between 1855 and 1861 in honour of his wife, Queen Estefânia. The park also has three ponds, dedicated to the Palmeira, the Estrelícias and the Duque de Lafões, surrounded by greenery and old statues; geese and peacocks wander on the water and across the lawns. Among the smaller buildings scattered through the tapada are the Casa de Fresco and the Casa do Regalo, built in 1889 as Queen Amélia's painting studio.

The reason it stays so little-visited is mostly practical: it's off to one side of the classic routes (Baixa, Alfama, Belém), it has no "ticketed" attraction to push it onto the lists, and the entrance is tucked away behind the wall along the Calçada das Necessidades, easy to miss. The result is that you often find yourself almost alone, even on a Saturday.

Getting there

Getting there: the Tapada is conveniently placed between the Estrela and Alcântara areas. From LX Factory, the former industrial complex full of shops and cafés under the 25 de Abril bridge, it's about a quarter of an hour's walk uphill, allowing for Lisbon's typical gradient. The park's coordinates are 38.709, -9.169. Entry is free. The hours change with the season: from April to September, Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10am to 7pm; from October to March on weekdays 8am to 6pm and at weekends and on holidays 10am to 6pm. It's worth checking before you go anyway, because hours and access to some areas can change for maintenance reasons.

Bring water and comfortable shoes: there are no kiosks inside, and the whole point is to wander aimlessly among the cacti and ponds, with the city left outside the wall.

Related guides: Portugal: little-known destinations beyond Lisbon and Porto · Lisbon too crowded? Authentic Portuguese destinations beyond the capital.

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