3 Best Sights in Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal's oldest botanical garden—laid out in 1768 by the Italian botanist Domenico Vandelli (1735–1816)—is a relaxing place to spend an hour or so. Baroque fountains and stairways, Renaissance style terraced slopes, and meandering peacocks create a sense of splendor, and the aromatic "Scented Garden" adds to the sensory appeal.

Lisbon's main botanical garden was first laid out in 1874 to teach students about botany, and is still part of the University of Lisbon. Hidden behind the small Museu de História Natural about 2 km (1 mile) north of the Bairro Alto, the garden has 10 acres of paths through nearly 15,000 species of subtropical plants.

Steps from Belém’s Manueline monastery, this tropical botanical garden offers shady respite from the heat and the crowds outside. Towering palm trees provide a grand entrance to a flower-filled space which was created in 1906 as the "Colonial Garden," housing some 600 species from Portugal’s tropical and subtropical former colonies. There are some grand colonial-style buildings, although most are closed to the public, and resident peacocks stroll amid the flowers and plants. Entrance is free on Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm.