Discovering the Charm of Lisbon: Botanical Gardens, Museums, and Scenic Landmarks

Do you keep a “hot list’ of where you would like to travel next? We do and Lisbon, Portugal was next on our “must see” list. Once we arrived, we were excited to head out and go exploring. Leaving the Altis Grande Hotel, we grabbed a couple coffees from Copenhagen Coffee and we were off.

We wandered the streets while heading to our first destination. Lisbon is full of little fountains and statues which make it a fun city to explore while just wandering. There is beauty around every corner.  

Our first stop was the Botanical Garden of Lisbon. Although it was a short walk from our hotel, finding the entrance was a bit of a challenge. Once inside, we found a quiet oasis within a bustling city. There are many varieties of plants and little statues throughout the park and we enjoyed exploring the gardens. We recommend blocking aside an hour or so to explore. 

Our next stop was the National Museum of Natural History and Science. It has hands-on science displays as well ones devoted to dinosaurs, botany, and marine life. We channeled our inner kid and tried all the science projects. There were only a few other groups in attendance so it was like our own private experience.  

From the museum, we headed towards the water passing the Monument to the Restorers in Restauradores Square, the Teatro Eden and the Rossio railway station, both beautiful buildings. Lisbon is a very walk-able city and we certainly got our steps in. 

We continued south to see the Rua Augusta Arch which opens to the  Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) and the Statue of Jose I of Portugal. Praça do Comércio is a large market square that opens to the Tagus river.

Lisbon is a city where you can explore on your own or set up more formal tours like we discussed in our Tuk Tuk Tour story to experience the city through a local tour guide’s eyes. We found a mix of both allowed us to hit all the high points of this lovely city.