Beyond the trails: Explore Lisbon’s secret corners of Monsanto

Residents and visitors are being invited to discover some of the lesser-known corners of Lisbon’s vast Monsanto Forest Park during a guided walk taking place on Sunday, June 28.

Organised by Caminhando, the 12-kilometre route will explore both the Parque Florestal de Monsanto and the nearby Tapada da Ajuda, offering participants a chance to uncover historic landmarks, botanical treasures and panoramic viewpoints often overlooked by even long-time Lisbon residents.

Known as the Portuguese capital’s “green lung”, Monsanto covers more than 900 hectares and is the city’s largest green space. Yet beyond its popular picnic areas and cycling trails lie a wealth of hidden attractions, from royal gardens and historic buildings to water reservoirs and rare botanical collections.

The walk begins at 9.30am on Avenida da Universidade Técnica and is expected to last around four hours and 15 minutes. Classified as a level-two difficulty route, the circular trail includes a total elevation gain of 222 metres.

Among the highlights are the internationally recognised botanical reserve within the Tapada da Ajuda, the Jardim da Parada, Eira Velha, the historic Exhibition Pavilion, the Jardim da Rainha, the Lagoa Branca Auditorium, Montes Claros and the Keil do Amaral Amphitheatre.

Participants will also pass vineyards, traditional water mines, the Tanque de Santo António, the former dairy complex, the Moinho do Penedo windmill and several scenic viewpoints overlooking the city.

The Tapada da Ajuda dates back to 1645, when King João IV established the former royal hunting grounds as the Tapada Real de Alcântara. Following the 1755 earthquake and the relocation of the royal court to Ajuda, the estate adopted its current name.

Today, the park is managed by the Instituto Superior de Agronomia and is recognised as a Property of Public Interest. Its 19th-century Exhibition Pavilion, inspired by Paris’s former Trocadéro Palace and built for the 1884 Agricultural Exhibition, remains one of Lisbon’s most significant examples of iron-and-glass architecture.

Registration costs €10 per person and includes a guide, accompaniment throughout the route and personal accident insurance for bookings made before 4.30pm on the day before the event.

Inês Lopes

Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident