Tropical Botanical Garden, Lisbon

The Tropical Botanical Garden in Lisbon, also known as Jardim do Ultramar, is a pleasant park specialized in rare tropical and subtropical trees and plants, many of which are endangered. Overall, it features over 700 species from different continents. Among the most curious ones are the dragon trees, native to the Canary Islands and Madeira, araucarias and a beautiful avenue of Washingtonia palm trees.

As part of its heritage, the garden holds a population of birds: ducks, geese, chickens and peacocks.

The park was created, as a Colonial Garden, in 1906 by King Carlos I. Its Main Greenhouse was built in 1914, in iron and glass, reflecting the taste of the time. During the Portuguese World Exhibition of 1940, an alternative, more modernist façade was created, in line with the spirit of the exhibition, and ended up being the largest pavilion in the colonies, reserved for Angola and Mozambique.

One of the oldest sculptures within the garden is a bas-relief dating from 1644, which is currently located next to the central staircase that gives access to the garden of Palácio dos Condes da Calheta. This one features the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Portugal, surmounted by a crown and flanked by the flags of the Society of Jesus and the Cross of Christ, as well as by two Evangelists.

The oriental garden with ponds, bridges and hibiscus includes a large gate that represented Chinese Macao in the Portuguese World Exhibition of 1940, while in the Palace of the Counts of Calheta – an 18th-century mansion with an interior covered with tiles that date back three centuries – you will find the Museum of Tropical Research. The latter, despite its small size, displays as many as 50,000 dried plants and 2,414 wood samples from Africa, Brazil, Japan, China and Australia, as well as other interesting pieces (e.g. clothing and porcelain).

Opening Hours:
Daily: 9am–5pm