Belem Palace Gardens

Often overlooked by the general public, the gardens within Belem Palace are definitely worth discovering, not least because a guided tour of the grounds on Saturdays only also includes entrance to the palace and the Museu da Presidencia da Republica. The palace is the working residence of Portugal's president and dates from the 18th-century. The ornamented grounds are in fact composed of three distinctive areas – the Main Garden, the smaller West Garden and the South Garden. In addition, visitors can wander through the Orangery, the Lime Tree Garden, the Yew Garden and the Waterfall Garden. Statues and water features embellish the landscape, the boundaries of which are marked by lavender and myrtle hedges. The views south across the Main Garden embrace the picturesque riverfront.