The Royal Prince Garden (Jardím do Príncipe Real)

This urban garden in the heart of the city, between the lively Bairro Alto and the noisy Rato, is named after Queen María’s first born, the future King Pedro V.

Laid out in the romantic style of the 19th century with curved paths, it combines traditional species, such as the linden tree, with palm trees, Jacarandá (Jacaranda mimosaefolia), Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) and Lagunaria (Lagunaria patersonii). Noteworthy are the huge ficus trees with their dangling roots and the extravagant Buçaco supported by the iron arbor. The middle of the garden features an octagonal pool, part of the reservoir of the Reservatório Patriarcal, a large underground vaulted cistern supported by stone pillars and which is used to store water.

The shade and coolness of this garden, in a setting of beautiful and eclectic architecture with its cafés and esplanades, make this an ideal spot to relax in the middle of the city.