Rua da Escola Politécnica 58. 1250 Lisboa.
When we visit this oasis of nature, bathed in complete silence, we can easily forget that we are right in the heart of Lisbon.
The garden is on two levels: an avenue of gigantic Washingtonia robusta leads us to the National Museum of Natural History and to the upper part of the garden. Here, the planting has been arranged taxonomically in parterres, and is where an outstandig collection of cacti and succulents plants catch the eye. An area of fountains, lakes and canals, all built with stone, add to the enjoyment of the garden.
A great flight of steps takes us down to the lower part, or arboretum, where most of the palm trees in the garden can be found, and likewise a collection of cycads that is considered among the best in the country.
This shouldn’t surprise us, because the Botanical Garden in Lisbon had the reputation of being one of the finest of those created in the second half of the XIX century. To this day it still has one the largest collection in Portugal and Spain of exotic species.
It is amazing the number and variety of birds that have their habitat here, in spite of its small area and isolation from the other green spaces in Lisbon.
