Lisbon : Queluz National Palace

Queluz is very close to Lisbon and the palace is considered to be one of the most wonderful places to visit in the area. In 1747, the Infant D. Pedro (future D. Pedro III – King of Portugal), commissioned the architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira to redesign his 17th-century hunting lodge into a Rococo summer palace. The main body of the Palace was finished after the marriage of D. Pedro with D. Maria Francisca, future Queen D. Maria I (1760). Jean Baptiste Robillion was the French master in charge of the magnificent Robillion Pavilion, the gardens and the redesign of the Music Room. Often compared to the Versailles Palace, the palace, apart from the pavilion built by Robillion with its strong French European influences, is very Portuguese both in its scale and artistic aura. These days the palace is used by the Portuguese State as a residence for government and state chiefs that visit Portugal and for special governmental meetings. It is also open to visitors, so make sure you try one of the many tasty dishes available at the Cozinha Velha restaurant located in one of the palace wings and that you don’t miss the chance to see the incredible decorative arts exhibition coming from royal collections.