The spirit of derring-do is palpable in the huge Corinthian-style barracks and arsenal complex of the Military Museum. As you clatter through endless, echoing rooms of weapons, uniforms, and armor you may be lucky enough to be followed—at a respectful distance—by a guide who, without speaking a word of English, can convey exactly how that bayonet was jabbed or that gruesome flail swung. In this beautifully ornate building there is also a collection of 18th- to 20th-century art. The museum is on the eastern edge of the Alfama, at the foot of the hill and opposite the Santa Apolónia station. It's easy to get here by Bus 9 or Bus 39.
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