gardens Review

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gardens

  • Address: Estrada da Monserrate, Monserrate
  • Phone: 21/923-7300

Fodor's Review:

The Monserrate palace gardens were laid out by Scottish gardeners in the mid-19th century at the behest of a wealthy Englishman, Sir Francis Cook. The grounds' centerpiece—the Moorish-style, three-domed palace —has been reopened to the public after 50 years of solitude. The original palace was built by the Portuguese viceroy of India. Sir Francis Cook restored it in the second half of the 19th century and it remained with his heirs for three generations. A history of the palace, Castles, Caliphs and Christians by Ida Kingsbury, is available at the palace reception area. Guided tours are at 10 AM and 3 PM. Be sure to book several days in advance. The gardens, with their streams, waterfalls, and Etruscan tombs, are worth a tour for their array of tree and plant species, though labels are few and far between. This is a popular picnic spot; it's easy to find your own glade somewhere along the winding paths.

  • Cost: EUR 4, guided garden tours EUR 3.50, palace tours (reserve in advance) EUR 3.50
  • Open: June-Sept., daily 9-8; Oct.-May, daily 9-7. Last admission 1 hr before closing
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