For the weekends during the month of May, many parks and gardens of Lisbon open their doors to the public for free. Some of these are never open and others are open but with a fee. It’s a great time to take advantage of certain parts of the city that may not always be available to visit.
Not every garden or park opens every weekend for the month so I’ll share the different gardens and what days they’re open. I plan to visit a few because they have been on my list, especially ones that usually aren’t open to the public.
Jardins Abertos Lisboa Dates: May 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25
Open Gardens
Here are the 23 gardens open for Jardins Abertos Lisboa in alphabetical order.
Alto da Eira Garden
This garden will only be open on May 10th with three free tours on the same day. The ten terraces here are for growing vegetables and is a space for everyone.
Alvalade Community Greenhouse
This community greenhouse is located within the Aquilino Ribeiro Machado Horticultural Park and open to the public on May 10th from 10am to 6pm. They have a From Heaven to the Table community project that is a vertical garden with different lettuces and other greens.
Alvalade Garden
In the Alvalade Garden, next to the Avenida da Igreja there is a growing community garden filled with trees and plants. It’s open on May 25th from 10am to 6pm with a tour on the 24th at 9am and the 25th at 3pm.
Atelier do Grilo Garden
The Atelier do Grilo Garden is a place where wild plants grow. It’s a public-accessible studio and is in constant construction. It will be open May 3rd and 4th from 10am to 6pm.
British Cemetery
Located in the Estrela neighborhood across from the Jardim da Estrela is the British Cemetery. This spot is open during the week from 10:30am to 1pm, but will also be open May 17 and 24 for Jardins Abertos.
Bombarda Gardens
The Jardins do Bombarada is a cultural and community center. The outdoor green space is invited into the interior. There is free space for kids to play and a Romantic Garden with flowerbeds, trees and bushes. This garden will be open May 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th from 10am to 6pm.
Dragon Garden – Macau Scientific and Cultural Center
Inspired by the East, the Macau Scientific and Cultural Center (CCCM) is an intercultural space, where Chinese and Portuguese influences intersect, for example in the typically Portuguese-style pavement. It will be open May 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th from 10am to 6pm. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
Garden of the Place of Laranjeiras
Quinta das Laranjeiras, near Sete Rios, is an old leisure estate from the 18th century, where the Palácio das Laranjeiras, also known as the Palácio de Farrobo, was built, with its Baroque and Romantic designs. This garden will be open May 17th and 24th from 10am to 6pm.
Gulbenkian Garden
Built during the 1960s on the grounds of the former Santa Gertrudes Park, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation buildings are part of this beautiful garden. This park will be open May 24th and 25th from 10am to 6pm.
Estufa Fria
Estufa Fria is one of Lisbon’s largest greenhouses. It’s found in the upper left part of the Eduardo VII Park. The vast collection of ferns and begonias, banana trees and bird of paradise, tree ferns and palm trees is an immersive invitation to the exuberance of a tropical jungle. The greenhouse will be open from May 3rd and 4th from 10am to 6pm.
Fronteira Palace Gardens
The Palácio Fronteira was built between 1668 and 1672 as a hunting lodge for D. João Mascarenhas, 1st Marquis of Fronteira. The garden is divided into several sections, the explosion of colour and brightness is evident, combining blues, reds, ochres and greens, in a synaesthetic experience that is hard to match. It will be open on May 3rd and 17th from 10am to 6pm. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
Hotel Hotel Courtyard
In the heart of Lisbon, on Avenida da Liberdade, there is a vegetal jewel kept in the courtyard of the Hotel Hotel: an urban jungle created by artists, where nature coexists in complete harmony with human creativity. This will be open May 10th, 11th, 24th and 25th from 2pm to 6pm.
Italian Embassy Garden
The Garden of the Italian Embassy is part of the architectural complex of the Palace of the Counts of Pombeiro, acquired in 1925 by the Italian government. Alongside the imposing clusters of bougainvillea that adorn the perimeter of the wall, rows of aloes, gigantic jacarandas and hibiscus delimit the grassy meadow. At the first signs of spring, roses, clivias and begonias burst into bloom, while numerous branches of jasmine fill the air with their pleasant aroma. It will be open May 24th from 10am to 6pm.
MACAM Garden
MACAM, the Armando Martins Museum of Contemporary Art, currently occupies the space historically known as the Palace of the Counts of Vila Franca. In the garden, you’ll find a fountain and an old well, an integral part of a rainwater collection system used to irrigate this green space. It will be open May 17th and 18th from 10am to 6pm.
Monsanto Forest Park
It is almost unthinkable to imagine that, around 100 years ago, almost the entire Monsanto mountain range was a place devoid of trees. Reforestation began in the 1930s and the Monsanto Forest Park now covers around 900 hectares of land. It will be open on May 3, 10, 17, 24, and 25 from 10am to 6pm.
Monteiro-Mor Botanical Park
This botanical park is a preserved memory of the old 18th century recreational farms. Within the estates there is a botanical garden, rose garden, orchard, meadows, copses, and vegetable garden. It will be open May 10, 11, 24, and 25 from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm.
Olivais Educational Farm
This educational farm is in Olivais managed by the municipality of Lisbon. It’s a free entry space where you can enjoy unique moments and participate in daily farm activities, such as caring for the land, vegetable gardens and orchards, domestic animals and composting. You can also observe and learn about the process of making bread and fruit jams. It will be open on May 24 and 25 from 10am to 6pm.
Palmela Palace – Garden of the Attorney General’s Office
Located above the Rato metro station is this garden-terrace which is adjacent to the Palmela Palace, the Attorney General’s Office. This is a unique opportunity to visit this garden as it is usually not open to the public. It will be open May 3 and 4 from 10am to 6pm.
Penha Snail Garden
The Caracol da Penha Garden has protected green areas and areas made of porous material that can be safely walked on by thousands of people without destroying the garden: a slide for children and adults, a dance floor, a dog-free lawn, an amphitheatre, a community garden, squares for cultural events and small fairs, a kiosk and a terrace. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a Lisbon sunset. It will be open May 10 and 17 from 10am to 6pm.
Pimenta Palace – Garden of the Lisbon Museum
The gardens are divided into three large areas: to the right of the path lined with lime trees, there is a large lawn, where male peacocks show off; to the left, a grove of cypresses, cork oaks and grevilleas. You may be surprised by the gigantic ceramic animals, the fruit of the artist’s imagination. It will be open May 4, 10, 17, and 24 from 10am to 6pm.
Root Farm
The Raiz Vertical Farm is an urban agricultural space aimed to develop networks of vertical gardens distributed throughout the neighborhoods of large cities. It will be open May 10 and 17 from 2pm to 6pm.
Terrace Gardens
The terrace gardens function as an educational space, hosting activities such as permaculture workshops, and healthy cooking labs. It’s also a great place to interact with the local community. It will be open on May 17, 18, 24, and 25 from 10am to 6pm.
Urbem Urban Forests
The Urbem Forests Association is an NGO registered in Portugal dedicated to implementing native forests in urban areas and restoring ecosystems. Its mission is to reconnect people with nature, the community and themselves. It will be open on May 10 and 24 from 10am to 6pm.
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I hope you’ve found this list of Open Gardens in Lisbon useful to help plan your upcoming trip! Let me know which of these you end up visiting or plan to.
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