As an expat settled in Lisbon, one of the greatest joys is discovering places like Queluz Palace right on my doorstep. While popular spots in Sintra like Pena Palace or the Moorish Castle often grab the spotlight, I would argue that this palace, rich in history and sumptuous architecture, is a true Lisbon hidden gem that offers a unique glimpse into Portuguese royal life.
You may be wondering: Is Queluz worth visiting on a trip to Lisbon? Read on to learn more about doing a day trip to Palácio Nacional e Jardins de Queluz based on our personal experience.
Queluz Palace History
Queluz is an 18th century Portuguese palace. Construction began in 1747. The palace is done in Rococo style and was intended as a summer home for Dom Pedro of Braganza.
After Ajuda Palace was destroyed by fire in 1794, Queluz Palace became the official royal residence of Prince Regent John VI.
The royal family remained here until fleeing for Brazil as Napoleon and his French troops closed in on Portugal in 1807.
How to Get From Lisbon to Queluz Palace?
One of the many perks of my expat life in Lisbon is the ease of undertaking enriching day trips. Queluz National Palace is perfectly situated for a part-time travel adventure, just about 40 minutes from central Lisbon via the suburban train line to Sintra.
This makes it an ideal escape for a free afternoon or a weekend, demonstrating how it’s possible to balance a full-time career and bite-sized part-time travel opportunities.
Catch the train at Oriente, Rome-Areeiro, or Entrecampos stations and get off the train at Queluz-Belas. A one way train ticket cost less than 2 EUR at the time of writing. Make sure to purchase and validate your train ticket before boarding.
It takes between 10-15 minutes to walk from the train station at Queluz-Belas to the entrance of Queluz Palace.
How Much Does it Cost to Visit Queluz Palace?
The entry ticket for Queluz Palace and Gardens costs 13 EUR for an adult ticket. You can buy a “garden only” ticket for 6 EUR.
Download the CloudGuide App to your smartphone (you’ll find QR codes at the palace ticket office) and purchase the tour of Queluz Palace for about a Euro bringing the total cost of an adult visit to 14 EUR.
We found that the virtual self-guided tour was totally worth it for the added context. It really helps bring Queluz Palace to life.
Highlights of the Queluz Palace Tour
Now let’s take a look at some highlights from a self-guided Tour of Queluz Palace and Gardens.
The Throne Room
All I can say is Wow! The Throne Room at Queluz National Palace is very impressive. The Throne Room is done in a French Rococo style.
Look up at the impressive chandeliers. Spin around and check out the gilded mirrors on the walls. Take a closer look at the golden statues in the corner.
The Throne Room is still used to this day for State banquets hosted by the president of the Republic of Portugal. This has reinforced for me how deeply history is interwoven with modern life here in Portugal, a fascinating aspect I’ve come to appreciate since moving to Lisbon.
The Music Room
The Queluz Palace Music Room is also pretty cool. The centerpiece of the room is a historic Clementi pianoforte. Apparently, the wife of João VI used this room as her hand-kissing room and reception area.
The Queluz Palace Music Room is one of the oldest rooms in the palace and was designed by architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira.
The Skylight Room
The Skylight Room was a sort of office space with light streaming in through a skylight in the roof. We learned that in this room preparations were made for Napoleon to visit Queluz Palace. However, Napoleon instead invaded Portugal and the monarchy decamped to Brazil.
Portugal was effectively governed from Brazil for a period of about 15 years.
The Hall of Tiles
The Hall of Tiles at Queluz Palace is another spectacular space. Colorful scenes on the walls represent the four seasons with azulejos. Below this, you’ll find blue and white tiles that are focused on hunting.
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Interested in getting a better understanding of Portuguese tiles? Make sure to visit the National Tile Museum in Lisbon. Learn about the history of Portuguese tiles and see some gorgeous works of art constructed from tiles.
The Don Quixote Room
The Don Quixote Room at Queluz Palace is noteworthy for a few reasons. This is the room where Dom Pedro IV (King of Portugal and Emperor of Brazil) was born. He died in this very same room of Tuberculosis at the young age of 35.
The Don Quixote Room is named for the paintings displayed here that cover scenes from the life of Cervantes’ Don Quixote de la Mancha. The paintings were saved during the fire that struck Queluz Palace in 1934 because they were undergoing restoration at the time.
The other unique feature of the Don Quixote Room is that while it is a square layout, it is made to look round thanks to eight circular columns supporting the dome roof.
Highlights of the Queluz Gardens
Our self-guided tour of Queluz National Palace continues with the Jardim do Palácio de Queluz: the spectacular gardens and grounds. Queluz Garden is considered to be a Baroque Rococo benchmark garden in Portugal.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the highlights of the Queluz Palace Gardens.
Sculptures by John Cheere
Keep a special eye out for sculptures by John Cheere. Cheere was an 18th century English sculptor working in London. The group of about 15 Cheere sculptures at Queluz Palace comprises the largest collection of the artist’s work outside of England.
The sculptures are helpfully labeled on the free map of the palace and gardens that comes with your ticket.
The Tiled Canal
The Tiled Canal (aka Tiles Channel) is one of the most spectacular parts of the Queluz Palace Gardens. The Tiled Canal comprises 150 meters of tiled walls, with a sluice of muddy water going through. (I assume the water was muddy because it was raining on the day we visited.)
You can definitely see some 18th Century motifs running through the tiles. For example, you’ll see people wearing pointy, tri-cornered hats.
The tiles are multicolored on the side closest to the palace and there are blue azulejos on the other side depicting more seafaring themes.
If you walk up the staircase by the Tiled Canal, you can get a fantastic view over the beautiful blue Queluz Palace.
Around The Robillion Staircase
The Robillion Staircase was carved from a single stone that led from the private quarters of King Pedro III and Queen Maria I to the Robillion Pavilion which housed the cages where the royal family would keep lions, monkeys, and other exotic animals.
I recommend making your grand entrance into Queluz Gardens using the Robillion Staircase. Make sure to watch your step. If it’s rainy, the staircase can be quite slippery.
The Labyrinth Garden
The Labyrinth or Old Maze Garden at Queluz Palace is beautiful with well-coiffed hedges. It’s hard to get lost here since the hedges are quite low and you can easily see how to get around any obstacles.
Around the Botanical Garden
En route to the Botanical Garden, stop and have a look at The Palm Game. This is a sort of 18th century tennis court.
The signature feature of the Queluz Palace Botanical Garden are the four greenhouses growing pineapples. Some of the monarchs who lived here actually personally tended the fruit since pineapple was a limited and much loved delicacy at the time.
The botanical garden is a bit jarring to visit. A major highway runs right outside the walls so it can be quite loud here.
🔎 Looking for other ideas of where to go for a full day out from Lisbon? Why not plan a wine tasting tour of Setúbal or take a walk on Carcavelos Beach?
Neptune’s Garden and Malta Garden
Neptune’s Garden and Malta Garden are nestled in next to the palace walls. Both are quite beautiful and the mix of intricate hedges, fountains, and ornate sculptures make this area of Queluz Palace a photographer’s dream.
Are There Places to Eat Near Queluz Palace?
What if you get hungry while visiting Queluz Palace? There is a small cafe onsite, but it wasn’t open when we visited on a Saturday in late October. We did discover an unassuming looking Bar – Tostaria just across the street from the palace entrance.
The place looks like a dive, but the sandwiches served on toasted baguettes were actually outstanding. Try the ham and cheese or tuna tosta. Depending on how hungry you are, you could probably share one tosta between two people.
Is Queluz Palace Worth Visiting?
Having had the incredible opportunity to live and travel from Lisbon, I can confidently say that Queluz Palace is worth a visit. The building itself is well-maintained and filled with sumptuous period furnishings.
The self-guided CloudGuide audio tour provides a glimpse into the rich history of this place and its importance to the Portuguese royal family.
On a sunny day, you could spend hours simply strolling the expansive Queluz Palace Gardens. Queluz Palace is definitely a Lisbon hidden gem and an ideal Lisbon day trip to consider adding to your Portugal itinerary. I’ve done the legwork to find places like Queluz Palace, which I truly believe is a Lisbon hidden gem.
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