Itinerary
Walk in the Park
A walking tour in Monsanto
With spring arriving, the days and the desire to spend time outdoors are bigger. In Lisbon, the Monsanto Forest Park continues to be a favorite place for residents and visitors. With 900 hectares, the “lungs” of the city, designed in the late 1930s by architect Keil do Amaral, is a forest where a great diversity of species of trees, plants and animals cohabit and a recreational area that invites you to enjoy countless activities.
Pedestrian trails and cycle paths, parks, gardens and viewpoints make Monsanto the ideal place for a day spent with family, friends or even alone. We propose a walking tour in the Park, one of many possible, which allows you to appreciate its scenic beauty and use some of its equipments.
MORNING
Mata de São Domingos de Benfica is one of the possible entrances for pedestrians or cyclists in Monsanto and a good start for a day of outdoor activity. Exploring the park with a walk along one of the walking trails is the best way to enjoy the calmest, greenest corners. The first stop is at Monsanto Interpretation Center, which serves as the reception for the Monsanto Forest Park. It has a public service area, the Documentation and Information Center, an auditorium and organizes exhibitions, workshops and visits. There you can rest before resuming the path towards Parque do Calhau which, with its large clearings, offers a maintenance circuit and a magnificent viewpoint over the east of the city. Leaving this park, and continuing south along the Water Route, you arrive at Alto da Serafina Recreational Park.
LUNCH
At Alto da Serafina Recreational Park, or Parque dos Índios (Indians Park), you can take a lunch break, using the picnic area for a picnic or, alternatively, the restaurant. Next, it is possible to explore the various recreational facilities, aimed at different age groups: playgrounds, a children’s driving school, an adventure park and the viewpoint where you can enjoy a stunning view over the city. Large lawns, trees and bushes, the presence of a small lake in Praça dos Ciprestes invite you to relax.
AFTERNOON
Continuing along the Vila Pouca – Bela Vista route, the path leads to Alvito Recreational Park, in the south. Here, there is also a varied range of recreational, sports and leisure equipments. It’s the ideal space to rest on the lawns, surrounded by woodland. The children’s playground invites the little ones to have very fun moments. There are also picnic and restaurant areas, a sports center and an amphitheater. Leaving Alvito it is possible to walk along Alameda Keil do Amaral, which allows walking and cycling and has a maintenance circuit for the elderly, a skate park, a picnic area, a dog park and a kiosk with a terrace. To end the day, there is nothing better than watching the sunset at the Keil do Amaral amphitheater, which is also a viewpoint with a unique view of the city of Lisbon.
