Rise and fall of the last royal dynasty

Queluz, Mafra and Ericeira

The tour is designed for those who are interested to learn more about the flowering and sunset of the last Portuguese royal dynasty of Braganza, visiting the cities of Queluz, Mafra and Ericeira.

The magnificent palace of Queluz is often called as the “Portuguese Versailles”: the royal residence served not just as a home, but also as a luxurious place to receive guests. Monarchs invited the richest representatives of the nobility to dinners and parties, feasts, horse races, bullfights and performances of famous singers and musicians. King Don Pedro IV had lived in the palace of Queluz before he went to Brazil during the Napoleonic invasions, and later the palace became the secret confinement place of the Mad Queen Maria I. To this day the palace has kept a chic decoration that will allow you to plunge into the atmosphere of celebrations and greatness of the royal family. A walk through the magnificent garden with statues and unusual fountains will take you to the golden age of the Braganza dynasty.

The atmosphere of luxury and grandeur awaits you in the palace and monastery complex of Mafra. Conceived as a performance of a vow to the God, Palace of Mafra together with the Franciscan monastery and the Basilica, became a masterpiece of architecture and art created by craftsmen from all over the world. You can stroll through the halls along which the kings walked: Hall of Glorification, the Throne Hall, Diana’s hall, and also visit the monastery library, where unique copies of books and rare maps of the Great Geographical Discoveries era are stored.

We continue to get acquainted with the history of Portugal in the city of Ericeira, we will learn why and how the monarchical regime was overthrown, and how the last royal family fled into exile from the port in Ericeira. Today Ericeira is a place famous for its picturesque beaches, surfing and seafood.

The tour is provided by a professional tourism driver.

Car and pedestrian tour.