Gardens of Lisbon - Estufa Fria

This article sort of serves as a bonus to my previous one on the hidden surprises you can find in Parque Eduardo VII. And the Estufa Fria is easily the best surprise in the park, in my opinion!

This lovely greenhouse really is a hidden gem, located between the trees on the top left side of the park (going up). It contains a myriad of plant-life, divided into different zones you can explore via tunnels, winding paths, stone steps, and other ambience enriching ways. Estufa Fria translates to “Cold Greenhouse” but don’t be fooled, while its majority of plants are of cooler climates, like ferns, monsteras, laurels and water lilies (sitting on small lakes and creeks), there is a dry greenhouse part where you’ll walk amongst a great collection of cactuses and succulents and other dry region vegetation!

This place is perfect for summer months since you can always count on a cooler temperature and shade, when the heat outside gets unbearable (except in the aforementioned cactus area). It’s not free, but the prices are low, especially for students, and I strongly advise taking a slow stroll around the greenhouse, just to take in the chill breeze and the natural beauty of it all. And if you really love it, you can try to book the “Nave”; a pretty archway inside the greenhouse that used to belong to a theatre company, but now only serves for booked events.

An extra aspect that can also be alluring about Estufa Fria is that it does not only have a variety of plant-life, but you can also find some wildlife, mainly birds, like chickens, ducks, swans and some other water fowls!