• Two gates on two streets: the south gate is on Largo das Necessidades beside the palace, the north gate on Rua do Borja
• Woodland shade covers much of the park, so it stays cooler than open city gardens on hot afternoons
• Unrestored in places, with a weathered greenhouse, statues and ponds, so it feels wilder than a tidy city garden

Tapada das Necessidades is a walled, 10-hectare former royal park laid out in 1742 beside the Necessidades Palace. Woodland paths lead to lawns, a circular iron greenhouse, a cactus garden with plants taller than adults, ponds and the remains of a small royal zoo.

Kids can run the lawns, hunt for statues and spot the chickens and ducks that roam free. Restoration has stalled, so parts look worn and overgrown.