Set in a lemon-fronted, 17th-century palace, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga is Lapa’s biggest draw. It presents a star-studded collection of European and Asian paintings and decorative arts.
Keep an eye out for highlights such as Nuno Gonçalves’ naturalistic Panels of St Vincent, ¶Ùü°ù±ð°ù’s St Jerome and Lucas Cranach’s haunting ³§²¹±ô´Ç³¾Ã©, as well as period furniture pieces like King Afonso V's ceremonial 1470s armchair and an elaborate lacquered wood, silver-gilt and bronze late-16th-century casket.
Other gems include golden wonder the Monstrance of Belém, a souvenir from Vasco da Gama’s second voyage, and 16th-century Japanese screens depicting the arrival of the Namban (southern barbarians) – namely big-nosed Portuguese explorers.
Biannual temporary themed exhibitions (priced separately, at around €6) are reached via a second entrance on Rua das Janelas Verdes, as are the stone-arched cafe and wonderfully peaceful gardens with river views.