🌳 Discovering Monsanto Forest Park: "Volta do Planalto" hike 🥾🎒

Monsanto Park is the largest forest park in Portugal. It covers 900 hectares and extends over 7 freguesias (parishes) of Lisbon (Benfica, São Domingos de Benfica, Campolide, Campo de Ourique, Belém, Ajuda and Alcântara).

A little bit of History...

In 1934, Decree-Law no. 24625, issued by Engineer Duarte Pacheco, Salazar's Minister of Public Works, proposed the creation of Monsanto Park and set a deadline of 6 months for the preparation of the project. In 1938, the architect Francisco Keil do Amaral (author of the plans for the Lisbon metro stations in 1959) was commissioned to design the park. The afforestation project was then entrusted to the engineer Silv. Joaquim Rodrigo, under the direction of Jorge Gomes de Amorim, head of the parks & gardens department of the Lisbon City Hall.

🚶🏻‍♂️My suggestion for a walk to discover part of Lisbon's "green lung": the "Volta do Planalto" walk 🍃🍁

- Easy 7 km hike through the Mosanto Park.

- Indicative duration: 1h30.

- Starting and finishing point: car park 🚘 located to the north of Bairro da Serafina, near the new Infinity Tower in Campolide (80-metre high apartment building with 27 floors, 195 flats and construction to be completed in 2023).

- The itinerary is marked with dark blue paint. Starting point of the walk from the upper left corner of the car park.

- The walk alternates between shaded and more open areas, always amidst lush vegetation and with the delicate scent of the magnificent eucalyptus trees.

👀 Points of interest on the trail:

- Right at the beginning of the route, you will come across the remains of part of the Aqueduct das Águas Livres. This grandiose 18th century structure (built between 1731 and 1799 and classified as a National Monument in 1910) was a vast water collection and transport system for Lisbon.

- Miradouro Panorâmico de Mosanto: from this former abandoned restaurant, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Lisbon. Vasco da Gama Bridge, Estrela Basilica, Cristo Rei, 25th April Bridge, Tagus... in sight. This 5-floor circular reinforced concrete structure, with a 270º panoramic view, dates from 1967 (end of construction). Originally designed by the architect Keil do Amaral in the 1930s, the building was commissioned by General França Borges, mayor of Lisbon, in 1961. He chose the architect Chaves Costa to design the building.

💡My recommendations:

- Don't forget to take a picture of the park map and the route when leaving the car park. The trail is generally well marked but a few intersections can cause doubt!

- Slightly on the edge of the "Volta do Planalto" itinerary, shortly before the last few kilometres, I advise you to discover the charming "Parque do Alto da Serafina".

A place for children's birthday parties in the summer, the garden has several playgrounds, large picnic tables and a small restaurant. At the top of the park, there is another view of Lisbon from the Miradouro Mercado de Belém.

Mosanto Park is also an ideal place for running, cycling and picnics. There are several signposted paths for 🚴🏽‍♀️ and🚶🏻‍♂.