Mafra - Mafra visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Mafra' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Distrito Lisboa.

Situated 28 km north-west from the center of Lisbon, Mafra was a small peasant town. It is best known for the Palácio de Mafra (Mafra Palace), a massive Italian Baroque monastery built during the reign of King Dom João V in the 18th century. The magnificence of the monastery has made Mafra a popular tourist attraction for day visitors from Lisbon.

Mafra - Tourist Attractions

• Palácio de Mafra (Mafra Palace) - also called the 'Convento de Mafra' it was originally built to house 13 Franciscan friars by Dom João V as an act of penance for sexual misconduct. The palace continued to grow becoming one of the most sumptuous Baroque buildings in Portugal and one of the biggest buildings constructed in Europe in the 18th century. It took 50,000 about 30 years to build and has a central basilica and has 1,200 rooms, more than 4,700 doors and windows, and 156 stairways.
• Royal Apartments in Palácio de Mafra - former state and living apartments of the king and queen, containing 18th and 19th century furnishings and decorations.
• Mafra Tapada Forest - wood well stocked with wild boar and game, it contains a small museum of antique horse drawn carts and is popular for walking, riding and cycling.
• ature Centre for the Preservation of the Iberian Wolf - near to Mafra, the centre is open to the public and is a conservation and breading centre for the Iberian Wolf.
• Ericeira - nearby port town that retains a village atmosphere.
• Sobreiro - village west of Mafra containing a clay model village and figures created by José(Zé) Franco.
• Torres Vedras - small town containing the beginning of the Lines of Torres Vedra, a series of forts built during the Peninsula War in 1809-10.

Car: Mafra is 40km northwest of Lisbon (IC1, A21) and 40km north of Cascais. It is 10km east of Ericeira.
Flight: Lisbon Airport.