Tapada Nacional de Mafra

Beside the great palace of Mafra, the Tapada Nacional de Mafra is a walled forest that once served as a royal hunting reserve. Today it is a protected area where deer, wild boar and birds of prey live among cork oaks and pines, crossed by walking and cycling trails.

A royal hunting park

The Tapada was created in the eighteenth century by King João V as a hunting park for the court, and its walls still enclose more than eight square kilometres of forest. After the monarchy it passed through different hands before becoming a protected area, managed for conservation and visitors.

What to see and do

• Walking and cycling trails through the forest.
• Deer, wild boar and birds of prey, often seen along the trails.
• The historic walls and gates of the reserve.
• The palace of Mafra and its basilica, next to the Tapada.

Visiting the Tapada

The Tapada is beside the palace of Mafra, about 40 kilometres north of Lisbon. Access is controlled and tickets may be required; check the official website for opening times and conditions before your visit.

Visitor information: tapadademafra.pt.

Image credit: Tapada Nacional de Mafra, by Marta Catarina Santos Marques, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.