Things to Do in Mafra

A lively weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings, selling fresh fruit, local cheese, olive oil, and handicrafts. Good spot for cheap snacks.

🕐 Wed & Sat 07:00-13:00

💡 Go early (8am) for the best produce and fewer crowds. The grilled sardines from the stall by the church are 2 euros and excellent.

A former Franciscan convent with a small museum of religious art and historic tiles. Peaceful cloister garden. Part of Mafra’s UNESCO-listed religious ensemble.

🕐 10:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00, closed Mondays

💡 Check the door—sometimes it's closed for restoration. If open, the tile panels in the refectory are worth 15 minutes.

A simple 17th-century church with a striking azulejo interior and a gilded altarpiece. Often overlooked by visitors rushing to the palace.

🕐 08:00-12:00, 15:00-18:00

💡 It's usually open during mass times—weekday mornings. Even if closed, the exterior facade and the churchyard have fine Manueline details.

A colossal Baroque palace-monastery-basilica complex, one of Portugal’s grandest buildings. The ticket gives access to the royal apartments, the library, and the basilica with six organs.

🕐 09:30-17:30, closed Mondays

💡 The basilica and cloisters are free to enter; only the palace interior requires a ticket. Go early on a weekday to avoid tour groups.

A vast 8 km walled hunting park with deer, boar, wildcats and eagles. Walking trails, picnic spots, and a cafe. Local's favourite for Sunday family outings.

🕐 09:00-17:00 (winter), 09:00-19:00 (summer)

💡 Entry is cheap, but the wildlife is most active at dawn or dusk. Take the bus from Mafra town centre—it stops right at the gate.