A house that goes unnoticed on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão and that many people don't even know can be visited for free. This is one of the great surprises of the downtown Lisbon area and one that almost no tourist knows exists. This house is the old Alverca Palace, built in the 17th century, also known as Alentejo House.
The mansion belonged to the Paes de Amaral family, the Viscounts of Alverca, whose coat of arms is still visible on the facade of the main window. It was once a casino, the Majestic Club, one of the first in the city, in 1919. Years later, in 1932, it became what it is today: the headquarters of the Associação Regionalista Alentejana or simply Casa do Alentejo.
The central courtyard, with neo-Arab influences, surprises us as soon as we enter. It even seems that we are in some place of Arab origin and takes us back to other customs and cultures. As soon as we went up the stairs, we came across not one, but two Louis XI and XIV style halls, quite luxurious and imposing, including a common stage that separates the halls and allows for separate audiences.
There are also two rooms occupied by a restaurant on the second floor, beautifully decorated with huge tile panels from the beginning of the century. If it's not to eat, it's worth staying at the door to appreciate so much art. The walls were covered by tile artist Jorge Colaço with paintings by Domingos Costa, Benvindo Ceia and José Bazalisa.
Returning to the lower floor, there is a bar in what could be called an internal courtyard, with paintings on the walls showing life in Alentejo. There you can eat quick meals and enjoy the famous wines from Alentejo and beyond.
A beautiful place that you can visit when visiting the Portuguese capital. But if you want some “spice” on your visit and also see other places in the central area of Lisbon, we at Portugal Afora will take you on our itinerary Giro Around Lisbon.