Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira

An intact, inhabited palace and headquarters of a foundation. Therefore, it doesn’t come across as too museum-like.

Firstly, the ”Marquis of the Border” has a bit of white mold, because a ”mark” is inherently a border area. It’s possible that this classical definition wasn’t common in 1670 anymore. It’s also possible that titles are slowly running out: Portugal has always liked to reward merits in war with lands, and they eventually run out. Hence, for the Mascarenhas, ”border areas” might be defined as areas in the ”State of India”: it’s not really ancient nobility — which is probably also a reason why the family withstands all sorts of mishaps, marries wisely, and today carries tons of titles.

Now for the facts: João de Mascarenhas is promoted for his services in the Restoration War and involvement in the deposition of a king, and he also receives a piece of land in the greater Lisbon area. So, from around 1670, the palace is a hunting lodge, and after the famous earthquake, it is enlarged and becomes the main residence. The ladies of the house turn the villa into a meeting place for political and intellectual elites, always seeming to be on the right side, even surviving the waves of democratization around 1830 and 1910 unscathed.

What remains is a never-damaged mansion where the old owners still live. They operate a foundation here to preserve the immense accumulated heritage and allow guided tours outside the private rooms. It’s a first-rate Baroque palace with gardens that could be in Tuscany. Opening hours are available on the website; it’s not possible to visit without planning. There’s also art and concerts. Movie fans might recognize the garden as the setting for James Bond’s romantic stroll with his first and only wife, Tracy.