FRESS Museum of Decorative Arts

If you would like to explore historic interiors, furniture and objects, as well as catch a glimpse of how the aristocrats lived at the height of Portugal’s power, the Museum of Decorative Arts, which is located in the 17^th-century Azurara Palace, is a little-visited treasure trove. It has wonderful examples of blue and white tiles, as well as Indo-Portuguese furniture and Chinese porcelain. It is also possible to visit the workshops in the adjoining foundation of arts patron Ricardo Ribeiro do Espírito Santo Silva, where 18 traditional crafts, from wood marquetry and leather bookbinding to goldsmithing and trimmings, are practiced and taught. The foundation is considered the finest restoration enterprise in Europe, and pieces from Versailles and other historic palaces are sent here to be restored.