Panorâmico de Monsanto: The Abandoned Restaurant of Monsanto

Located on the outskirts of Lisbon is Parque Florestal de Monsanto, it’s Lisbon’s largest park and it covers most of the Serra de Monsanto – The Monsanto Hills. At its highest point and offering the best views of Lisbon and the Tagus River is the Panorâmico de Monsanto. In its 1970s heyday it was an exclusive panoramic restaurant catering for rising upper classes of the city. Today, it’s now abandoned and is one of the most unique miradouros you can find in Lisbon! Not only famous for its views, but it’s also now an urban art destination with an array of both official artworks, and less official graffiti. Keep reading to find out more about visiting Panorâmico de Monsanto.

Stairs Panorâmico de Monsanto

Panoramic Monsanto Today

Officially the restaurant closed in 2001 and quickly attained cult status with urban explorers and local graffiti artists. However, the city cleaned up the multistorey structure and reopened it for visitors in 2017. With a security guard, and official opening times, it’s no longer a destination of pure urban exploration. That said, its atmosphere is not pure tourist attraction either, the bare shell rooms, and multiple stories – there are 5 of them, combining with the graffiti should still scratch the itch of urban explorers looking for something to visit in Lisbon!

Parking structure Panorâmico de Monsanto

Restaurante Panorâmico de Monsanto Through the Years

The idea and plan of a restaurant on the hilltop was first conceived by the famous Portuguese architect Francisco Keil do Amaral in the 1930s. However, it would only be completed and opened in 1967. Keil do Amaral is widely known for his involvement in the construction of Lisbon’s Airport -Aeroporto Humberto Delgado – and left his mark on many of the city’s great parks such as Parque Eduardo VII, Campo Grande and Monsanto Park itself. Unfortunately, Keil do Amaral and the city could not agree on a plan and in 1961 the city’s Mayor ordered another famous architect to take over – Chaves Costa. The restaurant was completed in 1967, and formally opened as a restaurant in 1970.

Panoramico Monsanto Lisboa

For several years the restaurant was deemed the ‘pearl of the city’, but soon became a victim of its location and the changing tastes of Lisbon’s elite. It would go through multiple phases, becoming an office of a film production company, a bingo hall, a nightclub, and then a storage site before finally being abandoned in 2001. It was at this point it became a focal point for Lisbon’s urban explorers and graffiti artists. 

Restaurant Panoramico de Monsanto

Panoramic Restaurant of Monsanto in 2022

In 2017, and in an advanced state of decay, Lisbon’s municipality decided something needed to be done. Damaged structures were fixed, what remained of the floor to ceiling windows were removed, and effectively anything that was hanging, lose or could fall was taken out of the building. Handrails, safety nets, and even warning signs have been posted! To some people the restaurant has been sanitised, but to others they’ve created an urban art destination. Not to mention that the 360 degree views that the restaurant was designed for, can now be safely absorbed by all!

Urban art in Panoramico de Monsanto

Although today, the concrete shell of the building look alien, and it’s even sometimes referred to as Lisbon’s UFO. Some of its former opulent features remain. One of the most famous is the ceramic panels depicting life in a pre-modern Lisbon by the artist Manuela Madureira. This formed the entrance and grand bar on one of the lower levels of the restaurant. On the rear of the building is an impressive granite sculpture by the sculptor Maria Teresa Quirino da Fonseca. Both features hint at the lavish past that’s now been overtaken by a different type of art. On the inside, a modern interpretation of a stain-glass window now occupies another impressive entrance and stairway. The restaurant today combines an eclectic mix of former grand designs, modern art pieces, and graffiti.

Panoramico de Monsanto Lisbon

The very top of the restaurant, the observador that originally offered 360-degree views is now securely closed off due to safety issues. Unfortunately, as of 2022 there is no way to access this area and its azulejo panel that’s often mentioned. The rest of the restaurant still offers one of the best views of Lisbon though, even allowing views down onto the Ponte 25 de Abril and across to Almada. It is supreme and well worth a visit!

Panoramic Restaurant Monsanto Lisbon

Know Before You Go:

Address: Estrela da Bela Vista, Monsanto

Opening hours: every day from 09:00 – 18:00.

Entry cost: Free

Access by public transport: You can take bus 711 from Marqués de Pombal in direction Alto da Damaia (running approximately every 20 minutes) and head to the stop called Avenue Tenente Martins. From there it’s a short walk along a road called Estrada da Bela Vista and should take around 10 minutes.

Written by

Ana Veiga is the co-founder of We Travel Portugal. Ana’s a travel writer currently studying Language and Literature at the University of Lisbon. When not writing or studying she’s steadily on her way to visiting, photographing, and writing about every town and village in Portugal.

You can contact Ana by email, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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