São Vicente de Fora Monastery

São Vicente de Fora was rebuilt from 1582 under Filippo Terzi for Philip II, then king of Portugal as well as Spain, in a severe Italianate mannerism - a white limestone front with twin towers that set the pattern for a century of Portuguese church building. The interior is plain by comparison; the reason to buy the ticket is the cloisters and corridors, which carry one of the largest azulejo schemes anywhere, including a famous series of thirty-eight panels illustrating La Fontaine's fables in blue and white, made in the 1730s. Beyond them is the Braganza pantheon, in a former refectory: the tombs of almost every monarch of the dynasty from João IV to Manuel II, including Carlos I and his son assassinated in 1908, and Catherine of Braganza, who married Charles II of England. The roof terrace gives Alfama, the river and the castle.

What you actually see

• The La Fontaine panels - thirty-eight 1730s azulejo scenes of the fables in the cloisters.
• The Braganza pantheon - the dynasty's tombs from João IV to the last king.
• The roof terrace - Alfama rooftops, the Tagus and the castle.
• The mannerist front - Terzi's white twin-towered facade of 1582.

When to go

Year-round. Two hours. The Feira da Ladra flea market runs in the square below on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Honest expectations

The church is free but the cloisters, pantheon and terrace need the ticket. Steep climb from the river. Roof access closes in bad weather. Photography is restricted in the pantheon.

Nearby

The National Pantheon and Feira da Ladra are below; Alfama and the castle are west.