Real Gabinete Português (Royal Portuguese Reading Room)

Frommer's Review

A temple to books. The interior of Real Gabinete Português is four stories tall, capped with a stained-glass cupola and illuminated by an elaborate chandelier. It's worth stepping inside just to see the room. Created in 1837 by the culture-starved (so they said) Portuguese, the reading room contains over 350,000 volumes, many of them from the 17th and 18th centuries. Just by showing ID (and maybe filling out a form -- it depends on who's working) visitors can request, obtain, and peruse these books, for as long as the room is open.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.