Rua das Janelas Verdes

Rua das Janelas Verdes — the Street of Green Windows — is a quiet residential street in Lisbon's Lapa district, running parallel to the Tagus riverfront between the Santos district and the National Museum of Ancient Art (MNAA), which occupies a 17th-century palace on the street's northern stretch. The street takes its name from the deep green-painted wooden windows and shutters that appear on the 18th and 19th-century residential buildings lining both sides of the road — a palette that is characteristic of the aristocratic Lapa neighbourhood and contrasts with the cream and ochre rendered facades behind. The street sees virtually no tourist foot traffic and moves at the pace of its neighbourhood: residents walking dogs, neighbours exchanging words at doorways, and the occasional delivery to one of the discreet guesthouses that have opened in the former townhouses. Walking the street provides a counterpoint to the city's busier historic districts — it is Lisbon at a residential scale, unhurried and photogenic without being staged. The National Museum of Ancient Art at the northern end of the street provides a cultural anchor for any visit. The section of the street south of the museum passes several elegant palaces with wrought-iron balconies and azulejo-faced lower storeys. The street connects at its southern end to the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga garden terrace, which overlooks the Tagus and is accessible separately through the museum. A walk the length of Rua das Janelas Verdes and back takes 30–45 minutes; combined with a museum visit, allow 3 hours.