One of the finest collections of royal carriages in the world, housed in a purpose-built modern museum in Belém opened in 2015, with the original late 18th-century Royal Riding School next door still serving as an exhibition space. The coaches date from the 16th to the early 20th century and range from workaday royal transport to extraordinary diplomatic vehicles dripping with gilded allegorical figures.
The standout pieces are the three carriages sent by King João V to Rome in 1716 for a papal audience — objects of such extreme opulence that they shocked even the Baroque papacy. The museum also houses sedan chairs, livery, and royal portraits. It is one of the few specialist museums in Lisbon that justifies a dedicated visit; allow 90 minutes.