Museu Nacional do Azulejo

Housed in the former Convento da Madre de Deus — a 16th-century convent with an extraordinary baroque church tiled floor to ceiling — the Museu Nacional do Azulejo holds the most comprehensive collection of Portuguese decorative tiles in the world. The collection spans five centuries, from simple Moorish geometric patterns to the complex narrative panels that made Portuguese azulejo famous across the world.

The standout piece is a 23-meter panoramic tile panel depicting Lisbon's waterfront before the 1755 earthquake — one of the most extraordinary documents of the pre-earthquake city in existence. The convent's church, entirely covered in gilded woodwork and narrative tile panels, is itself a masterpiece. The museum is located in Xabregas, somewhat off the main tourist route — take the 728 bus or a taxi. Allow 2-3 hours and don't miss the cloister garden.