Tapada Nacional de Mafra

In 1717 King João V began building the enormous palace and convent at Mafra, and in 1744 he ordered the purchase of the land around it to create a royal tapada, a walled hunting park. It kept the palace supplied and gave the royal family somewhere to hunt. Kings hunted deer and wild boar here for the next 160 years; King Carlos I and Queen Amélia also came to paint. When Portugal became a republic in 1910 the Tapada was nationalised, and since 2019 it has been part of the Mafra Royal Building UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today the Tapada Nacional de Mafra covers 833 hectares inside a wall about 21 km long. Its inventories have counted more than 370 species so far, and the managers say the real number is higher. It’s a real forest, with hills, valleys and mud, and one of the best places near Lisbon for a child to see a wild deer.

Fallow deer, red deer and wild boar live freely in the forest, and the Tapada’s electric-car tours head for the places where you’re most likely to see them. Birdwatchers can look for Bonelli’s eagles and goshawks, both species of conservation concern, and the Tapada’s biodiversity page also names polecats, Bechstein’s bats, the marsh fritillary butterfly and Lataste’s viper, a small, shy snake with a little horn on its nose.

Animals roam freely, so sightings are never guaranteed. Quiet children who walk slowly usually see the most, and the car tours give younger children the best chance.

Three trees are listed as being of public interest for their size and age: a horse chestnut, a Judas tree and the Sobreiro do Rei (the king’s cork oak), about 385 years old, which came second in Portugal’s Tree of the Year contest in 2024.

Birds of prey are a big part of the Tapada. The bird-of-prey flight (O Voo das Aves de Rapina) is a 30-minute demonstration in the open-air amphitheatre, included in the weekend day passes. In the summer 2026 programme it ran at 10:30 and 16:30. A 45-minute beekeeping workshop, As Abelhas e a Floresta, shows how bees and the forest depend on each other.

Teenagers of 17 and over who are serious about falconry can join the Tapada’s one-day falconry courses (level I on 10 October and level II on 7 November 2026, €60).

The ticket you need depends on the day and on how much walking your family wants to do.

At weekends and on national holidays there are two day passes. Caminhar na Floresta (walking in the forest) gives you the marked walking trails, the mountain-bike route and the bird-of-prey flight: €10 for adults, €9 for over-65s, €8 for ages 4 to 12, and free for under-4s. Passear na Tapada adds a guided tour in a silent electric vehicle and the beekeeping talk: €18 for adults, €14.50 for over-65s, €13 for ages 4 to 12 and €5.50 for ages 1 to 3.

On weekdays, the 3Mais ticket (€5) lets you walk, cycle with your own bike or run on the marked routes; four routes were open when checked. Conhecer a Tapada is the guided electric-car tour on its own, at 15:00 on weekdays: €12 for adults, €8.50 for ages 4 to 12 and €5 for ages 1 to 3. It takes about 90 minutes along the main valley and up to one of the highest points, and stops at an exhibition about King Carlos I in his old hunting lodge.

In summer the Tapada also offers horse-drawn carriage rides (passeios de charrete), which can be combined with a walking pass, and a cheaper €5 late-afternoon ticket from 17:00. Programmes change with the seasons: the autumn programme runs from 14 October to 8 November 2026, so check what’s on for your dates.

Every autumn the deer rut. Red deer stags roar (the brama) and fallow bucks grunt (the ronca), and in 2026 the Tapada says both are happening at the same time. Its night experience, À Noite na Tapada: A Brama e a Ronca, starts at 20:00 at the Portão do Codeçal and lasts about two hours: an hour by electric car up to the rutting grounds and an hour on foot along dark forest paths, listening.

It’s for children aged 10 and over only (ID may be checked), costs €12.50 for over-12s and €10 for ages 10 to 12, and takes 40 people per session. Dates in 2026 were 18 to 20 and 25 to 27 September, with more sessions listed for 2, 3 and 4 October. Latecomers aren’t let in after a 10-minute grace period. Bring closed shoes, a warm layer and a torch, and expect to stay silent. The walk is on uneven ground in the dark, so it isn’t recommended for anyone with reduced mobility.

The Tapada runs three-hour birthday parties for a minimum of ten children. One option is an hour-long electric-car tour of the main valley with a guide (€21 per child). The other is a treetop course, Na Copa das Árvores, with 13 obstacles in century-old plane trees, rope bridges and a zip line back to the ground, for children aged 7 and over and at least 1.20 m tall (€25 per child). Both include a party snack, and parents stay throughout.

This is a real forest with hills, not a manicured park, so wear proper shoes, bring water and plan for mud after rain. There’s no café mentioned on the Tapada’s current pages, so bring a picnic or book a picnic basket (€24.50 for one person up to €179 for eight). The interpretation centre has been rebuilt with toilets adapted for visitors with reduced mobility, and a free web app has audio description and content in Portuguese Sign Language.

When the fire risk is very high, some experiences are limited to the valley for safety, and the Tapada may cancel activities in bad weather.

Mafra Palace, with its library guarded by bats, is in town and makes a good pairing, especially if the weather turns. Wolf-mad children can book a weekend visit to the Iberian Wolf Recovery Centre nearby, and Ericeira’s surf beaches are a short drive west.

Can you see deer at Tapada de Mafra?

Very often, but not guaranteed. Fallow deer, red deer and wild boar roam freely. The guided electric-car tours head for the best areas and give you the best chance.

Is Tapada de Mafra suitable for toddlers?

Yes, with a carrier and a short route. Under-4s go free on the walking pass, and the electric-car tour saves little legs.

How long should we spend there?

Half a day at least. A weekend combined ticket works best if you arrive by 14:00, and trails close to new walkers at 16:30.

How old do children need to be for the deer-rut night?

At least 10. The Tapada checks ages at the gate and turns away younger children.

Do we need to book?

Day passes can be bought at the gate, but the Tapada recommends buying online. The night experiences, picnic baskets and birthday parties must be booked ahead.