Best Abandoned Places for Drone Photography in Portugal

Places around the world end up abandoned for many reasons such as closures or evacuations. Sometimes they are just forgotten in the sands of time. In Portugal, many beautiful buildings, ancient castles and estates have been left to ruin. It’s a terrible fate for many of these places, but a wonderful opportunity for drone photographers!

Rack Digital

Published in

Soar

3 min readNov 13, 2019

Palácio do Rei do Lixo

The Palácio do Rei do Lixo (King of Garbage), is also known as Torre de Coina (Tower of Coina). It is a mysterious place full of urban legends that have been perpetuated in time without knowing for sure whether they are true. It is known as Palace of the Garbage, because Manuel Martins Gomes Junior, one of its owners was known as the “King of the Garbage” and made a fortune buying and selling garbage. Nowadays it’s abandoned.

Castelo de Almourol

Castelo de Almourol (Almourol Castle) is located in the middle of the Tagus River, just over an hour north of Lisbon by public transportation, it is unclear when the fortification was first built. The castle was reconstructed in the 12th century by the Knights Templar, who gained control of the space until they disappeared, and then it was abandoned.

Hotel Serra da Pena

Legend tells that in this place, built in the early twentieth century, Don Rodrigo (Spanish count) had healed his daughter from a severe skin disease, using the radioactive waters of this place. During this situation, the Count decided to build this spa hotel that is now abandoned. Nobody knows for sure when it was built.

Panoramic Restaurant Monsanto

This restaurant was built in the 60s. However it has been an office, a disco, a bingo hall, a warehouse, anyway, today is an abandoned building. Located in Montes Claros, in Monsanto, Lisbon, built during the Estado Novo. The building was designed by architect Chaves Costa.

Palácio de Midões

Built during the 19th century, the palace is also known as the Palace of Four Seasons, a theme detailed throughout the palace and also represented by the four allegorical statues towering above its main facade, each representing Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. Having been abandoned for many years, the palace is currently under renovation and being restored to its former glory.