My wife and I were disappointed in the gardens. Granted it was October, but there wasn’t a wide variety of plants or flowers. The statutes were also disappointing, with an emphasis on size and repetition rather than individual artistry. They seemed mass produced. As another reviewer stated, the bathrooms had a terrible stench. Interesting because the other review is from a year earlier, not sure what that means! We have seen some lovely gardens, and though we wanted to like this one, we didn’t. Would recommend skipping this and instead seeing one of the interesting towns around Lisbon.

Wow! We didn’t know what to expect but this is a great experience. Use the little train to get an easy view of the gardens and allow plenty of time to see everything that’s on offer.

While on a road trip visiting Óbidos, Portugal and the surrounding areas, my husband and I decided to visit the Buddha Eden Garden, where practically everything there is larger than life. Categorized as “wine tourism” the garden is located on the Quinta dos Loridos wine estate, about a 15-minute drive from Óbidos in Bombarral. The Quinta is part of the Bacalhôa Group, a wine conglomerate represented in 7 of the most important Portuguese wine regions including Alentejo, Setúbal Peninsula, Bairrada, Beiras, Dão, and Douro. Their overall theme is “Art, Wine and Passion.” Money was no object. The Buddha Eden Garden concept, which opened in stages starting in 2006, is the brainchild of José (Joe) Manuel Rodrigues Berardo, a Portuguese businessman, investor, and art collector. In 2010 it was estimated that Berardo had a net worth of €598 million making him one of Portugal’s wealthiest people. His businesses included tobacco, hotels, telecommunications, banking, and wine. During the Portuguese financial crisis (2010-2014) the Portuguese Republic finances and banking system collapsed and Berardo was accused of being involved in questionable bank loans and other legal wrongdoings. This resulted in the seizure of his bank accounts and company assets. His legal issues continue to the present day. Despite his business problems, Berardo is still considered to be one of the top art collectors in Portugal. His interest in art started at an early age with stamp and postcard collecting and progressed to modern and contemporary art including Chinese porcelain and art deco. An art museum in his name located in Belem, houses an extensive collection of modern art from famous artists such as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró. Special exhibits such as The Last Folio, are often featured at this museum. Destruction by the Taliban. When the Taliban ordered the destruction in Afghanistan of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, wiping out centuries of Gandharan art, Berardo was so incensed by this decree that he soon began replicating the statues that were destroyed and had hundreds of statues recreated to be displayed in Portugal on land next to Quinta dos Loridos. Over 6,000 tons of granite and marble were used to construct these statues. Garden of peace and tranquility. The garden encompasses over 35 hectares (86 acres) of land and is Europe’s largest Asian garden and the continent’s largest collection of Buddha statues. The intention of the garden is to be a place of meditation, tranquility and peacefulness and has no correlation to any specific religious beliefs. Here a visitor will see small and giant Buddhas, terracotta warriors, man-made lakes, pagodas, a koi fishpond, cork trees, metal art, and lush vegetation and exotic plants – all strategically placed throughout the property. Perhaps the most impressive and popular area is the Staircase of the Golden Buddhas. Located in the center of the garden, not far from the pagoda-like entrance, is a tribute to the Buddhas of Bamiyan that were destroyed by the Taliban. A staircase leads to the central figure of the display – the Reclining Buddha, symbolizing the end of a Buddha’s life on earth. Scattered around this iconic symbol are 8 other Buddhas all in gold, granite and marble. Other parts of the garden include a Japanese-style lake with dragon sculptures rising out of the water as well as 600 hand-painted terracotta soldiers – copies of the terracotta army that was buried in China over 2,000 years ago and rediscovered by Chinese farmers in the 1970’s. A Contemporary Art Garden with work from many international artists changes periodically and displays art in a natural setting. The African Sculpture Garden displays over 200 pieces of art by different African countries. Throughout the garden, there are peaceful spots for quiet contemplation or inspiration. A little bit touristy. Sure. It’s a little bit touristy. But it’s also fascinating to see some of these larger-than-life Buddhas up close. If you’re into art, this is a great place to see some interesting works. If you’re just interested in striking a pose next to a giant laughing Buddha, there will be plenty of photo ops here. And if you’re not up to walking along all 86 acres of the garden, there’s a little train that will drop off and pick up at different spots along the way (for an extra fee). If you visit: Free parking lot at the door to the garden. There is admission charged to tour the gardens. For an extra charge, you can take a train that picks up and drops passengers off at various points in the garden. Check the website for current admission prices and hours. Picnics are not allowed in the garden. A restaurant and snack bar are on the premises. A wine shop selling Bacalhôa wines is on the premises at the entrance to the garden. Well-behaved dogs on a leash with identification tags are allowed. No other types of pets are allowed. Wheelchairs and strollers are allowed in the garden. No other vehicles are allowed. Allow 3 hours to see the entire garden if you’re walking.

We did two tours with Rui, seeing sights including the Neolithic stones, Óbidos, Evora, and Nazare. Rui was a wonderful guide and by the end of our tours, felt also like a friend.

We were a family group visiting Portugal on a group holiday and we wanted to find somewhere to visit during a day when the weather wasn't good enough for the beach and what a privilege to have found these beautiful gardens. Such an amazing day out and a high light of our holiday. The sculptures were so cleverly done and put together. I particularly liked the safari themed garden which was packed with beautiful sculptures. We enjoyed a walk round the budda area and enjoyed localy produced sangria, served in their cafe. We also enjoyed that we were offered to taste the locally produced wine whilst visiting their gift shop I will include some photos with my review. Thank you to all the team for a lovely day

We were super excited to see the Chapel of Bones in Evora and this trip did not disappoint. Although we picked the hottest day to do this tour, Rui made it trip fun and exciting. We saw cathedrals, Roman ruins, a fortress, and one of the oldest monoliths. Plus the drive through the countryside was beautiful. Rui was friendly and personable. He talked to us the entire way which made our trip great. Our kids even loved it. If you have a chance, don't miss this!

Buddha Eden is breathtaking and astonishing particularly in a rural area in a highly Catholic country. Could not believe the collection so beautifully presented surrounded by gorgeous gardens. From huge Buddha statues to African art to contemporary art to the terracotta Warriors of China and on and on and on.

Rui provided a great experience in Lisbon and Sintra. He picked us up promptly at the airport and then took us on a great tour to Sintra. He was very informative about the area. We saw three different palaces in the area and had a little time in Sintra to explore. The palace of Queluz (Little Versailles) was beautiful and not at all crowded. The National Palace and the Palace of Pena were very interesting. We had a great introduction to the Sintra area.

A relatively new place in Portugal. Something totally different from the old nice sites of this lovely country. A striking beautiful garden with a lake' bridge and above all statues of oriental character some of them in blue that reminds the Terracotta soldiers of China.

Great experience all around! Highly recommend. Rui is so professional and friendly! His knowledge of the local areas was great as well. We did a full day with Real Click Tours, 5 of us, and he was flexible with our pickup and destinations. I thought Queluz National Palace was a real hidden gem! Would also recommend Sintra if visiting metro Lisbon for more than a day. Would book again for my next visit. Safe travels!

Our second day out with Rui. After a drive through the hills we arrived at Quinta Santa Maria in Gidril, a village perched on the edge of a valley. We were greeted by our British expat host who guided us through the beautiful grounds and outbuildings of the Quinta tasting wines and enjoying nibbles along the way. The wines were flavourful, and the nibbles carefully chosen to enhance each we tasted. Before leaving we purchased a couple of bottles to savour at home, of course! Next stop of the day was The Monastery at Mafra. While this 400 room palace may once have housed a monastery, it was the biggest and most ornate of the several palaces we were able to visit during our time in Portugal- built with Brazilian gold and reputed to have emptied the treasury! Rui will do custom tours, as ell: For our third trip we have Rui taking us on a self-designed Templar Castle tour. We suggested three sites we wished to visit and he put together our itinerary ending with a boat ride to The island of Castelo Almourol. Bound to be another magical day!

Our fourth day out with Rui- this time he took us South toward Evora, stopping first in the picturesque village of Arraiolos where tapestry rugs have been crafted since the 16th century. A wander through the village and tapestry studios made us feel as though we had stepped back in time. A feeling that remained as we visited Evora with its remarkable Roman remains. But our travel through time continued even further back as, in the late afternoon we arrived at the Almendes Cromlech - a megalithic double stone circle, the finest in Portugal and reportedly one of the oldest in Europe. Because it’s off the beaten track, down a rutted and difficult to navigate lane passing through groves of cork trees, the site doesn’t receive many visitors. We had it all but to ourselves as the sun began to set, casting sunbeams and shadows all around. Truly magical! As always, Rui recommended a great little restaurant for lunch in Evora and conveyed us safely home to Galamares at the end of the day..

There is a lot of nice, interesting, nature and-historic place to visit ... in this central area:Alcobaça is romantic and the place where Portuguese Peter1 and Ines de Castro where buried their story is like a Romeu and Juliet with a tragic ending , the city itself is full of nice places to buy China and souvenirs. I ate at Pratus. And as I like a lot the place I came back and ate at Antonio’s both restaurants were very good, at Nazaré I was taken by the force of nature - its i incredible to look Those Giants waves ..Fatima is a sacred mystic place all of these places worth the trip

Before I and my wife started the wine tasting tour, Rui the tour guide from Real Click Tours gave us an induction about the farm and during the travel to Mafra he was always willing to answer some questions about Lisbon and the industry of wine in Portugal. The farm is very beautiful with nice background rolling vineyards and with a fantastic landscape. The wine tasting tour was provided by a local guide and so explaining us the production and the quality of the Vineyard. We tasted awesome wines in the manor house (five different wines from the farm) served with delicious cheeses, olives and biscuits. Also we visited the chapel from XV Century within the farm and a fantastic opportunity for a stroll along the village. The price of the tour is attractive and in overall we are very satisfied by this excellent tour that Rui has provided. We strongly recommend Rui for this kind of tour!

Rui is an excellent tour guide. He’s kind and has a very heartwarming attitude. He drove us around Lisbon mostly. If I happen to visit Lisbon again, I’ll book his tours because he seems to know a lot more than any other guides. Thank you Rui, we had a great time in Lisbon because of you. See you again. :)