Chiado Palace

Behind these walls on Rua do Alecrim stands the palace where Portugal invented the word for wild partying. Built in 1781 by wealthy tobacco merchant Joaquim Pedro Quintela, this wasn't just another aristocratic residence. It was the birthplace of two expressions still used today. The palace's most notorious resident was the Count of Farrobo, born here in 1801His legendary parties were so excessive that Portuguese created the word "farrobodó" to describe wild celebrations.

The Count threw such lavish banquets and balls that he became synonymous with over-the-top entertainment, even though he was a respected musician and cultural patron. Then came the French. When General Junot occupied the palace during the 1808 invasion, he hosted such extravagant soirées that another phrase emerged: ""à grande e à francesa"" meaning to do something in grand style.

While his troops ravaged the country, Junot lived shamelessly well within these frescoed halls. The palace changed hands many times, hosting an instrumental museum and design institute before closing for decades. After an 18-month restoration completed in 2016, the building reopened with its gilded ceilings, stained glass, and painted murals returned to glory."