In the shadow of royalty in Portugal

We made many friends of long duration at Riverside International, so it was no surprise when, recently, I received an email from one of its members, someone I hadn’t heard from in a long time. Knowing my history as a former Portugal Correspondent for International Living, he asked if I could help his friend in the United States get some information about becoming a Portuguese citizen.

As I wrote in my article last year, The Long and Winding Road, my husband and I both applied for citizenship here. We became citizens in 2021. Having said that, it’s important to understand that the process differs now from what it was when we first moved to Portugal in 2012, and of course, also varies according to the background and special circumstances of the individual.

But to the question: Did I have information? Did I have a recommendation? You bet.

Years ago, we were at a government office in Cascais when we were just at the stage of getting our D-7 visas renewed. That day, we met Rita Jardim, an attorney with whom we’ve remained in touch through the years. She’s devoted herself to the practice of Portuguese nationality law for more than a decade at the Meyer Jardim law firm in Monte Estoril. So I contacted her and was interested to learn something I hadn’t expected. In this case, the person seeking citizenship was actually born in Lisbon, so I thought it would be a slam dunk. Apparently, it’s not quite that simple. (This is why it’s important to know the law.) I forwarded Ms. Jardim’s contact info to my friend.

This email outreach prompted many fond memories of Mafra for me. If you clicked on the hyperlinks above for both it and Cascais, you got a good look at what the cities are like, if you’re not already familiar with them. Do bear in mind I wrote those articles more than a few years ago, and the cost of living has escalated. In fact, I did a recent search on imovirtual.com for two-bedroom apartments in Mafra’s city center. Rather than the $750 figure that appears in my article, prices for similar units ranged from €1,050 to €1,600. As I write this, that translates to $1,222 to $1,862. In other words, just under two to three times as much.

The good news is that’s still a bargain compared to many current US and Canadian rentals. The other good news is that the city’s main claim to fame, the majestic Palácio Nacional, remains the glorious landmark that it has been for hundreds of years. I was able to glimpse it from my home office window when we lived in the Santa Barbara housing development in Mafra, and it was an exceptionally lovely sight at night. Every time a family member or friend visited from the States, we would march them up the building’s steps and bask in the glow of its history. I never tired of it. In fact, I so loved visiting there that I volunteered my services as an English guide. I spent most of one summer trying to find someone in authority with whom to have a serious discussion about it, noting that I also spoke French and (more or less) Portuguese. But they were all on férias for what seemed like an inordinate amount of time. So it never happened, but I had fun trying.

There is so much to the Palace/Monastery, commonly referred to as “the Convento” by the locals. In addition to the Palace and the basilica, you can visit the Baroque Royal Gardens (Jardim do Cerco) next door, and at some distance, the Tapada Nacional de Mafra, or Royal Hunting Grounds. If you haven’t seen the Palace, or would like to revisit it online, this lovingly crafted video by Massimo Nalli will transport you there.

On the other hand, you may want to visit Mafra in person. Normally, we stay with friends when we’re in this area of Portugal, but once that wasn’t possible, so we looked for alternative lodging. We found a gem in Palácio dos Marqueses. It was fun to continue the palace theme, and we were staying in the shadow of royalty: it was a mere fifteen-minute walk (or three-minute drive) up to the Convento.

I’m very grateful that my friend asked for help for his buddy, and grateful that I knew Rita Jardim to recommend. I’m also grateful that I lived in Mafra and spent so much time delving into the history of the Palace. Once I was so invigorated on the grounds that I tossed my hat in the air à la Mary Richards.

If you’ve been to the Palace and want to comment, please do. If you’re too young to remember The Mary Tyler Moore Show... no need to mention that.