Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga

Portugal's national art museum occupies a 17th-century palace and holds the country's finest collection of European paintings, from medieval altarpieces to 19th-century masterworks. You'll find Hieronymus Bosch's terrifying "Temptation of St. Anthony," Dürer's exquisite "St. Jerome," and the crown jewel - Nuno Gonçalves' massive Panels of Saint Vincent, Portugal's most important painting. The decorative arts sections showcase everything from medieval gold work to intricate Japanese screens brought back by Portuguese traders.

The museum flows chronologically through interconnected rooms, each with different ceiling heights and natural lighting that changes throughout the day. The Panels of Saint Vincent get their own darkened room where you can study the faces of 15th-century Portuguese nobility up close. The Asian art collection surprises most visitors - room after room of Ming porcelain, Japanese lacquerware, and Indian textiles that reveal Portugal's global reach centuries ago.

Most visitors rush through in an hour, but you need at least two to appreciate the major works properly. Skip the ground floor contemporary section entirely - it's forgettable compared to upstairs. Entry costs €6, free on first Sundays (but expect crowds). The audio guide costs extra €2 but isn't necessary since most major pieces have English descriptions.