Terra Nostra Park

Why go

The park's history page says the Boston merchant Thomas Hickling bought the property in 1782 and built a summer house and a small pond there in 1783, and that the Viscounts of Praia bought it in 1848 on condition that the garden stay open to the public and later extended and redesigned it. The park's site describes plant collections including bromeliads, ferns, camellias and cycads, and a thermal pool fed by a volcanic spring with iron-rich water. Its visitor page says a ticket covers the park's landmarks, its permanent and temporary collections and use of the thermal pool and jacuzzis, that the visit takes place on the date booked, and that tickets are not refunded unless the park closes for safety reasons such as bad weather. The park's rules for the thermal waters ask bathers to shower before and after, forbid jumping or diving into the pool and eating or drinking in it, and recommend dark swimwear because the iron-rich water can stain. The park's FAQ says the Terra Nostra Garden hotel stands within the park; this record is the park, not the hotel.