This area became the dining room in a later phase of the royal habitation of this property and already into the 19th century. In practice, the concept of a Dining Room as a fixed space for eating in, only emerged in this later period.

The location where the “table was set”, literally, – which might consist only of a simple cloth-covered wooden structure – varied according to the occasion, the personal taste of the respective monarchs and the actual location of their private chambers.

On occasion, in order to bestow greater importance on the final stage in a meal, the “decer table“ – deriving from the French term for dessert – was set up in an adjoining room. These would be laden down with fruits and sweets made from eggs and almonds, which Portuguese gastronomy still richly abounds with.

The decoration of the “decer” table would also be highly rich and decoratively exuberant. This was the opportunity to bring out rich sets of Meissen porcelain or silver services.

The highlight in the centre of the Dining Room features a wash set, made up of a basin and jug in China porcelain, placed there for the washing of hands at the end of each meal.