Date of trip: November 2009

While Will and I were visiting Portugal, we spent a day in Sintra, 45 minutes from Lisbon via a train that runs every 20 minutes. Unlike Lisbon, the town is full of character and charm and conjures up images of the Moors and Portuguese royalty.

Highlights:

-We started our day at Quinta da Regaleira, an estate reached by a 10 minute walk from the center of town. The mansion itself is impressive, but empty and the main reason to visit is the grounds. Full of ponds, forts and passages, the property is a Gothic playground that you could easily spend hours exploring. Although we were intrigued by the underground caves, we were too chicken to walk through the long, dark tunnels. I definitely think a flashlight would have come in handy here!

-The Palacio Nacional de Sintra served as a home to Portuguese royalty for centuries until the monarchy ended in 1910. The interior design is very interesting with detailed tiles portraying the theme of each room, including the Swan Room and the Magpie Room. Also of note is the sprawling kitchen with its giant, white, conical chimneys that reach up through the roof.

-Anywhere you stand in Sintra, you can see the Castelo dos Mouros sitting high on a hill. The Moorish Castle was built between the 8th and 10th centuries A.D. and getting there is a hike. The best way to reach the base is to buy a round trip bus ticket that includes a stop at the nearby Palacio Nacional de Pena. Once you arrive, be prepared for a climb. I only made it up one side, but the effort was worth it. With the entire town laid out below you, the view is incomparable.

-Not far from the Moorish Castle, on another hill, is the Palacio Nacional de Pena. With round, brightly colored towers and vaulted arches, it looks more like a mosque than a European palace. Inside, the rooms reflect its purpose as a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family until the end of their reign.

Sintra is a wonderful place that should not be overlooked. While I enjoyed my time in Lisbon, it is Sintra that has everything I had hoped to encounter in Portugal: beautiful architecture, a romantic history and lush, sweeping countryside.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Sintra Links:
Sintra Official Site