If you find yourself in Lisbon, don't forget to take a day trip to the magnificent SintraIf you like to travel, you will surely have visited various palaces across Europe. But what you will see in Sintra, believe us, you have not seen anywhere else!
The area of Sintra Parks It is less than an hour from Lisbon. With a unique microclimate, it was an area that the country's kings preferred for hunting or summer vacations. That is why it is adorned with palaces of kings and nobles with beautiful lush gardens.
How will you get there?
From Lisbon station Rossio The train will take you to Sintra in about 40 minutes. Then, depending on which palace you want to visit, you will travel by bus as the distances are long. We rented a car to visit two other remarkable places that are close to Sintra and which we will talk about below.
What to see
As we mentioned before, the area has about nine palaces and castles, and even if you want to visit them all, two days may not seem enough. So before you arrive, do some research to choose what suits your needs. Also, book your tickets online because on weekends and during peak periods, the lines can be long. We chose to visit the Pena Palace and the park Quinta da Regaleira, two of the most important UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Portugal.
Pena Palace
Nestled in the forest of Parque da Pena is a palace that resembles a castle from a Disney movie. The building's history dates back to the 15th century.the century. The forest was commissioned by Ferdinand II in 1869 to meet his mistress, while the castle was the summer palace of the Portuguese kings. The main palace was built on the site of a former monastery. The part of the monastery that survives today stands out from the rest of the building (it is in pink), while the palace is painted in ochre. The palace is a mixture of Gothic and Moorish style – with Renaissance touches and certainly does not resemble any palaces you have seen so far! When the German composer Richard Strauss visited the Pena Palace, he wrote: “It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life”! On days with clear air you can even see the city of Lisbon. (Ticket 13.30€)
Quinta da Regaleira Park
It is an area of 40 acres that includes a five-story palace with elaborate frescoes, stained glass windows and rich plaster decorative elements, gardens with lakes, a chapel, towers, wells, mysterious caves, fountains and sculptures, associated with the Alchemists, the Knights Templar and the Rosicrucians….
The “wells of initiation”, one of the main features of the castle, are two wells located underground and connected by tunnels and caves. These wells are also known as “inverted towers”. One of the two, 27 meters deep with spiral staircases, has nine platforms that are said to be reminiscent of Dante’s Divine Comedy and the nine circles of Hell, the nine sections of Purgatory and the nine heavens that make up heaven. It is believed that the distance of the platforms, as well as the number of steps between them, are connected to the mystical philosophy of the Tarot….
At the bottom of a well is painted the cross of the Knights Templar. Very little is known about how the wells were used and what exactly happened there. It is said that it was the place where the initiation ceremonies of the Masons took place…. (Ticket 8€)
In Sintra, try the sweets Tray (sweet puff pastries with almond cream filling), the Queijadas, which mainly contain cheese, Noses Douradas(caramelized almonds and Pastries The Cruza Alta (with the secret recipe), in the most famous pastry shop in the area is the Casa Piriquita.
Cabo dthe Rock
A short distance from Sintra is the Cabo yes Rock. This is the westernmost point of continental Europe. Until the 15ththe century it was considered the westernmost tip of the world! The locals believed that if they went further from this point they would fall into an abyss and die! Beyond the lighthouse, which has been shining since 1772, facilitating navigation, you will also come across a column dedicated to the Portuguese poet Luis De Camoes, which reads: “Here the land ends and the sea begins.”
At this point you will find yourself facing the wild side of the Atlantic. The wind is quite strong and the waves hit the rocks non-stop, forging an irregular natural sculpture. The cape has a strange energy that magnetizes you!
Azenhas do Mar
Your next stop is the picturesque fishing village Azenhas do Mar. Known for its sea watermills, it was inhabited in the 19th century and today many public figures in Portugal maintain holiday homes. Built on the edge of a cliff and with an unobstructed view of the Atlantic, it is a popular destination for both locals and tourists. The natural pool in front of the beach is filled with the waves of the ocean and in it you will find young children splashing carefree. Here it is worth enjoying a romantic dinner with a view of the sunset over the Atlantic, at the homonymous restaurant Azenhas do MarIf this solution seems expensive to you (which it is between us) then Água e Sal is your next choice.
Tip 1: Something you should keep in mind in general when visiting Portugal is the fact that most restaurants stop serving between 5 and 7 pm. So plan your day in such a way that you won't go hungry during those hours!
Tip 2: The area we just talked about, but by extension many other areas of the country, due to their proximity to the Atlantic, have a special microclimate. Where it is sunny, it can be cloudy and rainy, while even in summer the air can be particularly cool. So be prepared with a raincoat or windbreaker.
