There is SO much to see in Sintra, and it covers a large
area. A popular day trip from Lisbon by train, one day is not really long enough, so an
early start is advisable if you want to see everything. A mere glance at photos
of Sintra will leave you convinced to visit this beautiful town.
Sintra is nestled in woodland with fanciful palaces and
centuries-old castles. With verdant greenery around this area and its cool
climate, it’s no wonder that the Portuguese royal family established a retreat here.
Magnificent villas and grandiose palaces abound all over Sintra with magnificent
architectural and decorative features.
As an antidote to all this ostentation, the coarse
ruggedness and unadorned simplicity of Sintra’s Moorish Castle works well,
perched up on the ridge behind the town. We did not visit the castle due to
time limitations.
Sintra’s crown jewel, however, is undoubtedly Pena Palace.
It is a flashy structure that is so colourful it outshines other buildings and
palaces in Sintra. The multi-tiered platforms, turreted towers and picture
windows are a delight to the eye, with the forest below contrasting against the
yellow, purple and rich red walls. The Pena Palace is a classic example of Romantic
architecture. Both the inside and outside of this palace are absurdly beautiful
and strange. It was constructed by King Ferdinand and Queen Maria II as a
vacation home.
The opulence of the place may have something to do with why the
royal family was exiled in 1910 (ala Versailles and the French Revolution!) and
Portugal became a republic. It has some terrific azulejos too. There is plenty
to explore inside, such as the Royal Dining room, multiple bedrooms, grand
hallways and sitting rooms.
As you head out onto one of the adjoining
balconies, there are apparently breathtaking views of the entire valley spread
out below. This was not evident to us as the castle was, mostly, shrouded in
mist and a cold wind was blowing!
One of the oldest and certainly the most central of Sintra’s
monuments is the National Palace. Its iconic double chimney stacks belong to
the kitchen and are impressive from inside and out. It was the
official royal palace for many centuries, without any opulence, and is considered
to be the best preserved medieval palace in Portugal.
Other special features include the ceilings painted with swans, magpies and ships and the fabulous array of original azulejos (painted tiles) which span many centuries.
And after having lunch in the town and seeing two castles,
we call it a day and it’s back to Lisbon or a night in Sintra. We have seen the
best in this one-of-a-kind destination.
