Sintra
King Pedro IV Square
The King Pedro IV Square (Praça de D. Pedro IV) popularly known as Rossio, is a square in the Pombaline Downtown of Lisbon, Portugal. It has been one of its main squares since the Middle Ages. It is also the square where we will be meeting our guide for our trip to Sintra. We booked this tour through Airbnb Experiences.
Took a guided tour to Sintra today. This area in the Serra de Sinatra hills is where Portuguese royalty and nobility went for a summer retreat. There are a number of palaces here. We toured two of them. It was about a 1.5 hour drive to get here from Lisbon. Our guide had a small van and there was a family of four from France joining our tour. When we got to the city our tour guide got us some travesseiro de Sintra, the towns signature sugar-dusted almond-cream-filled pastry. They were light and tasty, like little pillows.
Downtown Sintra. the castle at the top of the hills is Castelo dos Mouros - a moorish castle overlooking Sintra. We did not go there today.
After enjoying our pastries, we took a quick walk to the National Palace of Sintra. It is known for its two giant conical kitchen chimneys. We were not able to get inside, but our guide took us into the arches for photos. He also explained why it has so many different types of architecture. This is ude to additions being added at different times. It has medieval origins that date back to 10th-12th centuries.
The National Palace of Sintra
We had to walk to our first palace. On your way we passed The Lawrence Hotel. Lawrence’s Hotel in Sintra is the oldest hotel on the Iberian Peninsula. George Lord Byron began writing The Pilgrimage of Childe Harold while staying here in 1809.
Lawrences Hotel
First we went to Quinta da Regaleira. This palace has amazing gardens with plants from all over the world. It also has the famous Initiation Well.
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira is a neo-Manueline palace and estate in Sintra, Portugal, celebrated for its mystical architecture, lush gardens, and esoteric symbols. This is our first palace that we will be touring today. it is known for is lush gardens with plants from all over the world. It is also the home of the Initiation Well.
Initiation Well
It is not a well, but an inverted tower. The story is that the Freemasons used it to initiate new members. They would be blindfolded and descend through the nine levels of hell (Dante’s Inferno). Then they would have to find their way out through a tunnel to a water fall to the light. (Think going through a birth canal to be reborn) We did it (not blind folded) and I feel like a new man! Ha ha!
Quinta da Regaleira Gardens
The gardens cover about 10 acres. It is filled with grottos and tunnels that link manmade lakes and wells. There are towers and terraces that provide great panoramic views of the gardens. It is also filled with mythological statues sculptures and symbolic motifs referencing alchemy, esoteric initiation and mystical traditions.
We returned to our van and our guide took us to Cabo da Roca, the western most part of Portugal. It was really windy!
Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca, located near Sintra, Portugal, is the westernmost point of mainland Europe, renowned for its dramatic cliffs, lighthouse, and breathtaking Atlantic views. The wind here was very strong. In fact our guide insisted on opening the doors to the van so the wind would not tear the door off the hinges when it was opened.
Our guide took us to his favorite local restaurant for lunch. They had Green Wine here. The wine itself is not green. It is a white wine from norther Portugal. The “green” refers to the wines youth. It is usually consumed 3-6 months after harvest. It is knowen for it s light, high in acidity, with a slight evervesence due to natural carbonation. I tried a local dish recommended by our guide. It has fresh clams and pork. It was delicious. Sandy had spaghetti made of squid ink (hence the black noodles) with clams and mussels.
After lunch our guide took us to the shore so we could walk the sand and feel the ocean. He also took us to one of h is favorite overlooks further down the road.
Beach sceanes
We then headed to Pena Palace. This palace was brightly painted in yellow and red. King Ferdinand created this palace for his bride. It was designed by the same architect that built Neuschwanstein (the castle used to model Cinderellas castle at Disney). It was very whimsical.
Pena Palace
Pena Palace in Sintra, Portugal, is a 19th-century Romanticist palace overlooking the town with vividly colored facades, eclectic architecture, and a sprawling park of over 200 hectares
After the tour, we found a sardine store that looked like a candy store. It was fun watching the kids get excited, only to find out they only had cans of sardines!
Sardine Shop!
Queen of Sardines!
Back at the Airbnb, we relaxed with some Belgium beer the Laura had brought and got takeout from a local restaurant.
Belgium Beer, popcorn and sweets!
