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Sintra 

We also spent a considerable amount of time in the fairy tale royal town of Sintra (Mountain of the Moon). Lord Byron made this town famous by referring to it as a glorious Eden. After our first visit to it, it was easy to understand why. Sintra hasn't lost its charm to this day.

Our first visit to Sintra was before we picked up our car, in Lisbon. We got there by using the commuter train from the station at the Rossio station that is located at the bottom of the Avenida da Liberdade. The Rossio station is quite a place in itself. You ride up a series of escalators to get to the ticket area. Then when you walk out into the area where the trains are you are in large cathedral area -- very interesting.

They have extremely nice trains that get you to Sintra in about an hour. The trains leave from the Rossio station four times an hour. I noticed that after you exit the tunnel you will see the old aqueduct that I understand is still working bringing water to Lisbon. This is the Águas Livres Aqueduct which was built in the 18^th century, withstood the earthquake and has been supplying the city with water ever since. When you arrive at the station in Sintra, you can take a cab or easily walk to the Palácio Nacional. We chose to walk along the winding road past a beautiful park into the center of old town (Palácio Nacional).

However, if you wish to combine this town with others in the area then you might consider using a professional guide with a car, such as Peter Feijão at Tel: 21 4535299 or E-mail him for more information. I have met Peter and I recommend him highly.

There are really three Sintra villages: São Pedro de Sintra (the highest), Santa Maria (halfway up) and Sintra itself (the lowest - the old town). I noticed some nice improvements to the town on our last visit. I guess that new mayor Edite Estrela has started on her plan of improvements.

The Palácio Nacional a twin-chimney building stands imposingly in the center of the town. The Palácio has just been refurbished and is looking more magnificent than ever. This 14^th Century site is a combination of Moorish and Gothic architectural styles and was once the summer residence of the House of Avis, Portugal's royal lineage.

Palácio Nacional

Today it is a museum that has many fine things to see. It is definitely worth taking the time to see. We took the tour through the Palácio and it was very interesting.

Sintra from the Palácio Nacional

There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the square by the Palácio Nacional. We also had a nice time walking up and down the streets around the square looking in all the gift shops.

Horse-drawn Carriage in Sintra

They also have horse drawn carriages for rent. We rented one and went for a nice leisurely trot about town. 

If you are interested in more information please call Francisco Ferreira Marques Tel: 21 923 00 27.

Sintra

Perched on top of one of Sintra's hills is Pena Castle and it is a very beautiful site. It is built in 1840 Gothic style. If you don't have a car, you should take a cab to the Castle. It is located up a very steep winding road that is rather scenic but looks rather treacherous. I know that my wife had white knuckles all the way up and all the way down - no faith in my driving ability (or anyone else's, I noticed that on our last visit, you can only get to the Castle by bus or taxi). Once you're there it is well worth it. It sort of looks like something they would create in Disneyland, but it's here in Portugal and it is for real. The palace is surrounded by a beautiful park filled with a variety of trees and flowers brought from every corner of the Portuguese Empire by Dom Fernando.

Palácio Nacional da Pena Castle

I won't say how many times that I have driven past it or beeped my horn horn on the blind bend that the road make going around it. But, this imposing building always stood out in my mind. The Quinta Da Regaleira is truly a monument of amazing imagination with mystical roots verging on the supernatural. The Quinta has been taken over by the Sintra Council and has been converted into a historic and cultural meeting point that is open to the local community and visitors. It may be seen only by guided tour. You are advised to book in advance by calling Tel: 21 910 6650. I have taken this tour and it is well worth the time to see it. You may also E-Mail them.

If you are interested, I have provided a few pictures of this tour on a film strip for your viewing.

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Moorish Castle

There are many more things that visitors should see in Sintra. The Moorish Castle which dates back to the 8^th century and offers stunning views from its walls and the Monserrate Palace with its exotic gardens are just a few examples.

Pena Palace

A friend, who lives in Sintra, told us about a restaurant that has first-rate and very reasonably priced food. Well, we tried it out that first time and have eaten in it every time that we have been in Sintra. Here are the directions to the restaurant. When you stand in front of the Tourist Office, you walk down the street to the right (the one between the tourist office and the church). It is just a few feet down the hill on the right. We became very well acquainted with the Owners and waiters of the restaurant. On the night that we left, there was a lot of embracing, tears, and exchanging of gifts. I was again impressed with the warmth and caring of the Portuguese people. The good news is that on another of our trips to Sintra, I got the name of the restaurant. It is Tulhas Bar and Restaurante Rua Gil Vicente 4 e 6. Immediately upon entering the restaurant, the owners presented my wife with her favorite dish - Bacalhau C/Natas (Codfish with Potatoes and cream). I'm still laughing over the Good Night (Teresa - s).

Sintra is truly a beautiful area. It is situated in the mountains and has its own microclimate created by the clouds that often lie above the mountain. 

We must have fallen in love with Sintra on that first visit because we have spent the last three days of every trip to Portugal in Sintra. So far that has amounted to thirty-two days.

Magoito

Another restaurant that we dined in on our last few visits was the Páteo do Garrett - Rua Maria Eugénia Reis Ferreira Navarro,7 Tel:21 924 33 80.

The chief was truly a master and the meal was delicious. It's located on the top of the hill right around the corner from the Lawrence Hotel.

This is one of the chiefs masterpieces.

If you stay in Sintra you might consider staying at the Hotel Palácio de Seteais. (Tel: 21-923 32 00) or E-Mail Seteais. It is a "Palace" on top of one of Sintra's many hills. It is a beautiful setting. It was built by a Dutchman in the 18^th century, and is now a luxury hotel. The decor and appointments are wonderful. It sits on top of one of Sintra's hills and you can go out on the terrace and look out over Sintra. Looking out the front entrance, you see the Pena Castle. It only has about 30 rooms and is a Five-Star (*****) hotel but it is well worth the expense.

  Palácio de Seteais - rates, availability and reservations .   

You will remember it forever. The translation of the hotels' name is "The Palace of Seven Sighs", I can well attest that every time that we stayed there, my wife let out at least sixteen sighs.

Pool and Garden at the Seteais

Even if you can't stay here, it is well worth visiting for a drink on the terrace or perhaps some lunch. The views from the rear terrace are spectacular.

View of the Palácio de Seteais at night

You might want to consider staying at other properties in the Sintra area. Another Four Star (****) Hotel located near the Palácio Nacional, the Tivoli Sintra. We have also stayed in this hotel on one of our many visits to Sintra. Tivoli Sintra - rates, availability and reservations  

HOTEL LAWRENCE (*****) 

Sintra's celebrated HOTEL LAWRENCE ***** has reopened its doors after a 38 year sabbatical. Founded in 1764 by Jane Lawrence, the hotel's guest list has included such literary figures such as Lord Byron and Portuguese novelist Eça de Queirós.  The hotel is actually a restaurant with rooms. Their a la carte menu changes on a daily basis and their 12 chiefs make everything from as many fresh local ingredients as possible. They serve only Portuguese wines but now feature over 250 different wines from this country.

Caesar Park Penha Longa (*****)

Another 5 star Hotel is the Caesar Park (*****). This exclusive resort is an unique combination of comfort, historical patrimony and protected landscape. It also has an 18 hole golf course designed by Robert Trent. 

  Caesar Park da Penha Longa - rates, availability and reservations  

CASA VELHA DOS GAFANHOTOS

Another option you may consider is staying at a house on a farm, which is open, all year. The farm, with 30,000 square meters, is 10-15 minutes away from a large main road (IC-19) that leads to Sintra (10 kms), Estoril (20 kms), Cascais (25 kms) and Lisbon (25 kms). You may rent the complete house or partial accommodations can also be arranged. The facilities include 2 large bedrooms with bath, 1 bedroom without bath (double bed), 1 small bedroom without bath (single bed), 1 small-equipped kitchen and a large living/Dinning room with a fire place. Transportation arrangements can be solved. For information on the Casa Velha dos Gafanhotos availability and prices please contact Mr. Alberto Goncalves on phone 969 051 998 Tel/Fax 219 164 457 or via E-Mail Alberto .

There also is an other option that you may consider, on the road to Colares there is a Manor House Quinta de Capela. We were very impressed with it. They have rooms and apartments for rent. This estate is extremely impressive. This manor house is surrounded by the Sintra hills. All the rooms have spectacular views of the romantic Palace of Monserrate and its botanical gardens, the lush vegetation of the Serra, with the ancient Moorish Castle and the royal Pena Palace completing the panorama.

Another place to stay in this area is the Quinta do Corvo. This Quinta is situated in a green valley, near the village of Colares in the protected area of the Parque Natural. The house is typical Portuguese style stands on the site of an ancient farm. Apart from the main house and the caretakers house, there are 6 apartments, each with a private bathroom and a terrace or courtyard. The capacity per unit is between 2-6 people and 5 of the units have a kitchenet.   

There is a network of super highways that makes commuting into Lisbon or the Lisbon airport very feasible from the Sintra area. You also can easily drive over to Estoril and Cascais in twenty minutes. However, if there is a race scheduled that day, at the motor way, the drive to Estoril can be much longer.

Great Deals on Rentals

An example of this happened to me one Sunday night. I left Sintra for the short drive to Estoril at 17:00. I ran into half of the people in Portugal leaving the racetrack. After an hour or more in bumper to bumper traffic, I passed the racetrack to meet the other half of the people in Portugal leaving the big shopping center (Cascais-Shopping). Travel time that night was two hours from Sintra to Estoril.

When the times came to leave Sintra, we felt that we didn't want to leave, but if we had too we could plan on coming back. It is remarkable how this small village effects you. It is easy to see why UNESCO recently declared this town as World's Heritage.

We had been planning to visit the Convent of the Capucins ever since our first visit to Sintra, but something always came up at the last minute to postpone the visit. So with map in hand we got into the car and proceeded up the winding (almost two-lane road) to the Convent. It was fairly well marked so it wasn't too hard to find. (It's about 5 miles from the center of town on the same road that leads to the Palàcio da Pena).

There is plenty of parking in front of the Convent. There is also an Admission charge of 200$ Escudos, but the visit was an incredible experience. The day that we visited there was only a small group of Portuguese visiting at the same time. The Convent dates from around 1560. At first you wonder how to get in. It's not too obvious. Finally you figure it out and then you are inside wondering around the narrow stone corridors, looking into the tiny rock cells lined with cork where the monks lived and prayed. The eating area has a crude stone table and the toilet is composed of rock seats with holes cut in the rock. You fell very impressed that men lived and worshipped in these meager surroundings. It does give you a sense of spirituality as you slowly move through this setting.

Convento dos Capuchos

Pay attention to the way that you are going as you move through the Convent. The route, inside, is not marked and I could visualize being lost forever in the ruins of the Convent. Luckily we combined forces with the Portuguese tourist and we managed to find our way out.

The experience was well worth the trip. It was very impressive to see how these humble men dedicated themselves too and worshipped God centuries ago. Upon leaving, I even found my way over the mountain to Cabo Da Roca.

Azenhas Do Mar

Other Attractions in Sintra

Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna. The Museum has gathered together, under the roof of this interesting building, a permanent collection of international contemporary art. A fascinating panorama of European and American works dating from the post war years up to the present. It represents the major movements, currents and schools of artistic research, illustrated by works essential to an understanding of the history of international art. It is located at Av. Heliodoro Salgado 2710 Sintra.

Museu do Brinquedo is the Sintra Toy Museum. The toys exhibited in this Museum are part of a collection gathered during more than 50 years by João Arbués Moreira. The collection is a lifetime of permanent researching and purchasing of older samples and the interest towards the History of Mankind so well portrayed through the toys. Its new location is the old Sintra Fireman Head Quarters at Rua Visconde de Monserrate.

Sintra's Town Council is planning to open four new museums over the next four years. Nearly concluded is the Museu Do Humor (Humor Museum) in the former Leal da Camera primary school in Rinchoa. It will display a collection of cartoons and caricatures. Another museum being completed is the Museu Iconográfico, which will show works acquired by the Sintra Council and works donated by artists who have exhibited in the Municipal Galleries over the years. In the planning stages are the Museu de História Natural de Sintra and another in the town of Colares which will house the collection donated by the Keil do Amaral family of the work of composer, poet and archaeologist Alfredo Keil, composer of the Portuguese national Anthem.

MICOLANDIA

On the way from Lisbon to Sintra right off IC 19 is a wonderful playground for children. It is called MicoLandia and has many amusements and a restaurant for children. It caterers to children 4 years to 12 years and is closed on Tuesdays. For further information please call 219 227 090.

It is impossible to describe, in this short space, the captivating beauty of Sintra and why we have always been drawn back to this village. So I have provided you with a link to a site specifically on Sintra that has much more details and some wonderful photos.

Let's take a visit to Sintra

Street in Sintra

Ericeira

Ericeira is located between Cabo da Roca and Cabo do Carvoeira a scarce 30 miles or so north west of Lisbon, near Sintra and just next to Mafra. It sits on the cliffs and looks out on the Atlantic Ocean.

The area still retains the charm of the little simple fishing village that is popular with the Portuguese, as a summer resort but signs are evident that it is also becoming popular with the visiting tourists. It is a very quaint town to just stroll around and enjoyed the views.

House in town of Ericeira

The beach of Ribeira de Ilhas has become internationally know as on of the best surfing beaches in Europe and since 1985 has been host of the ASP Surf World Championship contest. The tourist guidebooks that I've read give little or no mention to this wonderful area. We found it quite by accident.

One day we took a drive north from Sintra on highway 247. This took us to some beautiful beaches in Ericeira and S. Sebastião area. I was very impressed with the area. It seemed very clean and possessed quite a bit of charm that we like so well about Portugal. The early morning mist had not yet burned off, but it was very scenic as we drove along the road by the beaches. Tourism Board of Ericeira

Mafra

On the way back, I turned over toward Mafra on N116. My wife spotted it first, but there on the roadside was a miniature Portugal. It was a unique little attraction. They had a complete working model of a Portuguese farm, little versions of kitchens and shoe repair shops and even a little castle. We spent a few hours walking around enjoying the models and drove on to Mafra for lunch.

Mafra, a very ancient settlement, was liberated from the Arabian occupation in 1147 and received its first royal charter in 1189. Here is Portugal's most magnificent Baroque confection. Like Batalha, it was the king's offering in return for a favor from God. Joào V commissioned it in thanks for the birth of his daughter. Construction began in 1717 on this palace-church-monastery complex covering ten acres. Eighteen years later the monastery was completed built of Brazilian gold and diamonds. It is truly a wonder to see, and it is unforgettable.

Mosteiro de Mafra

Tourism Board of Ericeira

Palácio Nacional

Creation Date: 04 Dec 1995
Last Updated: 26 Aug 2005
Copyright © 1995-2005 Thomas J. Sullivan MA

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