About an hour away from Lisbon by train is a small mountain town called Sintra that contains the most fascinating fairytale-like castles and estates. It was apparently the playground of the rich, royal and famous between the 15th and early 20th centuries. The whole town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but we only had time to visit two main sites.
The first place we visited was called the Quinta da Regaleira. This was originally built by a wealthy merchant from Porto who created a bewildering estate full of monuments and symbols related to the Masons, Knights Templar, alchemy and other mysterious things. For instance, there is an initiation well that is hidden in a rock cave that spirals way down into the ground – where you can exit at another hidden cave behind a waterfall! There were interesting gardens, chapels and a palace all featuring amazing architecture.
Next we visited Pena Park and Palace, high atop another hill. It was a Romanticist castle built in the mid 1800s. The architecture and colors were so different from anything else we have seen!
After a long day of exploring the castles and sites, we had a great supper in the small town of Sintra. We sat outdoors, had tapas and wine, and enjoyed being serenaded by a talented Portuguese folk singer.
This extended layover gave us a good taste of Portugal. We really liked it and hopefully will go back one day to explore more of the country.
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