Scintillating Sintra

After plunging into Lisbon, a major, modern city, I almost

immediately shifted gears and headed for Sintra, a romantic

royal retreat less than an hour away. Easily reached by

train from the Rossio station, Sintra was first settled by

Neolithic peoples in 5,000 B.C. before it became a Moorish

city around the 8th century, which is quickly evident. You

can explore a marvelously restored fortress overlooking

the ocean that conveys the power and influence of the Arab

Empire. Portuguese royalty and aristocracy ultimately

claimed this haven for themselves and who can blame

them? Somewhat remote, their refuge is peaceful and

sublimely beautiful.

Quinta da Regaleira, built for Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, enriched colonizing Brazil.

The easiest way to access the most important historic sites is via the #434 bus that loops from Sintra train station all the way up to the Moorish castle, Pena Palace and Quinta de Regaleira. After boarding the bus, it will quickly become clear why it is preferable to ride than to walk! In fact, it is amazing how those huge buses are able to climb the steep mountain road and navigate such sharp turns. The $13.50 ticket allows for unlimited rides for 24 hours. I did notice people hiking up the wooded paths but, honestly, if you have experienced the gardens of the estate, no need to trample through the forest, too. For the record, I walked down.

Sintra’s landscape is quite beautiful with hillsides covered with trees and ferns that thrive in its moist ocean air. I already knew that visiting Sintra was at least an overnight trip, but I would have enjoyed staying a third day to appreciate its sites.

The National Palace of Pena was designed by the Baron Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege between 1842 and 1847 for Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the husband of Queen Maria II of Portugal. It has been said that the Virgin Mary appeared atop this hill and I can believe it. Thus, a chapel was originally dedicated in Her honor. Later, Manuel 1 built a monastery. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake all but destroyed that, so King Ferdinand naturally turned the ruins into his summer palace.

Built on a hilltop, surrounded by fabulous gardens, the opulent Pena Palace has the appeal of a storybook castle with multiple towers, turrets, domes and archways painted red, gold and grey. Its architecture typifies 19th-century Romanticism. The monarchy ended in 1910, so the palace is frozen in time. After the revolution, it became a national monument surrounded by a spectacular park, included in the price of admission.

Arabic influence is evident in the architecture and symbolism at Quinta da Regaleira.

Quinta da Regaleira was built at the end of the 19th century for Augusto Carvalho Monteiro and designed by scenographer-architect Luigi Manini. Carvalho inherited a family fortune acquired in the Portuguese colony of Brazil by exporting precious stones and coffee. Then he married a wealthy woman from Braga! He had little to do thereafter but develop this fantastic estate embodying his interests in nature and mysticism.

In addition to a palace surrounded by gardens with statuary, fountains, grottos, waterfalls, caves, ponds, a chapel, and an 88-foot-deep initiation well, decorated with pagan symbols. You can wind your way up and down inside a spiral staircase, which they say might feel something like experiencing rebirth or death. The well's nine platforms represent the circles of Hell or maybe nine skies in the theological poem, “Divine Comedy.” Monteiro was connected to Rosicrucianism, a secret society founded in the occult. Anyway, pretty cool and also weird.

Sintra also offers a variety of shops, restaurants, churches and art museums, The Museum Anjos Teixeiro showcases neoclassical artworks, mostly marble and bronze sculptures, created by father and son, Artur Anjos Teixeiro (1880-1935) and Pedro Anjos Teixeiro (1908-1997). I was personally very impressed by this excellent museum, which had been an art studio.

There are two other palaces to see, the Monserrate and National Palace, but I chose instead to explore the Moorish castle, standing over the wild cliffs, pitted against the ocean breezes.

This ancient fort is a child’s dream, dashing up and down the stairs and along the narrow passageways, and there are many who do. To a point, I could, too, before vertigo kicked in. The soldiers lived in the village below, following the trails to assume their guard shifts. This place really stirred my imagination. Not that I wouldn’t love living in a palace, but the fort definitely exudes empire.

Entrance to the Moor's fortress overlooking the ocean

Castle of the Moors built in the 8th and 9th centuries offers panoramic views of the ocean and countryside.

Narrow streets passing through the old Moorish city, lined with restaurants and shops.