Sintra- Portuguese Fairyland

Most often Germany comes to mind when I think of fairy tales, but the land of kings, queens, knights, fair maidens, and dragons seems to be here in Sintra, Portugal.  Just a drive to the west, on the edge of the green Sintra Mountain range, is this romantic area of castles and palaces.  Just as described in fairy tales, a stone castle on the highest point in the area looms over the town of Sintra.  The castle can be seen from nearly any distant point.  In the early mornings, it is eerily shrouded in fog; in the afternoons, it stands brilliantly in the sunshine.  Off in the distant hills below other less commanding palaces and castles can be seen here and there nestled on hilltops.

It’s a magical land of hills, green space, castles, and palaces with history so rich, that we can hardly fathom it.

We hoped to walk our way to Sintra’s main points of interest until we realized they are miles and mountains apart.  We looked at the Red Hop-On Hop-Off tour bus system but learned that there are three local bus lines that for only 11 Euros per person deliver guests to all the important spots, hop-on/hop-off style, valid all day on all three lines.  We signed on.  For our initial ride, we chose the most popular bus, the 434 to Pena.  As a note, these buses are nice; they have upholstered seats, big, broad windows, and USB ports to charge your phone.

First and foremost on everyone’s to-do list is the Palace de Pena.  It is the Cinderella Castle overlooking the town of Sintra.  A narrow one-lane road winds up the deeply forested mountain’s edge to the palace.   With its tight hairpin turns, we wondered how a six-horse carriage made the trip long ago.  Finally, when we reached the spot all we could see were people!!!  Sp many people!! Where did they all come from???

We stood in line to buy tickets which gave us an admittance time of Noon, an hour away.  We got in line.  By the time we reached the entrance to the Palace, our time was due.  We spent that hour taking photos of the magical palace and its grounds, chatting with a couple from the Netherlands, and wondering what could be the delay in reaching the entrance.  Without a doubt, this palace is a magnificent place but the tour through the interior was not.  There were just too many people.  We had a similar but even worse experience when toured the Grand Peterhof Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia.  There, positioned along the way, were “coaches” who sternly urged the stream of people going through the rooms to keep moving.  The harsh women made us feel a bit juvenile.

Our line today moved fairly well through the palace but I kept thinking, this place needs to install a people-mover like the cars on a track like those at Disney World.

The palace, Palacio de Pena has an interesting history.  This national monument is another UNESCO World Heritage site.  The palace originated as a Middle Age chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena.  Later a monastery was built on the site and remained as such for centuries.  The monastery was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake but the chapel was not damaged.  Later the chapel was built over with farmhouse and farm buildings.  Then in 1835 the farm and surrounding lands were acquired by a member of royalty.  From the years 1842 to 1854, the construction of the Romantic-style castle atop the mountain took place. The Palace de Pena was often used as the summer palace for royalty until the Republican Revolution in 1910 when it subsequently became owned by the Portuguese government.

The palace is indeed a regal gem in Portugal.  Its lofty location, turrets, stone walls, arches, and grounds give it an air that is seldom matched.  Even so, from one of the palace’s grand terraces, other castles and palaces can be seen in the distance.  This is such a dream-like place; it stirs the question, is this real?

Our bus took returned us to town.  We had a little lunch and promptly caught the 435.  This smaller bus was in far less demand than the 434.  Everyone, I mean everyone wants to go to the Palace on the 434.  With most of the day spent getting to Sintra and then to and through the Palace, not many hours were left in our day.  We boarded the 435 and made a “look-see” loop.  Oh boy, there are several more must-dos on this loop.  We passed the Sintra National Palace, the only surviving palace from the Middle Ages.  We need to see this!  The bus took us past the Regaleira Palace, we got only a glimpse, but, oh, I need to see this too!  Then we drove past Monserrate Palace.

When we returned to Sintra for day two, we took the 403 bus which drove us an hour away to Cabo do Roca.  Right there, on a high cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is the farthest westernmost point in Continental Europe.  We made our mark; we were there.  The point has a lighthouse that was built in 1758.  Kept by three lighthouse keepers, the lighthouse is still used today to signal/communicate between Cabo da Roca and Ericeira.  Wow!  As we looked out over the ocean, Stan said, I think I see the beaches of Ericeira.  He was right!  From a high point in Ericeira, we could see a point far to our south.  Stan took a photo, enlarged it, and there, 19 miles away stands the lighthouse.  We think we can see the tiny silhouette of the Palace de Pena too.

We had packed a picnic lunch for this day.  We sat on a wall in Sintra in dappled sunlight, people watched and enjoyed our sandwiches.  The picnic gave us more time for exploration. 

Bus number 435 took us to Monserrate Palace.  This grand palace has grounds like a botanical garden.  It is serene, natural, and beautiful.  A bird with a rounded head like a Phoebe, sang a sweet, sweet song before flying away to serenade another couple.  What an extraordinary place for royalty or better yet, what an extraordinary place to grow up – as we learned the child of its property manager did.  That child is now an old man but as a boy, his mother, father, nanny, and brother lived in the palace in the Cook family’s absence.  Like the Palace de Pena, this palace began as a chapel.  Over the centuries it was owned and rebuilt several times over. 

It was in 1863, that Francis Cook, a very wealthy English textile merchant,  bought the property and had the palace constructed as the elaborate summer residence and gardens of the Cook family.  He and his wife chose the Romantic design and incorporated elements of Moorish architecture.  It is truly a sight to see.  The opulence, the grandeur, the wealth!!!

Eventually, and particularly because of the great world wars, the Cook family lost the property. 

The Portuguese government acquired it in 1949, restored the palace, and opened it to the public in 2000.  It too is defined as a World Heritage Cultural Landscape by UNESCO.   Thank goodness for UNESCO.  This organization plays an important worldwide role in preserving history and culture for today and future generations.  Learning about the organization’s mission and history is a very interesting read; do look it up. I dearly love this quote from the UNESCO constitution:

 “Since wars begin in the minds of men and women, it is in the minds of men and women that the defences of peace must be constructed.”

Soak that in and digest that.

Just as we have not had enough of Lisbon after five days; we are not done with Sintra in two. 

More to come.

This weekend . . . only relaxation.