Sinless Sintra

Sintra is to Lisbon what Fiesole is to Florence: a serene, lush hilltop getaway from the hustle and bustle of town.  The rich and the royal over the centuries have built their opulent residences here, many of which are now open to the public.  I chose to visit the National Palace, Pena Palace, and Moorish Castle. 

The arboriculture of the town is so luxuriant, borderline tropical even, and countless parks and palace gardens lend to the magical landscape.  I brought a picnic lunch to enjoy in the Pena Palace's lush garden in between my palace and castle hopping.

National Palace

This is the oldest standing royal palace in Portugal, and while it dates back to Moorish times, most of what we see today is 15th century.  It housed the royal family until they fled in 1910, and there's small touches like family photos that make it feel still lived in, as if the queen is simply on holiday.  The exterior isn't too terribly impressive, except for the Madonna-bra chimneys (I must attribute this hilarious reference to Rick) poking out of the top, but the inside is very beautiful, with unique tile work and antique furniture.

 

Pena Palace

Looking like something straight out of Candy Land, this was by far my favorite site in Sintra.  It is a colorful hodge-podge of various styles, time-periods, and European influences with domes, minarets and watch towers poking out of some unlikely places. 

Way up atop one of Sintra's hills, the castle has views of Lisbon and of the sea.  It was here that King Manuel first spied Vasco da Gama returning safely from his voyage, inspiring him to transform the monastery into a grand palace as his way of giving thanks.

On my way up to the castle, I witnessed some child abuse in the adorable form of scouts being made to do 10 push-ups each time they didn't manage to promptly assemble in a straight line.  At one point, a tourist even joined them for moral support.  I particularly love the first kid who's doing more of downward facing dog into cobra than a push-up.  He should really consider a career as a yogi.  Watch the video for a laugh as well as a lesson in Portuguese numbers.

No photos were allowed inside the castle, but I didn't mind because the exterior was really the main attraction.  The castle had been transformed from a monastery, and all the rooms maintained this quaint, cloistered wrap-around quality.  The most noteworthy thing for me was the bathroom, filled with many luxuries including the first flushing (not to mention Portuguese tiled!) toilet, and the interesting shower/bathtub imported from England, the first in Portugal to have hot running water.

I left reluctantly, unable to tear my eyes away from the extraordinary structure pulled from the pages of a fairytale.

Moorish Castle

The remains of this thousand-year-old Moorish castle are striking, making it easy to imagine a time when it was used to protect and defend the area from unwanted visitors (still, the Christians conquered it in 1147).  It offers spectacular views over Sintra, Pena Palace, and the Atlantic, but Lordy is it quite a hike to get there.

Here's a zoomed-in view of Sintra and the National Palace, and below, me at the top of the castle, with Pena Palace in the distance.

Victorious!