Sintra Things to Do Tips by bambino36

Sintra Centre

The town of Sintra still retains its essentially mediaeval layout, with narrow and labyrinthine streets, steps and arcades, beautiful and charming, which are perfect to stroll around.

Quinta da Regaleira - The Palace Quinta da Regaleira Review

This gothic and neo-manuelin style Palace is really a treasure. The gothic design forces us to look above in direction to the sky.
It is said that inside this Palace was practiced the cult of the Holy Graal. The knights promised to keep the secret of the Holy Graal.

Quinta da Regaleira - The Chapel Quinta da Regaleira Review

The Capela da Santíssima Trindade follows the same decorative line that coats the palace, based, over all, in the gothic and manuelin. Inside the chapel is the "God's eye" over a Templair Cross.

Quinta da Regaleira - Patamar dos Deuses Quinta da Regaleira Review

The visit to this universe starts at Patamar dos Deuses, a place where twelve statues (gods of the greek-roman mythology) are lined up along one side and must be understood as the Zodiac.
From here starts a visit to the gardens, where we can be surprised by symbolic lakes, fountains, towers, terraces, grottos and many elements.

Pena National Palace Palácio da Pena - Pena Palace Review

This Palace is the best example of the portuguese Romantic architectonical style. It's located at 500m high on top of Serra de Sintra (Sintra Mountain) and was built by D. Fernando of Saxe Coburg-Gotha in 1840 over the ruins of an ancient convent.
Pena National Palace is one of the country's most proud monuments. Many call it the crown due to its location on top of the mountain, where it receives visitors from everywhere in the world to testify the magnificence of a romantic construction and the history of a King's true love for art.

Address: Parque da Pena - Estrada da Pena

Directions: 4.5 km from Sintra

Phone: +351 21 910 53 40

Monserrate Gardens Monserrate Palace Review

The gardens are filled with different kinds of vegetation from different parts of the world amongst waterfalls, small lakes and valleys. It seems that the owners wanted to represent the mastery of man over nature.

Beckford's Fall
William Beckford ordered this waterfall to be constructed which, along with the false cromelech, are the best signs of his presence in Monserrate.

Fern Valley
In 1860, Sir Francis Cook planned the distintive feature of the fern valley to display his collection of ferns. In addition to the spectacular large-scale tree ferns, around 40 other fern species were planted. Tree ferns are similar to small palm trees, their foliage grows only at the top of the trunk.

Ornamental Ponds
There are two ponds existing in the park that were built between 1890 and 1923. The marginal water near the lawn, which is still and exposed to sunlight is warmer. This allows the development of rare plants from the river Nile such as papyrus, lotus flowers and water lilies. On the other margin of the pond, the water flows through the natural riverbed, maintaining it's freshness

Monserrate Gardens Monserrate Palace Review

All over the park we find several constructions made by the owners through time.

Vathek's Arch
This arch was built by William Beckford, while he was at Monserrate between 1794-1799. It could represent the entrance of the property, which at the time wasn't enclosed. Beckford wrote his most famous book, Vathek, an oriental tale in 1786, before his first visit to Portugal. Vathek is the hero on the book which.

The Chapel
In 1790, Gerard DeVisme started the construction of a neogothic house built over the ruins of the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Monserrate, on top of the hill.
The present day chapel, built by DeVisme also in neogothic style, holds the spirit of the place but it was never used for religious purposes. Francis Cook, after he acquired the property, modified the chapel making it a romantic ruin. Interesting the fine Banyan specimen that "hugs" the el.

Monserrate Palace Monserrate Palace Review

This lawn, built in the second half of the 19th century, was the first in Portugal to have an irrigation system enabling it to remain green throughout the year. The irrigation was made through pipes buried under the ground, that had reservoirs, which allowed the guidance of the water, distributing it all over the lawn.

Monserrate Palace Monserrate Palace Review

This Palace and gardens is located 4Km away from Sintra city center.
The history of Monserrate goes back to the times when Portugal was dominated by the moors. In those times, a moor knight lived on the hill where the palace is today, but fought the alcaide of the Moor Castle and died on a duel with him. He was buried by his christian friends up in the hill.
After the reconquest, in the 12th century, by King D. Afonso Henriques, a Chapel was built on that hill. In 1540 a friar ordered the construction of a chapel/sanctuary devoted to Our Lady of Monserrate (thus the name of the Palace and Park) on the place where the grave of the arab knight was.
Abandon and the earthquake of 1755 destroyed almost everything. Around 1790, Gerard DeVisme rented Monserrate. He built the first neo-gothic palace over the ruins of the old chapel.
DeVisme hasn't lived there for much time and, in 1793, William Beckford, an english writer, rented those lands and buildings. He used his fortune to rebuild the buildings and to create the gardens.
In 1799 he leaves Portugal and Monserrate was abandoned. But in 1856, Sir Francis Cook, bought Monserrate. He reconstructed the Palace, in a romantic style, with gothic, indian and arab suggestions. Using the extraordinary natural conditions, the gardens were recreated but this time with vegetation from several parts of the world.

Other Contact: info@parquesdesintra.pt

Phone: (+351) 21 923 73 00

Website: http://www.parquesdesintra.pt

Town Hall City Hall Review

This beautiful building was built in 1906 on the place where there was the Chapel of S. Sebastião, demolished in the first years of the 20th century. The building functions as the Town Hall

Address: Largo Dr. Vergílio Horta

Other Contact: geral@cm-sintra.pt

Phone: (+351) 219 238 500

Website: http://www.cm-sintra.pt