Sintra

THE AMAZING SINTRA IS THE PLACE WHERE ROMANTICISM STOPPED LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE. TOPPED BY A CASTLE AND BRIMFUL OF PALACES, NOT EVEN THIS LANDSCAPE SEEMS TO SATISFY: SINTRA STILL SETS OUT TO THE ATLANTIC SEA BETWEEN BEACHES WITH EXTRAORDINARY VIEWS AND CABO DA ROCA.

If you go to Sintra you don’t want to leave. You may go only in search of the famous ‘queijadas’ cheesecakes, or just to visit the Moors Castle or lose yourself in the raving imaginary of Pena palace. But when you start descending you will start looking for a house to live. It is a place that seems to have been born to raise jealousy in those who don’t live there yet, mostly during Fall and Winter, when the mountain and the center of town are wrapped in the mist that deepens the mystery. Starting with the one about the History that has made Sintra, since the 14th century, a key character in the Portuguese saga.

Sintra is full of magical names: Regaleira, Seteais, Monserrate, places of gardens and palaces, manor houses and parks, all framed by steep roads, dangerous curbs, symbols and myths lost in time but that don’t hide from the curious fascinated eye of the visitors. And from the old Palácio da Vila to the brand new News Museum, Sintra insists on being a land of baits, as if every corner called your name.

Further inland, Queluz national palace shines like a reverie of kings and gardens. But if you come from Cascais, along the coast you will find the pleasure of beaches such as Grande and das Maçãs, and what seems a Greek island on shore called Azenhas do Mar, where houses climb the slope as if with fear of getting their feet wet. At the end of this route, Cabo da Roca is the cape that marks the moment when the land ends and the sea begins, as the poet Camões wrote. From there, Portugal is only water until it reaches the islands of Madeira and Azores, promises of oceans to explore.

There is unique transportation, such as the tram cars that in Colares, by the ocean, stop for a glass of the best wines, or the horse-drawn carriages that cross the huge Pena National Park tirelessly. Around us, even without the mist that steals views but offers charm, an air you breathe in and breathe out in the shape of a sigh.

VISIT

Built on top of a mountain ridge over the ruins of a 16th century convent that King Fernan... READ MORE
Four kilometres away from Sintra’s centre is the Park of Monserrate with its exuberant g... READ MORE
Testimony of the Islamic presence in the region, built somewhere between the 8th and the 9... READ MORE
Quinta da Regaleira is a passionate and mysterious place where architecture and mysticism ... READ MORE
Founded in 1560, the Convent of the Capuchos is revealing of the Franciscan spirit present... READ MORE
It is the biggest experience related with journalism, media and communication in Europe. ... READ MORE

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EAT

The concept of the restaurant focuses on traditional Portuguese cuisine with a contempora... READ MORE
At the romantic and secretive setting of Sintra, there’s a house that is bent on creat... READ MORE
Open since January 1991, O Caneira was born as the first restaurant presenting the centen... READ MORE
Considered one of the best tables facing the sea, Azenhas do Mar restaurant offers an exce... READ MORE
The Nortada restaurant benefits from a panoramic view of the sea and promises a spectacul... READ MORE
The barbecue Somos Um Regalo, with a second address in Cascais, offers the “best ch... READ MORE

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SLEEP

In the historic center of Sintra, next to the News Museum and the beautiful building of t... READ MORE
More than just a five-star Sintra hotel, a luxurious and romantic palace which takes us ba... READ MORE
Located within a 545-acre national Park on the southern Sintra Mountains, Penha Longa Res... READ MORE
The oldest hotel of the Iberian Peninsula (1764). Lawrence’s has a sophisticated ambien... READ MORE
On the magnificent Sintra coast, this is Europe’s westernmost hotel. Situated 12 km fro... READ MORE
Villa Maçã House is a bright and comfortable guest house located at Praia das Maçãs, ... READ MORE

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ACTIVITIES

Walk Hike Portugal created themed walking trails in the Natural Park of Sintra-Cascais pro... READ MORE
The horse-drawn carriages of Sintra are one of the classic features of the romantic town. ... READ MORE
Wondering what to do in Sintra? E Bikes are perfectly suited to making the hilly Sintra r... READ MORE

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