In our previous blog post, we covered 3-4 days in Portuguese Capital - Lisbon.
Now we proceed to another area which is not too far from Lisbon but must not be missed.
So here is the part II of our Portugal series.
3 nights in Sintra
Day 5 - Lisbon - Sintra
Day 6 - Sintra
Optional - Day trip to Cascais
PC - Stepmap
Day 5 Lisbon - Sintra
After breakfast start your journey for #Sintra.
About an hour away from Lisbon, Sintra is often considered for a day trip. But we highly recommend you stay in Sintra. Known as a fairytale town, Sintra is considered the first center of European Romantic architecture. Apart from that what you must know is, Sintra is a hilly region. So better gear up for a hike and wear your hiking shoes!
Istead of going straight to Sintra, you could do a detour and visit Cabo De Roca.
Upon reaching Sintra, we recommend you either take the day easy and enjoy the hotel/ resort you are staying at or just wander at the local market.
We stayed at this gorgeous villa property called - QUINTAS DAS MURTAS. It was so romantic! Read more about it in my blog post below
If you have a lot of time, you could straightaway head for a visit to Sintra Castle and Pena Palace
The castle now known as Sintra National Palace, located downhill from the Castelo dos Mouros, was the residence of the Islamic Moorish Taifa of Lisbon rulers of the region. Pena Palace was originally a 15th-century monastery. King Ferdinand II transformed it into a mountaintop summer residence for the royal family in the 1800s.
There are many heritage resorts in this region where you could go for an early dinner and call it a day.
Day 6 Sintra - Visit Quinta de Regaleira and Moorish Castle.
This day is going to be a lighter one with garden walks and good food.
Start with Quinta de Regaleira which is an estate renowned for its stunning gardens, secret tunnels, and mystical symbols. This palace is surrounded by lush gardens, lakes, caves, and enigmatic constructions. However, The Initiation Wells (also called initiatic wells or inverted towers) are two wells on the property that better resemble underground towers lined with stairs. These wells never served as water sources. Instead, they were purportedly used for ceremonial purposes.
Image courtesy - Visit Portugal Sintra tickets & Quinta de Regalia official site
Later proceed for Moorish Castle. The castle is a UNESCO world heritage site for its architecture and the surrounding landscape. The castle was built at the top of the Sintra hills, on extremely uneven terrain, by the Moors in the 8th or 9th century. If you walk all the way to the castle just for a look of the outside, all you will see is a big stone wall and entrance. It only gets interesting if you get inside and walk all the ramparts and walls.
Important thing to remember is that as Moorish Castle is on the hill and on a rough terrain, it takes time to actually get there and you would want to spend time there.
After finishing sightseeing, if time permits, you could go to the beach - Praia da Ursa.
Optional day trip from Sintra
Now, this day trip can be from Lisbon or Sintra. I am recommending from Sintra because, you will for sure be overwhelmed in Lisbon as there are tons of things to do.
So here we go.
Cascais is a sleepy costal town that’s less an hour away from Lisbon and less than half an hour away from Sintra.
Here are the places that you will cover in Cascais-
Casa De Santa Maria – The house of St. Mary that was built by a Millionaire Irish Businessman, this was one of the most luxurious residences back then!
Right next to it the Lighthouse.
Santa Maria Lighthouse- This offers some of the most stunning views of Cascais coastline.
Citadel of Cascais – This is an old fort that used to be a Royal Residence. It is now turned into a hotel.
History lovers can visit Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães. This palace offers a peek into some impeccable art collection, an Indo Portuguese rare furniture collection and a notable library with interesting manuscripts.
After a full day of sightseeing you must visit Galeria House of Wonders. This four storey building houses lovely restaurant, Café Gallery offering art and exhibition space, tea house and stunning 360 degrees views!
A treat for vegetarians!
Image courtsey - Facebook Page
Later proceed for a chill time at the beach. You can choose from the below options.
Praia da Rainha beach. This was apparently a private beach of Queen Amelia in the 1800s!Apart from this, you can visit other beaches such as - Praia da Duquesa, Praia da Rata and Praia da Ribeira
Image courtesy - Cascais Independent Tourism Guide , visit cascais,
When in Cascais, dont forget to spend some time at Praça 5 de Outubro, which is the main square. Its full of cool cafes, shopping areas. Its also known for a popular Gelato store here.
If you are spending a night here a visit to Casino Esoril is highly recommended!
From here now we will proceed to the next part i.e South of Portugal
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