Northwest of Lisbon, at the edge of Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais sits the architectural gem of Sintra. The town was inscribed on UNESCO’S World Heritage List in 1995, and it’s one of the main tourist destinations in Portugal, famed for its historic castles and, in particular, the fairytale-like Pena Palace. It’s no wonder why people flock to Sintra!
When I was in Lisbon two summers ago, I decided to take a day trip to Sintra. One day in a big, gorgeous and hilly place like Sintra isn’t always a good idea, but I got there early, left late and spent the whole day actively hiking and exploring. And I did see everything I wanted and more!
So, arriving early in the day, I set out to explore some of Sintra’s most beautiful landmarks. The place was already crowded. Tourists jumped on taxis and busses to the castles and I headed out on the trails, hoping to get away from the crowds. I didn’t quite, but it certainly wasn’t as bad! I found a route away from the main trail on maps.me, going up steps and steep paths to the Castle of the Moors, my first destination of the day. The hike was absolutely breathtaking, the views throughout incredible. It was tough in the summer heat and it took an hour just to reach the castle, but it was so worth it.
Castle of the Moors
The oldest castle in Sintra, Castle of the Moors bears witness to the Moorish influence on the Iberian peninsula back in the medieval period.
The hilltop castle was built by the Moors between the 8th and 9th centuries and played an important strategic role during the Reconquista (711-1492 AD). It was overtaken by Christian forces following the conquest of Lisbon in 1147, consequently pushing the Moors out of the area. The castle became completely abandoned in the 16th century, and the earthquake of 1755 that hit Lisbon and the surrounding areas caused significant damage. Thankfully, the castle walls have since been conserved and preserved for us all to enjoy.
I walked the entire length of the walls, taking in the views of the lush hills, the cute town with the whitewashed Sintra National Palace below and the colourful Pena Palace above. At 466 meters above sea level, it was windy and the air was cool, something I’d been longing for after three weeks of intense heat!
Pena Palace
Sintra’s masterpiece was up next.
I hiked back down from the Castle of the Moors on a muddy trail until it joined a steep cobbled street up to Pena Palace, the most colourful and surreal-looking palace I’ve ever seen. It was built on top of a hill to serve as a summer residence for King Ferdinand II and his family during the mid-19th century when Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. Today, it’s one of the most visited places in all of Portugal.
It was obvious from the crowds. Hoards of people joined me as I walked towards the colorful palace that most of all looks like something out of a Disney movie. It certainly doesn’t look real. And that only makes it more incredible. A fun fact is that the original colours actually faded over time and the palace became entirely grey, but it was repainted at the end of the 20th century!
I was in awe as I explored the colourful exterior of the palace. The architecture is absolutely breathtaking and the colours vibrant. It’s very Disney and over the top, but I loved it! I didn’t really enjoy touring the interior though as there were SO MANY tourists and everyone had to walk the same narrow way. There was no room to move. But the exterior was worth it all.
Pena Park and Cruz Alta
I wasn’t tired of hiking yet, so I decided to climb to Cruz Alta, the highest point in Pena Park which surrounds the palace. Despite only being a kilometre from the palace, it was a steep and tough hike. I stopped to eat my lunch on a bunch of rocks in the forest halfway through, while watching other hikers go by. It was nice to get away from the crowds for a little while.
Then I continued to the Cruz Alta viewpoint and was rewarded with the most gorgeous, unexpected view of Pena Palace. Just wow!
Chalet of the Countess of Edla
Next I decided to hike through the park to the Chalet of the Countess of Edla, one of Sintra’s less known wonders. I was so thrilled to finally be hiking alone, so I could just enjoy the beautiful sounds of nature.
The chalet is a dream house, built entirely of wood and decorated with the most neat bark elements. It was originally built between 1864 and 1869 for King Fernando II and his first wife, Queen Maria II. He married again after Queen Maria’s death in 1853 and named the house after his second wife, Elisa Hensler, Countess of Edla.
Unfortunately, a fire in 1999 partially destroyed the building, but it was reconstructed to its original state in 2007. Today, it stands as a beautiful gem hidden deep in the forest. If I ever settle down, I want my house to look like this!
Quinta da Regaleira
Saving the best for last, I walked the long way back to the town and towards the Quinta da Regaleira, a stunning palace and chapel from the early 20th century, complete with the most enchanting park I’ve ever seen. With an abundance of grottoes, fountains, small lakes and streams, deep wells and other exquisite structures, I could’ve spent the entire day there.
There is so incredibly much to explore. I didn’t know where to start or where to end. So I just wandered about, climbed staircases, entered grottoes, peeped down the mysterious Initiation Well which was never actually used as a well and dreamed that someday, I would have a garden this bewildering and beautiful. It was the perfect place to end the day.
When I got back to the train station in Sintra’s town centre, my legs were exhausted. I was sweaty, tired and hungry, but it had been worth it. Sintra had been incredible. Like a fairytale come true.
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