So everyone said that you just had to go to Sintra if you visit Lisbon. Sintra is a day trip away, there are many buses, trains, and tours. We decided to go.
It had been fairly warm in Lisbon, and the weather promised to continue in this manner. Even though we’d been told that Sintra is a microclimate, I figured it would be warm, and I didn’t want to bring a coat. Turns out that by microclimate, they mean that it can be much colder, overcast, and moist. I bought a new Portuguese sweater before we left.
As sometimes happens, royalty can become less and less relevant over time. By the time that King Ferdinand was around in the early 1800’s, the power elite weren’t giving him much to do. To occupy his time, he bought the old convent in this location, that had been laid to ruins in 1755 earthquake, and proceeded to build a castle. This was the height of 18th century romanticism, and he seemed to borrow from many different styles. The result is the Pena National Palace.
Later it became the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family and attracted a number of wealthy aristocrats who built huge mansions and villas. Famous British poet and traveler Lord Byron stopped by in the 18th century, writing that the town is “perhaps in every respect the most delightful in Europe,” and calling it a “glorious Eden” in his epic poem Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. In 1995, the palace and the rest of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra were classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
We took the train out, found lunch, and headed out to the palace. There are a bunch more things to see, but we didn’t really have time. Better to focus on one thing.
Definitely worth the stop !!! Not your ordinary castle……:))
Spent a few days in Sintra and exploring the countryside a couple of years ago. Beautiful area. V. hilly walking, though!