A Guide to the Palaces of Sintra, Sintra, Portugal
Imagine a day where you discover the most extraordinary palace of your life and then on the very same day you explore the most wonderful, magical gardens you鈥檝e ever seen. That was what visiting Sintra was like for our family. Our visit here was the highlight of our recent trip to Lisbon.
The palaces of Sintra are a World Heritage Site. They are perched on hills amid lush forests and gardens and were once the royal family鈥檚 summer retreat. On one hill, you鈥檒l see the聽8th century Moorish Castle perched dramatically on the rocks and on another the brightly coloured fantasy which is Pena Palace.
You could easily spend a couple of days in Sintra but if you鈥檝e only got a day, here are the highlights.
The Palace of Pena is like nothing else on earth. It鈥檚 a fairytale palace with turrets and watchtowers, fantastical creatures and outlandish decorations. Its candy-coloured walls, spires and towers look as if they belong in The Land of Sweets from the Nutcracker ballet.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so beautiful it should be one of the seven wonders of the world,鈥� my 10-year-old declared as we wandered around. We weren鈥檛 at all surprised to discover that it was Pena Palace that inspired Walt Disney to create his own fairytale castle. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
The palaces of Sintra are a World Heritage Site. They are perched on hills amid lush forests and gardens and were once the royal family鈥檚 summer retreat. On one hill, you鈥檒l see the聽8th century Moorish Castle perched dramatically on the rocks and on another the brightly coloured fantasy which is Pena Palace.
You could easily spend a couple of days in Sintra but if you鈥檝e only got a day, here are the highlights.
The Palace of Pena is like nothing else on earth. It鈥檚 a fairytale palace with turrets and watchtowers, fantastical creatures and outlandish decorations. Its candy-coloured walls, spires and towers look as if they belong in The Land of Sweets from the Nutcracker ballet.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so beautiful it should be one of the seven wonders of the world,鈥� my 10-year-old declared as we wandered around. We weren鈥檛 at all surprised to discover that it was Pena Palace that inspired Walt Disney to create his own fairytale castle. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
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Guide Name: A Guide to the Palaces of Sintra
Guide Location: Portugal » Sintra
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Clare Thomson
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: Portugal » Sintra
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Clare Thomson
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- The Palace of Pena
- The National Palace of Sintra
- Quinta da Regaleira
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