Sintra, Portugal: Chasing Castles in a Fairytale Landscape, Sintra, Portugal
Northwest of Lisbon, at the edge of Parque Natural聽de聽Sintra-Cascais sits the architectural gem of Sintra. The town was inscribed on UNESCO鈥橲 World Heritage List in 1995, and it鈥檚 one of the main tourist destinations in Portugal, famed for its historic castles and, in particular, the fairytale-like Pena Palace. It鈥檚 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聽hilly聽place like Sintra isn鈥檛 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 quite, but it certainly wasn鈥檛 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. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
When I was in Lisbon two summers ago, I decided to take a day trip to Sintra. One day in a big, gorgeous and聽hilly聽place like Sintra isn鈥檛 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鈥檚 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鈥檛 quite, but it certainly wasn鈥檛 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. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
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Guide Name: Sintra, Portugal: Chasing Castles in a Fairytale Landscape
Guide Location: Portugal » Sintra
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Melissa Cherry Villumsen
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: Melissa Cherry Villumsen
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- Castle of the Moors
- Sintra National Palace
- Pena Palace
- Cruz Alta
- Chalet of the Countess of Edla
- Quinta da Regaleira
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