10 Best Attractions of Sintra

A couple of miles out from the old town of Sintra along the forested road of Rua Barbosa do Bocage, past the Quinta Regaleira and the Palácio de Seteais hotel you'll encounter one of the most beautiful eclectic architecture and landscaped gardens in Portugal. The house is set among a vast botanical park of exotic trees, subtropical shrubs and plants.
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Pena Palace, one of the most iconic buildings in Portugal as seen on countless postcards and travel brochures, is truly a sight to behold up close. Everything about the palace was designed to impress. It's located just below the summit of the Sintra mountain and overlooks the landscape below for tens of miles. The exaggerated architecture, which influences come from medieval and Moorish styles, reflect the obsession of the Romanticism movement of the late 19th century. Pena Palace is the brainchild of Ferdinand II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, King consort and husband of Queen Maria II. The palace is a self-indulgent muddle of vividly painted terraces, domes, towers, decorative battlements, a drawbridge that doesn't draw and mythological statues. The palace was designed to be visible from any point within the park surrounding it. The extensive palace grounds were landscaped to include exotic trees and plants, mysterious follies and lakes, and mythological statues. On the 7th July 2007, Pena Palace was selected as one of the seven wonders of Portugal. [ More About ► ]

Located within the historical centre of Sintra (also known as São Martinho) the palace is the town's centre of activity and stands out from miles around by its distinctive chimneys. The National Place of Sintra's origins predates Portugal itself and dates back to the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula and is mentioned in texts from a thousand years ago in the 11th Century. After the conquest of the area by Portugal's first King, Dom Afonso Henriques, in 1147AD it became the property of the Portuguese Crown. The first alterations to the palace began in 1281 during the reign of King Dinis, during which time the first extensions we added. Subsequent additions took place during the reigns of João I and Manuel I who left their stamp on this incredible structure. Yet since the 16th Century, the palace has seen very little change. The whole structure maintains an arabesque demeanour; its decretive wall tiles, interior courtyards, fountains and the use of light gleaming through the numerous ornate windows. The National Palace of Sintra is the benchmark of subsequent Portuguese architectural styles and epitomises the cultural influences which have shaped Portugal itself.
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In-between Sintra and Lisbon lie the impressive 18th-century palace of Queluz. The complex is a masterpiece of baroque, rococo and neoclassicism architectural styles. Its design evolved with the social changes that occurred during the time of construction. The palace was first conceived as a summer residence for the Braganza dynasty's lesser princes but it was Dom Pedro III (prince regent), husband of the ill-fated Queen D. Maria I, who developed the site and ordered the development of this luxurious estate. Inside opulence reigns supreme where rooms are richly decorated and gold guilted, with opulently painted ceilings and adorned with fine art. Its gardens are equally impressive, comparable to those found at Versailles and include lakes, fountains and mythological statues.
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A visit to the Capuchos Convent often referred to as the Cork Convent, is a true step back in time and an experience of an impoverished lifestyle at one with nature. Once occupied by Franciscan monks it was founded in 1560 by Dom Álvaro, a State Councillor to King Sebastião, and was original called the Convento de Santa Cruz da Serra de Sintra. The site embodies the ideals of the Order of St. Francis of Assisi, the search for spiritual harmony by detaching oneself from the world and renouncing the pleasures associated with everyday life. Its austere construction was deliberately made as simple as possible, utilising the lay of the land and natural objects with extensive use of cork as protection and decoration. The landscape surrounding the building was meticulously maintained by the resident monks resulting in the preservation of Sintra's original flora whereas elsewhere in the forest foreign exotic plants were introduced to adorn gardens.
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Even though Seteais Palace today is a luxury hotel visitors have free access to its wonderful grounds where also cultural events are often held. This neo-classical Palace was built in 1787 for the Dutch Consul on land that occupies a prime position on the edge of the Serra de Sintra overlooking the countryside and town. Its current form dates back to a period of enlargement work carried out in the first years of the 19th Century after it was acquired by Dom Diogo José Vito de Meneses Noronha Coutinho, the illustrious fifth Marquis of Marialva and Royal Chamberlain. The Marquis had the east wing constructed and in-between the two buildings he commissioned a large triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of Prince Regent João VI and Princess Carlota Joaquina in 1802.
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