We enjoyed a few days in Sintra and Cascais where the royalty and nobility had palaces to get away from hectic Lisbon. These towns are now hectic because of day trippers from Lisbon coming to see the palaces. We have learned it is fun to stay overnight in these types of towns because they are quiet in the mornings, late afternoons, and evenings, and we can arrange our plans during the day to avoid the peak crowds.
There were demonstrations against over-tourism in Europe this summer, and we saw this protest sign in Sintra. Interesting that is in English, not Portuguese.
National Palace of Sintra
This palace was a favorite for kings and queens for over 800 years, so it has been through many renovations and expansions. We were surprised to learn that the two towers (upper right photo) are actually chimneys for the kitchen (lower right photo). It took a lot of food to keep the royal entourage fed.
Moorish Castle
The Moors ruled the area for 300 years until 1147 from a high windswept castle above Sintra. The ruins now overlook Sintra. It was fun to explore the ramparts, towers, and paths. We had fog rolling through that made the castle seem gloomy and foreboding.
Pena Palace
This 19th-century Romanticist style palace is the most popular in the area for its fanciful and elaborate style. The interior tour was interesting (and busy) but we had enough time to wander around the quiet and extensive grounds.
Capuchos Convent
We drove to the Capuchos Convent which is off the main tourist route and very quiet. The Capuchin Monks lived in an isolated area and led a truly minimalist lifestyle. Some even stayed in caves on the property like hermits. In the main house, the bedrooms have tiny doors forcing you to stoop and squeeze to get through and once inside the monks couldn’t even sleep stretched out; all a part of their worshipping and suffering for their religion. They did have the benefit of using cork as an insulator against the cold winters.
Quinta da Regaleira
Back in Sintra, we visited the eccentric estate of Quinta da Regaleira. Designed and built in the late 1800s by a wealthy Brazilian-Portuguese businessman, this palace was fun and had all sorts of surprises. The initiation well (bottom pictures) was used for ceremonial purposes and is said to have been linked to freemasonry or other secret societies. The descent is 9 stories (referencing Dante’s nine circles of hell) and then the exit is through a series of mysterious caves. Throughout the grounds are interesting sights, including a cave labyrinth that became surprisingly disorienting as we got deeper into it.
Cascais
We left Sintra and spent a few days in Cascais; a town on the coast west of Lisbon where royalty and nobility liked to visit the beach. Cascais is still a popular seaside resort with small beaches connected by walking paths, quaint courtyards, and winding alleyways (we drove some of them to get to our AriBnB). It’s also the start to the Lisbon Marathon (that happened while we were there) and quite an athletic town with lots of runners out and about.
We took an interesting walk to Boca do Inferno/Mouth of Hell and were mesmerized by the crashing surf. In 1930, Aleister Crowley, English occultist and magician (referenced in pop culture by the Beatles and Ozzy Osbourne), faked his suicide at Boca do Inferno. Three weeks later Crowley appeared in Berlin at an exhibition of his work, suggesting that the faked suicide was a publicity stunt.
Coastal Tour
We took a coastal drive along the west coast to Cape Roca, the western most point of continental Europe. There are interesting hikes with dramatic views and fun beaches along the way.
Queluz National Palace
We left Cascais and drove to Lisbon, stopping by Queluz National Palace. It is Portugal’s version of Versailles. We were surprised at how few people were there and had many of the spectacular rooms and gardens to ourselves. We were amazed by a beautifully tiled, now drained canal (lower right pictures) that was used to entertain guests with boating excursions (albeit in a few feet of water).
The Journey is Nearing the End
It was easy to see why Sintra with it’s cool climate, and Cascais with its seaside charm were the playgrounds of the Portuguese royalty. It is a beautiful area to explore history, architecture, and nature. However, we had to move on to our next adventure. It was time to drop off our rental car and enjoy our final week in Lisbon.