A Palace In Sintra, Portugal.
Sintra, Portugal is a little storybook town just thirty-five minutes outside of the downtown area of Lisbon. While technically Sintra is a part of the Lisbon District, it feels distinct and unique from the metropolis of the inner city.
Sintra is known for it’s medieval Moorish Castle, and the famous Palácio da Pena (Pena Palace). Even in the dead of winter, the town is crawling with Tuk Tuk’s touting tourists up and down the mountainous hills to Palácio da Pena. Dead of winter, of course meaning fifty degrees Fahrenheit, which is quite chilly in balmy Portugal.
Although we knew Pena would be a tourist trap, and the aforementioned traps are our least favorite destinations, we decided to visit Sintra and Pena Palace regardless. After all, it was only a half an hour Uber ride from our front door.
Rows of weather beaten Tuk Tuk’s line the Main Street where the train arrives, piling out throngs of day trippers from Lisbon. Sleeping babies tucked into carriers on their parents backs, elderly couples walking arm in arm, and college aged groups of friends boisterously laughing and joking filled the streets. While we may have chosen the coldest time of the year to come, I am thankful we get to see the sights before it’s truly tourist season in the warm days of summer. Drivers shout to tourists as they walk by, haggling best prices up to The Palace.
We spent the afternoon exploring the interiors of the Palace, and walking along the colorful exteriors which have inspired fairytales. The warm Portuguese sunlight waltzed around, flirting with shadows, creating dramatic geometric shapes on the exterior walls. The way light plays in the late afternoon will forever be a fascination, and my personal muse.
While the Palace itself is interesting, what captured our imaginations even more so was the grounds and park surrounding. Lush bio-diverse trees and greenery held a magical draw, allowing you to get lost in the quiet of the outdoors for hours.
We capped off our day returning to the town and treating ourselves to a local Tapas restaurant, followed by chocolate cupped Ginjinha, or Ginja for Kyle and myself. The famous Portuguese sour cherry liqueur lives up to its hype, and has become a favorite of ours. The sun had retired, and we had run out of daylight hours to visit the Moorish Castle. Next time.
Sintra is a must see spot in Portugal, but for much more than the iconic Palace. See it once, yes. But give yourself ample time to get lost in the outdoors of Sintra: The Palace grounds, the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park (Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais), and Praia da Ursa just to name a few.
As always, travel mindfully and respectfully, with an open heart and mind.
x. Mandy In Lisbon
Note: All photos are copyright of Mandy Hanson Reid. Do not use without permission. Several of the photos featured are limited or open edition prints available for purchase upon request. Inquire at mandy@mandyreid.com . Travel Manifesto x Mandy in Lisbon t-shirts will be returning to the shop soon. Thank you for your support.
