2024 Portugal: Sintra - Quinta Regaleira, Monserrate Palace

After having mostly sunny days in Porto and our first day in Sintra, the weather gods deserted us and we had to deal with rain on our final two days here.  But considering that just a couple of weeks earlier, most of the Sintra palaces were closed due to threat of forest fire, I guess we should actually consider ourselves lucky!  We woke up to fog and light drizzle on our second morning in Sintra, when we planned to walk for 30 minutes to visit Quinta da Regaleira and then take a taxi to Monserrate Palace and back to our rental.

It was an uphill trek along narrow sidewalks (or sometimes no sidewalks at all) to get to Quinta da Regaleira. This journey was all the more challenging because the rain made the uneven cobblestones wet and slippery.  We tried to stay within protected pedestrian lanes blocked off by pylons to separate us from the vehicular traffic but this was not always possible.  At one point there did not seem enough room for us to safely get past the cars on the road, but a local woman strode confidently forward so we followed her closely and made it through.  Along our path, we saw multiple signs protesting the influx of tourists along with the associated traffic congestion that they caused.  Messages included “Sintra IS NOT Disneyland” and “Sintra: A Traffic Jam in Paradise”.

Having read that the palaces that we planned on exploring were extremely busy tourist attractions, we tried to plan our visits strategically.  To better manage ever-growing crowds, Sintra tourist sites have implemented timed tickets with a cap per time slot. We pre-purchased tickets for the earliest admission time and showed up around 30 minutes prior to that time so that we would be closer the front of the line to get in.  Apparently, this is a trick used by the tour buses since we were never first in line!  Once inside, we would rush to the most popular attraction so that we could see it first before the hoards behind us arrived.  This has worked successfully for us in Amsterdam to view Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” and in the Detroit Institute of Art to admire Diego Rivera’s Industry murals.

Quinta da Regaleira is a 4-hectare (9.88 acres) estate built on land that was once owned by the Viscountess of Regaleira, matriarch of a wealthy family of merchants from Porto.  The property was sold to Brazilian/Portuguese coffee magnate António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro in 1892.  He hired architect Luigi Manini to design the palace, which was built between 1904-1910 with a unique blend of architectural styles including Neo-Manueline, Gothic, Renaissance and Romanesque along with motifs and symbols that reflected Monteiro’s interests in Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, Rosicrucianism and alchemy.  Also known as “The Palace of Monteiro the Millionaire”, the palace was shrouded in an eerie fog when we arrived, adding to it mysterious, romantic vibe.  Its façade features Gothic pinnacles, gargoyles and an octagonal tower.

When the time came to enter, we had to show our online tickets twice, once to confirm the correct entry time on our tickets and the second to have the bar codes scanned.  Following our strategy and based on Rich’s research, we knew that the “Initiation Well” was not only the most fascinating destination on site, but also the busiest and most susceptible to bottlenecks due to its awkward access, and long lineups could form.  Reluctantly ignoring all the beautiful scenery and architecture along the way, which we could see later, we sprinted up steep hills until we got to the top to arrive at the entrance of the well.  We were rewarded with being one of the first ones there.

The Initiation Well is a not a traditional well for retrieving water.  Despite its name, it is actually a ceremonial tunnel or “inverted tower” that descends 88 feet underground.  It has a gothic stone spiral staircase with 9 flights of stairs, possibly linked to the Knights Templar which had 9 founders, or perhaps a reference to the 9 levels of Hell from Dante’s Infernal.  At the bottom of the well is a stone compass with the Templar cross.  It is believed that Monteiro, a proponent of the Knights Templar, used the well to hold rituals for inducting new members. This included having the inductee traverse blindfolded down the steps of the well while holding a sword to his heart, then walking a dark labyrinth until reaching the Chapel on the property where he would be welcomed into the brotherhood.  It was quite exciting to follow the steps of these intrepid inductees, although thankfully not blindfolded or holding a sword.

Upon moving away from the bottom of the Initiation Well, we found ourselves in the Oriental Grotto, a scenic cave that connects to underground tunnels leading to chambers and stone passageways that eventually leads to Lago da Casata or Waterfall Lake.  This is an artificial lake at the base of a manmade waterfall.  At one time, there were stepping stones that allowed you to traverse the small lake, which sounds extremely dangerous.  I guess the operators of the estate thought so as well, since recently this access has been eliminated so we just admired the view from within the tunnels.

Although we were not able to replicate the complete journey of past Freemason inductees by following the underground tunnels all the way to the estate’s Chapel, we were able to come across it above ground.  The Quinta da Regaleira Chapel is a small Roman Catholic chapel that was built at the same time as the palace.  It has similar architectural influences including Gothic and Renaissance elements as well as elements attributed to the Freemasons and Knights of the Templar.  Manueline carvings are found above the windows and an elaborate stucco sculpture sits above the main entrance as well as a Templar cross attached to the roofline. The interior is decorated with ornate moldings, a beautiful stained-glass window and several frescos including images of Teresa de Vila and Saint Anthony as well as the one over the altar that depicts Jesus crowning the Virgin Mary.  The floor is decorated with depictions of the armillary sphere and the Order of Christ Cross surrounded by pentagrams and pagan sun wheels.  Instead of pews, the little chapel contains individual, beautifully carved wooden chairs.

Having beaten the crowds to traverse the Initiation Well, we were able to take our time to explore the rest of the grounds which consists of a forest-like park with winding roads and footpaths.  We passed by several gorgeous fountains and elaborate sculptures.  The Ibis Fountain is tucked in recessed niche covered with mosaic tiles depicting a set of wading birds amidst tall flowers against a blue background. The Fountain of Abundance features a pair of intertwined dolphins representing fire and light and a circular mosaic pattern that seems to form the letter “M”, perhaps for Monteiro?  An intricately carved bench with Manueline floral designs is flanked by a pair of carved birds that might be Ibises again. Closer to the palace sits the sculpture of a majestic bronze lion created in 1837 by Pierre Louis Rouillard.  While the leaves on most of the trees were still green, we did find one area where the leaves had turned bright red.

Throughout the lush grounds can be found romantic turrets and towers with crenellated tops and jutting balconies, twisty spires, and rounded guard posts.  One of the most impressive is the Regaleira Tower, which has narrow spiral steps leading to the top where you get stunning panoramic views of the surrounding vista and landscaped layout.  Hidden beneath this tower is Leda’s Cave, a subterranean grotto that is part of the complex tunnel system of the property.  Inside is a marble sculpture of the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan, in which Zeus transforms into a swan to seduce Leda, a Spartan queen.

The Terrace of Celestial Worlds is a walled courtyard with a stepped tower or ziggurat in one corner that has a staircase providing access to two platforms.  It is facing the Gate of the Guardians (Portal dos Guardiães), a curved semi-circular wall with a tower at each end. A staircase in the west tower leads to the top where there is a walkway spanning to the east tower.  Hidden entrances provide access to tunnels leading to the Initiation Well.  The area around the gate could be used as an open-air theatre and performance space.  At the base is a fountain adorned with the sculpture of two Tritons guarding a conch shell.

Finally, we had looped our way back to the entrance of the estate and at this point, the rain had subsided and the fog had lifted.  We could actually see the beautiful details of the Palace including the Gothic details including spires, pinnacles, capitals and gargoyles.  The most prominent architectural feature is the impressive Octagonal Tower, said to be inspired by the Templar Convent of Tomar, a former Catholic convent and castle in Tomar, Portugal.  We approached the palace by walking over a bridge and through a grand entrance arch, once again decorated with Manueline features.

The Palace of Quinta da Regaleira has five floors although visitors can only tour the ground and first floor.  The rooms that were on display have been stripped of most of its furniture, possibly while renovations were underway.  This made the experience less impressive as our visit to the interior of the Sintra National Palace the day before, although the architectural details were still impressive. The first room that we saw was the dining room, also known as the “Hunting Room” because of the gorgeous marble fireplace with carvings of hunting scenes, topped by the figure of a huntsman which is said to be a reference to the owner Carvalho Monteiro himself.  The colourful polychrome Venetian mosaic floor depicts scenes of nature and wildlife including birds and wolves.  Ornate Corinthian columns are topped with more sculptures of hunters and their dogs.  The King’s Room is lined with the portraits of 20 Kings and 4 Queens of Portugal as well as four coats of arms representing the cities of Braga, Coimbra, Lisbon and Porto that sit on top of the wallpaper.  Also known as the Billiards Room, it once housed a billiards table which has been removed, but the ornate overhead light for the table is still there.  In place of any furniture, the room contains informational plaques describing the various royalty and displaying a photograph of how the room was once decorated.

The Music Room was a place for the women to gather and enjoy listening to music played on instruments.  When we visited, there were no musical instruments in this room but it was beautifully decorated with Rococo-styled frescos on the wall that reminded us of Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s works.  The gorgeous chestnut-wood ceiling was intricately carved and featured a chandelier dangling from the centre.  The elongated Renaissance room was once the Living Room and is decorated in Renaissance style with an oak wood coffered ceiling and a wood-paneled recess at one end where some photos on the internet showed there might once have been a piano. While the Music Room was primarily for the ladies, the Smoking Room, which was connected to the Billiards Room, was reserved exclusively for men to smoke, chat and play cards or board games.  It has since been renamed the Carvalho Monteiro Room and often hosts exhibitions honoring Monteiro.

While it was unfortunate that the rooms we saw were mostly stripped of their furniture and paintings, there were still some impressive architectural features to look at.  I was particularly taken with the ceilings which were often decorated with intricate wood carvings and decorations.  Some of the flooring was inlaid with marquetry patterns and I loved the elaborate door knockers in the shapes of lion heads or the bronze heads attached to some of the doors.

Our final stop before leaving Quinta da Regaleira was the Labyrinth Grotto which leads to another tunnel that meanders until it exits at another small manmade lake.  Unlike the tunnels leading out from the Initiation Well, this tunnel was totally dark and dank with puddles and dripping water from the previous rain.  We had to use the flashlights on our cell phones to see where we were going, although occasionally there was an opening where we could peek out into the lake and where we even saw a few ducks. This was supposed to be a spiritual journey from darkness to light or a “path from symbolic death to rebirth”, reflecting the esoteric and Masonic symbolism that Monteiro endorsed.  It was an eerie experience and a cool way to finish off our tour of the estate.

When we finally emerged from the darkness, we found ourselves in a beautiful area full of statues and a few more gorgeous benches.  One had a pair of figures holding up chalices while reclining lions flanked them on either side.  Another depicted a standing youth with seated dogs on either side of him.  At this point, it had started to drizzle again and we were running late since we still had a second palace to visit.  We missed an entire section of the huge property including the sculptures lining the “Promenade of the Gods” and some more grottos.  Had it been a nicer day and if we had not planned another stop, we could have easily spent another few hours in this magical place.

When we first arrived in Sintra, we asked whether we could easily hail a taxi to take us from Quinta da Regaleria to Monserrate Palace and were assured that we could.  But when we were ready to leave, we did not see any taxis lined up in front of building, or even any taxis driving by despite watching the traffic flow by for a few minutes.  Not sure what to do, we decided that we would walk back to the main road to see if there were taxis waiting there.  But just as we exited Quinta, the number 435 bus pulled up and just happened to be on the route that would take us to Monserrate.  It was starting to rain harder at this point so we gratefully jumped onto the bus and at the bus driver’s suggestion, we paid for round trip tickets that would take us to Monserrate and then later, back to the Sintra train station, saving ourselves several Euros over separately paying the fare each way.

Monserrate Palace is a 19th century palatial villa set in the hills of Serra de Sintra, located 4km west of the historic centre.  The estate is comprised of 80 acres of land with a variety of landscaping including classical English, Mexican and other gardens, featuring exotic trees, plants and vegetation from around the world including Mexico, Japan and Australia. There is a large park designed in romantic style with a lake, several springs and fountains, and grottoes.  The property passed through various owners through the centuries and was even visited by Lord Byron, until it was purchased in 1863 by British trader and art collector Sir Francis Cook who commissioned the construction of a palace designed by architect James Knowles to serve as his family’s summer retreat.  Unfortunately, we did not have the 2-3 hours that it would have taken to explore the entire grounds so we headed towards the palace which we caught sight of as we first approached. It is about a 15-minute walk from the front entrance of the property to the palace, traversing through forested areas and over steep hills.  Along the way, we passed by Beckford Waterfall, which was created through the construction of two man-made ponds whose waters were allowed to flow naturally down geological formations to generate a waterfall.

In addition to the palace, Cook requested the creation of artificial ruins of a chapel (Runas da Capela de Monserrate) designed to look ancient and overgrown with trees and vines planted to drape the structure. This was to add to the ideals of Romanticism popular at the time and perhaps as a tribute to the original Chapel of Our Lady that once stood on the property in the 1500s.  Today, this space can be rented out for weddings and events.  Another ornamental feature on the property is the Indian Arch, acquired by Cook from the Governor-General of India following the Rebellion of 1857.  Decorative planter boxes and a water feature seem to complement the arch and the design of the palace with designs influenced by Indian and Moorish patterns.

Dubbed the “Viscount of Monserrate”, Sir Francis Cook designed his palace in a combination of Romanticism and Mudéjar Moorish Revival architectural styles with neo-Gothic, Indian, Arabic, Islamic and Moorish influences.  The elaborate and ornate structure consists of a long, central building, which is topped with a red octagonal dome, flanked symmetrically on either side by a cylindrical domed tower.  The façades are decorated with fine lattice stone carvings and geometric patterns that carry on into the interior.  We could see the Gothic elements including pointed arches and ornamentation, and Moorish influences in the intricate tilework and decorative patterns inspired by Islamic art.  Once we got to the palace, we were too close to see the entire breadth of the magnificent building, especially since the grand entrance was at the end of the South tower.  It was not until we inspected a scaled model of the palace that we could see its full grandeur. As we approached the entrance, we admired the Triton fountain with large sea creatures at the base.

Entering into the Main Hall, we are able to see the red octagonal dome from the inside.  The cupola allows natural light to flow through producing a beautiful a pink hue, creating interesting shadow patterns on the walls which are covered with ornate plasterwork and foliage motifs.  Under the dome is a floral-shaped fountain with a Carrera marble sculpture of a female bather on top.  Three long corridors lead to various rooms within the palace or provide paths to the palace towers.  Each corridor is made up of a repeating succession of Arabesque arches with patterns of intricate lattice carvings, rose-coloured marble Corinthian columns and arcades. The repetition projects the illusion of depth.  One of the corridors has a set of recesses holding marble sculptures that may have been part of Cook’s extensive art collection.  Another allows you to see right through to the outer terrace and garden.  Decorative motifs reflect the beautiful grounds outside with depictions of leaves, stems, flowers and birds.

The Library Room has a magnificient walnut door covered with a carving of a hunting scene featuring Diana, Goddess of the Hunt as well as angels, stags and hunters with bows and arrows.  Several walls in the room are covered with floor-to-ceiling wooden book shelves, three large Neo-Gothic arched windows with Moorish designs at their peaks, and a central chandelier hanging from an ornate canopy with more lace-like designs.  Cook used this room as his office which is why it is the only room in the palace with a door.  With all the dark wood on the walls, the Library is darker that the rest of the palace where the many of the rooms are decorated with a brighter pinkish-peach hue.  Arches are a dominant style used for some windows that look like typical Gothic-styled lancet windows but have an Islamic patterns under the pointed arches. Each subsequent room that we entered had its own unique splendor with beautiful patterns on the floors, walls and ceilings.  One room, possibly the Billiards Room had a gorgeous floral pattern spanning the entire floor.

The Sitting Room was an informal space where the family could gather and is one of the few rooms that still has furniture in it, although not the original furnishings. The Anglo-Indian furniture decorating this room would be representative of the same era and style as what the Cooks had.  The most impressive room in the palace is the circular Music Room which sits in the North Tower with a domed ceiling made of stucco featuring intricate lattice work and fine rosettes.  Encircling the base of the cupola are busts of the Apollo, Greek God of Music, the muses and graces, as well as Saint Ceclia, patron saint of music.  Although almost totally devoid of furnishings, a piano sits in this room.

The Dining Room was considered a solemn and ceremonial space for mealtimes and once had an awning suspended over the dining table to soften the echos of conversations.  A Serving Area where tableware was stored was connected to the dining room and had a service lift to transport food from the kitchen located on the floor below.  This lift is still operational today.  Located in the basement, the large Kitchen is separated into two main sections; one for the cooking of hot meals with an enormous stove, and the other for prepation of cold dishes such as salads and desserts.  A food pantry and wine cellar was tucked under the stairway.

A spectacular marble staircase adorned with an ivy leaf pattern leads up to the upper floor where the private bedrooms once resided.  Today this area has been turned into an information and interpretation area with details about the Cook family and the history of the estate.  From the second floor, you can get an even closer view of main cupola over the grand hall entrance.

Following our tour of the palace, we stopped by the Monserrate Tea House which offers sweet and savoury snacks as well as coffee and cold drinks. Located in the old stables within the property, we were able to rest our feet and get a quick snack before heading back to our rental apartment.  We would have considered checking out more of the grounds and gardens but it started to rain again.  Exiting the estate, we found the bus stop that would take us back to the Old Town.  Possibly because of the rain, we waited quite a while for the bus to arrive and were tempted by tuktuk drivers who offered to take us instead.  We might have considered it had we not already paid for a return ticket for the bus. Also, the tuktuks looked rather flimsy and dangerous for traversing the steep sharp corners on the slick cobblestones.  The bus eventually came and we made it safely back to town.

2024 Portugal: Sintra - Old Town, National Palace

After spending five days in Porto, our next stop was Sintra, a municipality in the “Greater Lisbon” region that is known for its palaces.  To get there, we first took a 3+ hour inter-city train from Porto Campagne station to Lisbon Oriente station.  We bought First Class tickets which gave us wider seats, more leg room, a footrest for me so that my feet didn’t dangle, lots of space for our luggage, and power sockets so that I could use my laptop during the trip. Unlike air travel, the price difference between First vs Second (or Comfort vs Tourist) class was not significant and made for a much more pleasant ride.  Arriving at the Lisbon Oriente station, we were overwhelmed by its size and modern architecture which was designed by Santiago Calatrava in 1998 for the Lisbon Expo. It took some time to find our way to the suburban trains where we could pick up a 50-minute ride to Sintra.  This involved querying multiple food stall attendants before we found one who spoke English.

We found the kiosk to purchase the Navegante Card, which is Lisbon’s all-encompassing transit card that we could use to pay the fares to travel to/from Sintra, as well as all around Lisbon on supported modes of transportation.  These include metro, buses, trams, funiculars, elevators, ferries and cable cars for traversing within Lisbon, as well as suburban trains that travel to nearby municipalities like Sintra.  The most economical way to use the Navegante card is not to buy ride tickets but rather, to pre-load funds and use what they call “zapping”.   The cost to buy individual tickets per ride is more expensive than zapping, and sometimes even double the price!  The card itself costs 0.50 Euros and you can load a minimum of 3 Euros up to a maximum of 40 Euros at a time. While planning our stays in Sintra and Lisbon, we pre-calculated the number of rides that we planned to take and loaded enough funds to cover this.  We knew that if we ended up taking extra rides (which we did), we could always top up our funds at any metro station.  When riding on the Lisbon metro and suburban train system, the cost of the ride depends on the distance you travel and the number of zones that you cross.  You tap in when entering the system and the final cost is determined when you tap out to leave. With zapping, the one-way cost to travel between Lisbon and Sintra is currently around 2 Euros. The Navegante kiosk was a bit confusing and we felt pressured by the long lineups so again, we relied on the kindness of strangers to help us load zapping funds onto our cards.

We had to be careful to exit at the last stop which is the Sintra Suburban Train Station (a few blocks from our accommodations) as opposed to the previous stop, the Portela Sintra bus depot, which is considerably further away.  While in Sintra for three days, we would be visiting the Old Town and five palaces.  Several of the palaces including National Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and Moorish Castle were within walking distance of our rental, albeit often traversing over steep, cobblestone-paved terrain.  The other two palaces, Pena Palace and Monserrate Palace, were too far to walk to, so we investigated options of bus vs taxi.  The bus would be less expensive but service started too late and the route would take much longer, so we opted for taxi which we could pick up in front of the train station.

Getting off the train from Lisbon, we were impressed with how beautiful the Sintra Train Station is.  Opened in 1887, the station is decorated with ornate azulejo tiles on the platforms, lobby and front façade.   Sintra is the terminus station for multiple train routes originating from Lisbon, including Oriente, the main rail hub in Lisbon, and Rossio station found in central Lisbon where we would head for on our last leg of our trip.  A tourist office resides within the train station to provide guidance for arriving travelers. The historic town centre is a 10-minute walk from here and taxis line the road, waiting to take tourists further afield towards the palaces.

The Guest House Villa dos Poetas is a 5-star bed and breakfast/apartment rental conveniently located 6 minutes away from the Sintra Train Station.  To get there, it did involve pulling our suitcase slightly uphill over rickety cobblestones on the road while dodging traffic, as there was not much of a sidewalk to speak of.  Because we wanted an early start each day, instead of choosing a room in the main house where breakfast was offered starting at 8:30am, we chose a self-contained apartment that included a kitchen so that we better control our timing in the morning.  We found a nearby grocery store where we picked up some fruit, cheese and cold cuts which we planned to supplement with any treats that we might find when we visited the old town.

After we checked into our apartment and dropped off our luggage, we began our exploration of Sintra.  We started by wandering along Volta do Duche, a 1.5km road that follows the edge of a wooded hillside with the Anjo Teixeira Museum nestled in the valley below.  Founded in 1976, the museum is dedicated to the works of sculptors Artur Anjos Teixeira and his son Pedro Augusto Anjos Teixeira. Unfortunately, we had not scheduled time to visit it. Leading towards the town centre, Volta do Duche is lined with eclectic sculptural works that form a delightful outdoor sculpture park.  A few of them may be an extension of the collection found in the museum.  Other sculptures on display are by local, contemporary sculptors and rotate on a regular basis.  During a “Living Statues” festival (Festival de Estátuas Vivas de Sintra) later in the fall, street performers would pose as sculptures and come to life when approached.  That would have been fun to see.

Among the permanent sculptures found on this street is an elaborate statue dedicated to Dr. Gregório Rafael da Silva d'Almeida (1854-1920) that sits in the middle of a large floral display. A bronze bust of the doctor sits on top of a granite pedestal engraved with words that translate to “Homage from the people of this land”.  At the base of the pedestal are the figures of possibly a mother and child looking at a book. There is nothing found on the internet that lists the doctor’s accomplishments, but he must have been important to the area to warrant such a monument.  In addition to the sculptures, street vendors line the path selling traditional Portuguese souvenirs including hand-painted tiles.  I was tempted by the stylized depictions of chickens including the national emblem of the black rooster with red comb and decorated body that is seen all over Portugal.  We also passed by an ornate Moorish Fountain and the entrance to Liberty Park (Parque da Liberdade).

At the end of Volta do Duche, we reached the Sintra Town Hall.  Completed in 1909, the town hall was designed in Romantic and Neo-Manueline styles that makes it look like a Disney fairytale castle. The building includes a massive clock tower with a prominent centre spire covered by glazed tiles that form a blue and white pattern which encircles depictions of the Portuguese coat of arms.  At the top of the spire is an armillary sphere which is an ancient astronomical symbol composed of an interlocking of rings.  In Manueline style, elaborate stonework carvings resembling twisted rope patterns surround the window frames and archways above the upper balcony.  An ornate Manueline-styled fountain with protruding sea monster designs stands in front of the town hall.  Sintra’s old town is made up of a central square and some narrow cobblestone alleyways where restaurants, pastry shops, bars and souvenir shops can be found.  Continuing the nata tour that he started in Porto, Rich sampled some more natas at the historic bakery Casa Piriquita that was founded in 1862.  We also bought a few pastries to take back to our apartment to have as dessert after dinner.

The Sintra National Palace is located right in the centre of the Old Town and was the original site of a medieval royal residence for Moorish governors dating back to the 9th Century.   The palace was continually renovated and added to over the centuries and now includes a blend of architectural styles including Medieval, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Romantic and Mudéjar (Muslim).  Notable kings that inhabited the palace included King João I (1356-1433) and King Manuel I (1469-1521), who each made major architectural additions to the palace to create their own living spaces.  Of the five major palaces in Sintra, National Palace is probably the least popular to tourists and often skipped by people only visiting for a day or two.  Since we had three full days in Sintra, we decided to add it to our itinerary, and are we ever glad we did.  Although the exterior façade of this palace is not as impressive or ostentatious as some of the others, the interior is stunningly decorated and well preserved, making it one of the few originally Medieval palaces in the world that remains mostly intact.  Two large white conical structures rise up from the top of the palace, making it easily identifiable from afar.  We would learn what these were for during our self-guided tour of the palace.  From the balcony leading to the main entrance, we could look back through the palace’s arcade arches and see great views of Sintra and its surrounding forests.  In retrospect, the National Palace was one of our favourite sites to visit in Sintra in part because it was less crowded so we could enjoy it leisurely.

Upon entering the palace, we ascended a spiral staircase that was built in the 16th century and considered one of the “first monumental staircases built in Portugal”.  At the top of the stairs, we came to the Entrance Hall that was used to connect the two palaces built by Kings João I and Manuel I.  The Manueline Hall (Sala Manuelina) is the main hall of Royal Residence built by King Manuel I at the beginning of 16th century. Like the Town Hall, it is decorated in the Manueline architectural style which was named after the king.  This is most obvious in the gorgeous, curved entranceways which are decorated with the maritime-themed stone carvings including knotted ropes, seashells and floral motifs plus the Portuguese coat of arms.  The room itself is noted for its high vaulted ceilings, enormous chandelier, Moorish-influenced Mudéjar wall tile designs and a fireplace with an ornate mirror hanging above it.  This room was changed significantly during the reign of King Luis I in the 19th century but restored to its original design during the Estado Novo dictatorship of the 1930s, as an “exercise in nationalistic and imperialist propaganda”.

Next, we visited a series of rooms that were most recently restored to reflect the décor and furnishings of the late 19th century, when Queen Maria Pia of Savoy lived there.  An Italian princess who married King Luis I in 1862, Luis I (1861-1889)  and Maria Pia became the last monarchs to inhabit the palace.  The Queen’s apartments included a bedroom, covered gallery or balcony, dressing room and toilet room, sitting room, bathroom and wardrobe.  A few elements in the bedroom were initially designed for the previous monarch Pedro V (1837-1861) and Queen Stephanie.  A shield with the monogram “PS” is visible on the ceiling.   Queen Maria Pia’s bathroom was quite modern for its time with various bath basins with hot and cold taps and a striking window featuring multi-coloured glass. A private sitting room was used by the queen to work, rest and receive visits from her inner circle.

While the Manueline Room was the Great Hall for King Manuel I, the Renaissance-styled Great Hall for King João I and Philippa of Lancaster is currently known as the “Swan Room” because of the painted ceiling with 27 wooden panels of white swans in different poses. It was built in the early 15th Century as part of major building renovations. The swan with a crown was an emblem representing Phillipa’s father King Henry IV of England and was used through to the 19th century for banquets, musical concerts, public receptions, and religious and funeral ceremonies.  Another grand room with an intriguing ceiling is known as the “Magpie Room” which was used to receive foreign dignitaries and ambassadors.  The painting of 136 magpies holding dates back to the 15th century.  Each magpie holds the banner of King João I in its beak and grasps a rose in its claws that may refer to Queen Philippa’s House of Lancaster.  Legend has it that King João I was caught kissing one of Phillipa’s ladies-in-waiting resulting in widespread gossip and chatter, like chattering magpies.  To remind the court of their duty to maintain discretion, the king had the ceiling painted with 136 magpies, one for each woman in court at the time.  I think the magpies would just remind Phillipa of his indiscretion!

Built on the orders of King João III (1502-1557), the Galleys Room connected his chambers to the northwest wing of the palace. It’s distinctive domed ceiling dates back to the 17th to 18th centuries and looks like the hull of a ship, decorated with seascapes depicting low, flat ships flying the flags of the Ottomans, Dutch, and Portuguese, who were the major naval powers of the period.  These types of ships were called galleys, as reflected in the name of the room.  From windows in the corridors are scenic views of the Sintra hillside as well as the various gardens in the Palace with exotic trees and manicured shrubbery.

The room known as the Gold Chamber was where sovereigns such as Queen Catarina of Austria would stay when visiting the National Palace, surrounded by servants or close family members.  The gold leaf that once adorned this room has since been lost.  Today the room includes a 17th century bed with a crimson canopy and a magnificent headboard decorated with medallions displaying mythological scenes.  The nearby Wardrobe Room, also called the “Mermaid Room” because of its marine-themed decorations depicting mermaids on the ceiling, was used to store clothes, jewelry, silver, ceramics and other ceremonial items.

Like the Wardrobe, the Camarim Room was used to store objects of splendour including tapestries, paintings, a Spanish cabinet with ivory and tortoise-shell inlay, Chinese porcelain and chests made from teak, lacquer, ebony and ivory. A celestial sphere dating back to 1575 displays constellations and zodiac signs. It reflects what was “known” about the Universe at the time and is the oldest globe in Portugal.

The most impressive room in the palace is the Heraldry Room or “Coat of Arms” Room which serves as an allegory for King Manuel I's centralised power.  The walls are covered with 18th century blue and white azulejos tiles depicting bucolic and hunting scenes as well as what looks like images of the four seasons.  At the centre of the octagonal domed ceiling is the King’s royal coat of arms topped with a gilded winged serpent.  Surrounding this are the coats of arms of King Manuel I’s eight children. The next ring includes shields with eight majestic stags with white striped antlers symbolizing the nobility’s love of hunting.  The final rings feature 72 coats of arms of the prominent Portuguese noble families.  An inscription circling the room pays tribute to the loyal service of the families.

King João I organized his rooms around an open-air Central Courtyard which is adorned with Moorish tiles and features an Islamic-styled water pool, Renaissance columns and a water fountain consisting of twisted Manueline columns topped with small nude figures holding the Portuguese coat of arms.  A rare geometrical trompe-l’oeil fresco from the reign of King Manuel I was recently discovered during restorations of the patio.  From the courtyard, we got a close-up view of the conical stacks that we initially saw from afar.  When we next entered the kitchen, we finally found what they were used for.  These were two 33-metre-high chimneys used for ventilating the large kitchen where food was prepared to feed the entire court comprised of several hundred people.  The kitchen had multiple hearths, two ovens, a metal food warmer and roasting spits.

Returning back out in the central courtyard, we inspected a 16th Century Water Grotto located in a shady area protected from the sun with water jets that squirt from tiny holes in the wall.  The exterior of the grotto has a Moorish feel.  The interior was redecorated in the 18th Century with blue and white tiles on the walls depicting angels and floral designs and a stucco ceiling depicting the creation of the world, the four seasons and mythological themes.

The Chapel was originally built in the 13th century under King Dinis but altered multiple times with the last alterations happening in the 18th and 19th centuries.  The Chapel has a stunning Mudéjar-styled carved wooden ceiling with latticework made of geometrical elements that form radial and star compositions.  The ceramic floor uses an ancient “alicatado” technique using mosaic formed of polygonal glazed tiles to create multi-coloured geometric patterns. The walls are painted in patterned squares depicting the Holy spirit descending as a dove. With access to the Chapel, the Anteroom of the Council Chamber (also known as the Arab Room) was a waiting room outside the judges’ or councillors meeting chamber.  The current decoration from the Manueline period integrates several tile techniques. The centrepiece of the room is an ornate fountain consisting of a white marble basin surrounded by colourful ceramic tiles with a bronze sculpture featuring mythological sea creatures that spout water emerging from the centre.

The actual Council Chamber was where meetings occurred between judges of the House of Supplication, and later the King’s advisers.  The room has been redecorated to represent the elements that would probably have been present, including a long table and different chairs to represent various social statuses, textiles, writing materials and a bell to summon the doorkeeper.  Finally, we saw the Prison Room where King Afonso VI was kept prisoner for 9 years by his younger brother Pedro (later King Pedro II) after a coup where Afonso was deposed and deemed mentally unfit.  Throughout his imprisonment, Afonso was kept isolated and guarded by 300 soldiers.  His was the only room in the palace where the windows were secured with iron bars.

It took us several hours to tour all the wonderful rooms in the National Palace that were full of history and beautiful architectural details and furnishings.  At the end of it, we were ready for dinner.  We selected Incomum, a highly rated, contemporary restaurant near the Sintra Train station that features a variety of innovative dishes designed by chef Luís Santos.  We did not have a reservation and the restaurant was full but luckily, we scored the last table outside.  As it was a chilly evening, the waiter helpfully provided me with a blanket.  We started with a flavourful sheep’s cheese lightly browned and sprinkled with oregano served with bread.  For main courses, I had sauteed scallops with a passion fruit risotto topped with green beans while Rich had Ibernia pork filet mignon on a bed of spinach served with clams over polenta.  The meal was so good that we made reservations to return two nights later.  We had bought some desserts from Piriquita so we went back to the apartment to enjoy them.

This was a long and eventful first day in Sintra and we still had two more days and four more palaces to visit.

2024 Portugal: Porto - Foz Douro Beach Area

For the last of our five days spent in Porto, my husband Rich and I changed our minds several times regarding what we wanted to do.  We considered taking a train for a day trip to visit various little towns in the Douro Valley but decided against this since we would spend most of our time traveling to and fro.  In the end, we decided to visit the Foz do Douro beach area in west Porto where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean.  Since we had not included the famous beaches of Portugal’s Algarve region on our trip itinerary, this seemed like a good local compromise.

We picked up the number 500 bus from Sao Bento, since that route that would hug the Douro River for most of the ride, which gave us great views as we headed towards the beach.  Once there, we planned to walk north along the coastline, passing by parks (jardim), forts (forte), beaches (praias), lighthouses (farolim/farol) on jetties.  We also hoped to stop at a beachside café or bar/lounge for a drink and snack as part of our tour of this area.

Imagine our delight when our bus arrived and it turned out to be a double-decker bus.  We scrambled to the top level and claimed a window seat near the front, making sure to pick the side that would be closest to the Douro River.  We passed by sites that we had visited on previous days including Bolsa Palace and Praça do Infante D. Henrique but seeing the buildings and sculptures from our lofty perch gave us a whole different perspective.  As we traversed parallel to the Douro River, we had great views of the parklands, walking and cycling paths that sat between the water and our thoroughfare.

We got off the bus at the stop Passeio Alegre, next to a small spit of land jutting out towards the Douro River. Here we found several historic sites that reflect Porto’s marine history.  A tiny historic lighthouse named “Farolim da Cantareira” consists of a 6-metre-tall red and white pole with a ladder leading to a platform and a lantern that shines a light with a range of 9 nautical miles.  Originally built in the 18th Century, this lighthouse helped guide vessels arriving from the Atlantic until it was deactivated in 2007. It stands in front of the São Miguel-o-Anjo Lighthouse, which was built inside a chapel in 1528 and considered the oldest lighthouse in Portugal.  In the same area is an old tidal gauge (Marégrafo da Foz do Douro) that measured and recorded the height and variation of tides over back in the 19th Century.  The gauge consists of a small building that housed a float connected to a recording device and a cylinder that rotated at the pace set by a clock.  The building isolated the float from wave actions, currents and winds.  Finally, a sculpture of an anchor and ship steering wheel acts as a monument to Porto’s marine history.  As we were surveying this area, we spotted the historic Line 1 Tram dating back to 1930s that runs from Ribeira to Foz Douro.  We would be riding on a similar type tram in a few days when we arrived in Lisbon.

This area around Foz Douro is known as Foz Velha and is considered one of the most the affluent parts of Porto.  Rua do Passeio Alegre is lined with massive houses and buildings with interesting architectural features and stunning views of the river and nearby parks.  We saw structures with turrets, gingerbread trims, ornate ocular and Bay windows, decorative wrought ironwork, Art Deco styled buildings and even one shaped like a castle or fort with crenulated towers that was turned into a private school which ran until 2017.

Jardim do Passeio Alegre is a beautiful public garden located at the western end of the Douro River where it meets the Atlantic Ocean.  The picturesque 19th century garden was designed by landscape architect Émile David in romantic style and spans 4.19 hectares.  It features tree-lined paths including palm trees, exotic trees, shrubs and flowers, several ponds and fountains with sculptures in them including a granite fountain from the former Convent of Sao Francisco.

Marking the eastern entrance of Jardim do Passeio Alegre are two 12.6 metres tall,18th century obelisks that were originally designed for the gardens of Quinta da Predela, a 17th century estate and winery in Porto.  Also found in the park are Art Nouveau styled public restrooms housed in a 1910 structure decorated with ornate tiles, with some of the original English toilets and sinks still in place.  There is also a café, a bandstand used for events and performances and even a mini-putt golf course.

Exiting the west end of the park, we followed the Promenade Foz do Douro boardwalk along the river until we reached a pair of granite jetties, each with a lighthouse at the end of it.  On the first, longer jetty is an orange and white striped lighthouse which Google Maps identifies as Farolim da Barra do Douro.  The second lighthouse on the shorter jetty is more famous.  Farolim de Felgueiras is a hexagonal-shaped, 32-feet tall lighthouse built in 1886.  Its red lantern once emitted a signal every 5 seconds before it was decommissioned in 2009 although its foghorn is still active.

We walked up the first jetty, mesmerized by the huge waves crashing into its break wall with any overflow water spilling out slits on the sides.  There were a few people who dared to walk right up to the lighthouse and although the waves rose many times above them, the break wall seemed to push the water straight up and then down again so the people were not getting drenched or swept away.  We watched the waves crash for several minutes before I decided to try to approach the lighthouse.  What I didn’t realize was that occasionally a rogue wave would miss the outer wall and roll along until it hit the side of the pier.  If that happened, then a huge volume of water would drench the entire walkway and anyone standing in its path.  I saw a large wave approach and jumped back, missing being soaked by mere seconds.  After that, I sheepishly retreated further back to where Rich and a hoard of other tourists stood, safely taking photos and videos of the waves.

We soon turned our attention to the second jetty which attracted even larger, more dramatic waves.  Once again, some fearless soul was standing right beside the Farolim de Felgueiras lighthouse, which made for great photos since his tiny outline highlighted how massive the waves were in comparison.  We had so much fun watching these waves that we ended up spending almost an hour here.  As a result, we did not get as far north as we had planned before needing to return to central Porto for our dinner reservations, but it was worth it!

The water rushes in between the two jetties and starts to dissipate as it approaches the shore where there is a sandy beach.  We watched as one hearty local braved the elements and went for a swim, getting closer to the swirling waters than would have been in our comfort zone.  His female companion looked on from the beach, but did not look prepared to rescue him if required.

Finally tearing ourselves away from the hypnotic waves, we continued our way north along the coastline which was now adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean.  We passed by Forte de São João Baptista, a 16th-century stone fortification that overlooks the massive seawall and the lighthouses. Constructed between 1570-1653, the fort was commissioned to defend Porto from pirates and enemy ships.  We continued along the Promenade Foz do Douro walkway which rose gently in elevation as it ran parallel to Praia dos Ingleses (English Beach) below. This beach consists of 86 meters of fine-grained sand bounded by large rock formations on either end.  From our path, we were able to look down at the beach and watch the rolling waves coming in from the Atlantic.  The water was too rough for swimming but a few people did try to dip their toes in and avoid (often unsuccessfully) being splashed by one of the larger waves.  One man stood bravely (foolishly?) on a large rocky mound taking a selfie while the waves crashed against it.

Sitting right on the edge of the beach with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, Restaurante Praia da Luz is a cool restaurant and beach bar that offers innovative interpretations of traditional Portuguese cuisine as curated by chef Luís Américo.  The establishment includes an open-air terrace cafeteria bar and an indoor restaurant which is accessible either from Rua Coronel Raúl Peres or from the beach.  The outdoor terrace and deck have chaise lounges, couches, dining tables and chairs and covered sections from which you can have a drink or snacks while enjoying the seascape.

This was the perfect location for us to rest our feet and get some refreshments.  Luckily, we were able to snag a table on the terrace where we could enjoy watching the Atlantic Ocean while we dined.  Since we already had dinner reservations, we settled for ordering a few snacks and cocktails.  We shared fried cod fritters with dill mayonnaise, spicy tuna in olive oil and green olives while sipping a passionfruit pisco sour for me and white port with tonic for Rich.

After our snack break, we continued our northward trek and reached the next beach called Praia do Molhe. Here, we found the Pérgola da Foz, an iconic concrete pergola constructed around 1930 in neoclassical style and painted a light golden-yellow hue that appears to change colours with varying degrees of sunlight.  This is known to be a great location to watch the sun set. but on this day, the weather had suddenly turned.  The sunshine we experienced earlier in the day was replaced by a thick mist so dense that we could hardly see any structures ahead of us or out into the ocean.  At the same time the winds picked up and the waves grew even stronger than before.  We quickened our pace, concerned that we would be caught in a deluge as there had been no rain in the forecast, so we had not brought any umbrellas or raingear on this excursion.

Then just as quickly, the fog lifted, the winds died down and the sun came out again before we reached the end of our walk.  This climate reminded me of the old joke told when in Banff, Alberta where the weather changes constantly and dramatically.  "If you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes." Following the beach path, we passed by a few more beach-side bars at the beach Praia do Homem do Leme as well as the sculpture “Homem do Leme” (Man at Helm) depicting a mariner at the steering wheel of his ship.  Finally, we reached a set of stairs that brought us back to street level at the north end of Jardins da Avenida Montevideu, a lengthy park that spans about 6.8 acres.  Here we would catch the bus back to the Ribeira district for our dinner plans.  From our bus stop, we could see Forte São João Baptista, another fort built in the 16th to 17th centuries to protect Porto from enemy attack.  Defensive walls were built around existing structures including the Church of S São João Baptista, the chapel of São Miguel-o-Anjo and the residence of the Bishop of Viseu.  Through the centuries, many modifications were made to the fort including the addition of four ramparts and a neoclassical portal with a drawbridge.  It is too bad we did not have time to visit either this fort or the previous one that we saw at the start of our day.

Our dinner that night was at Cozinha das Flores, an award-winning restaurant led by acclaimed chef Nuno Mendes that offers unique, new spins on northern Portuguese cuisine.  The restaurant has a modern, cosmopolitan ambiance with an open kitchen that exposes a wood-fired hearth where large cuts of meats are grilled.  We sat inside since it was getting chilly at night, but the outdoor patio seating would have allowed us to be entertained by the street performers in Largo de Sao Domingos where the eatery is located.  We did come across a guitar playing singer after dinner as we headed back to our rental apartment.

Our meal lived up to the hype as it was not only delicious and beautifully plated but also innovative in terms of ingredients and dishes.  We started off with a Jerusalem artichoke tart topped with grilled pumpkin seeds, grilled local spider crab “donuts” and flame-torched amberjack fish topped with herbal sauce and seasonal citrus.  For mains, we had the grilled John Dory fish with charred summer cucumbers and fish roe sauce and the grilled fillet of beef with grilled onions, bone marrow and walnuts.  For dessert, I selected a beautifully plated Glorinha which came as layers of phyllo pastry stuffed with with orange blossom ice cream and topped with colourful edible flowers.  Rich chose a milk dessert made from fried, sweetened skimmed milk.   This was a nice way to end our five days stay in Porto.