2024 Portugal: Sintra - Pena Palace, Moorish Castle

One of the most popular and therefore the busiest attractions to visit in Sintra is Pena Palace and Park, a vast estate covering over 500 acres of romantic forest pathways, hidden trails, gardens, a lake, a chalet, other viewpoints plus the palace itself.  You can buy a ticket to just visit the park, or to access the park plus the inside of the palace.  We opted for the latter, planning to visit the palace first since it would get really busy later on, and then leisurely explore the park grounds after.

To visit Pena Palace, we used the same strategy as we did when visiting Quinta da Regaleira the day before.  We pre-purchased entry tickets for the earliest time slot which was 9:30am and planned to arrive by 9am to line up.  We picked up a taxi at the train station around 8:30am, giving ourselves lots of time since we were warned about construction along the way.  But the construction must not have started for the day yet since we ended up getting to Pena Palace by 8:45am.  We still were not first in line!  There were at least 2 tour groups lined up in front of us.  Once the gates finally opened and we were inside, it was a race to the next lineup that would actually get us into the palace.  It is a 20+ minute climb uphill to get to the palace by foot, or those less mobile could wait for a service bus provided by the park (for an extra fee).  Since we were trying to get near the front of the line, we chose to walk briskly and by the time we got there, only one tour group with about 6 people were in line in front of us.

Like the day before, it was another grey, drizzly day in Sintra. Pena Place was covered with so much fog when we first approached that we could hardly see its iconic red towers.  In 1838 King Ferdinand II, husband and consort to Queen Maria II, acquired the site where a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena and then a monastery once resided.  He commissioned German architect Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege to design the palace and landscape the grounds to be used for his summer residence.  Incorporating a fusion of multiple architectural styles including Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manuline, Neo-Islamic and Neo-Renaissance, the palace reflects the Romanticism movement prevalent in the 19th Century.  The palace is known for its bright yellow and red façades, onion domed towers and pointed arches, intricate tilework, ornate stone carvings and minaret-like towers typical of those found in Islamic mosques.  Following the residency of Queen Maria II and King Ferdinand II, several more generations of royals lived in Pena Palace including their son King Luis I, grandson King Carlos I with his wife Queen Amélie, and finally great-grandson King Manuel II, the last monarch of Portugal. As we toured the rooms of the palace, we often saw how various spaces were repurposed each time there were new occupants.

As we waited in the second line to enter Pena Palace, we looked up to see the Coral Gate which has a marine and coral-inspired archway that is topped by an amazing limestone sculpture of Triton, a half-man, half-fish monster who in Greek mythology is a demi-god of the sea and son of the sea god Poseidon. The gate is also known as “The Tree of Waters” since a tree trunk and vines seem to grow out of the Triton’s back.  While Rich stayed in line, I was able to climb up the stairs of a small tower to survey the grounds.

As we started our self-guided tour of the interior of the palace, we passed by a statue of King Ferdinand II in the front hallway.  Our first spectacular view was of the Manueline Cloisters built in 1511 for a monastery for the Order of Saint Jerome.  Colourful tiles cover the floor and walls of the cloister’s patio which can be viewed through arches from the lower or upper floors.  The walls in particular are decorated with Hispano-Mudéjar tiles with geometric motifs.  Gargoyles extend out from pillars and Manueline designs of twisted ropes and seashells can be found.  We next came across the opulent private Dining Room with a 16th-century Manueline vaulted, ribbed ceiling and a massive table that seats 24 with table settings including porcelain plates and crystal glasses bearing the royal crown.  Attached to the dining room is a pantry where food was stored and prepared.  For the first few rooms that we inspected, we were behind that first tour group that was in line in front of us.  We soon realized that as the tour guide paused to explain things in one room, we could scoot ahead to the next one and if we put enough of a distance between us, we would have first access to each new room since everyone else was behind us.

Breaking with tradition, King Carlos I had his bedroom on the lower floor of the Manueline cloister while his wife Queen Amélie’s rooms were on the upper floor.  This was unusual since the lower floors were previously considered the servants’ quarters. Family photos are found on the walls and atop the table, and an Art Nouveau sculpture of a draped female sits on a pedestal.  Adjoining King Carlos’ bedroom was his office where he had painted multiple floor-to-ceiling murals on fabric depicting nymphs and fawns. He was obviously a talented artist but unfortunately, some of the works may have been unfinished since King Carlos I and his oldest son Luis were assassinated in 1908.

Located adjacent to his bedroom and office, King Carlos I’ bathroom/dressing room was one of the first sanitation facilities specifically designed for personal hygiene.  It was filled with luxurious furniture and a deep bathtub.  Queen Amélie’s bedroom on the upper floor was originally the bedroom of King Ferdinand II and his second wife, the Countess of Elba, after Maria II passed away.  A four-post bed with canopy, fireplace, and seating area are found in this room.  An adjoining bathroom is covered with decorative tiles on the floor walls and has a separate section for the water closet.

An original Niche from the 16th Century Monastery of Our Lady of Pena is still intact, with the walls of its vault encrusted with small stones, shells and porcelain.  At one point, a clay sculpture of St. Jerome was kept there.  Later, it was used as a storeroom.  Today, it is blocked off but open for viewing.  The upper floor of the palace took us through a long corridor where many rooms were situated one after another.  We saw the quaint floral patterns on the couches of the Tearoom that was once the antechamber for King Ferdinand and the Countess of Edla.  Queen Amélia turned it into a space where she would receive her most intimate visitors.  Queen Amélie’s Office contains her writing desk and chair, several extremely ornate cabinets decorated with intricate carvings, and shelves containing Meissen porcelain figurines that date back to the time of the Countess of Edla, who originally occupied this room.

King Ferdinand II’s Sitting Room is also known as the Arab Room because of the Islamic-inspired architecture including intricate Neo-Mudéjar styled carvings in the archways depicting foliage and a few bovine renderings.  An elaborate mural by Italian master Paolo Pizzi uses trompe-l’oeil techniques to depict more elements of Islamic architecture including columns and more archways, giving the illusion of a larger space.   The Green Room acted as an antechamber to the Sitting Room and contains four busts depicting King Pedro V, the Queen of Belgium, the King of Sardinia, and an “Allegory of Winter”.  The green wallpaper replicates flowers and branches as well as carved stones with faux azulejos tiles, providing another example of trompe-oeil.  The chairs in this room have an Asian feel, with patterns depicting a phoenix surrounded by grapes and vines.

The Great Hall is the largest compartment in Pena Palace, stretching the combined length of several of the previous rooms.  Once also used as the Billiards Room and a place for leisure, tufted maroon leather chairs and sofas with ornately carved frames made from a dark wood line both sides of the space, sometimes accompanied by a matching table to provide an area for conversation or game-playing.  A pair of life-sized sculptures of torch-bearing "Turks" wearing turbans hold gold-plated brass candelabras that each consist of 25 candles.  A large golden chandelier hangs from the ceiling in the centre of the room. A collection of Japanese and Chinese porcelain belonging to Ferdinand are on display on the shelves. Three windows are decorated with Central European stained glass from King Ferdinand II’s collection. In a separate room, King Manuel II’s office has an impressive carved relief depicting a battle hanging behind his original desk which is made of pau-santo and rosewood.

One of the most interesting rooms in the palace was the “Stag Room” which was originally a large Dining Room used for banquets and entertaining guests.  Located in a circular room within one of the turrets, the space is named for the stag heads with genuine antlers that are mounted around the base of the domed ceiling which is supported by a central column.  It is decorated in Neo-Manueline style with seven doors and windows, each with different door frames.  The polychrome stucco surfaces between the doors and windows depict hunting weapons.  A semi-circular table encircles the central column.  This room was strategically located near the main Kitchen which has three chimneys linking three wood-fired stoves (two survive).  Copper utensils and cookware including Pots, pans, fish steamers and chocolate, pudding and pâté moulds are on display.  Some of the items are marked with the symbol PP (Pena Palace) and the monogram of King Ferdinand II.

When we completed our tour of the interior of the palace following the dictated path, we ended up outside on one of the terraces and found out that it was now pouring rain.  The precipitation was coming down so hard that our plans of leisurely touring the expansive grounds of Pena Palace were dashed.  Even our afternoon visit the Moors’ Castle was in jeopardy considering that this involved climbing steep battlement ruins which would be precarious even without the rain.  To find shelter for a bit, we squeezed into the palace Chapel along with a bunch of other wet tourists.  In honor of the original 12th Century chapel, the current Chapel of Our Lady of Pena was incorporated into the design when Ferdinand II had Pena Palace built.  The chapel is a blend of Manueline and Islamic styles with a wide terrace and a clock tower.  The alabaster and limestone retable found behind the altar was created by French sculptor Nicolau de Chanterenne.  A beautiful stained-glass window features four panels that depict Our Lady of Pena, Saint Jorge, King Manuel I and Vasco da Gamma.

It was still pouring when we exited the chapel, so we decided to go to the palace restaurant to have some brunch while killing time in hopes that the rain would subside.  We ended up spending almost two hours in that cafeteria, first eating savoury, then sweet snacks and finally a bowl of soup to pass the time.  Situated in the Room of Arches, the restaurant provides a more formal dining space than the takeout cafeteria upstairs that only had outdoor seating.  Aptly named, the restaurant features several large swooping arches and windows provide views of the landscape (and allowing us to frequently check on the rain).  At one end of the restaurant, a small opening led to a cramped space with extremely narrow windows that might have been used as arrow slits.

Finally, the rain stopped and we go outside without getting soaked.  We walked around the various balconies and terraces, checking out turrets, battlements and different shaped guard houses and watch towers.  Unfortunately, it was still quite foggy so we still could not get great views of the palace façade.  This visit would have been a much different experience had it been a bright, sunny day, although had that been the case, then we would not have allocated enough time here.  It would take a full day to fully explore the palace and grounds and we had only planned for half a day.

Back on the ground level, we wandered through different passageways and admired the walls which were covered with beautiful azulejos tiles depicting Medieval knights in armor and in battle, as well as floral patterns.  The archways provided shelter whenever the rain started up again.

We had wasted so much time in the cafeteria waiting out the deluge that there was not enough time to walk the grounds of Pena Palace and still get to our next planned destination, so we had to make a call.  We decided to forego Pena Park and head on to the Moorish Castle since this was our last day in Sintra and we would not get another chance to see it.  As we headed out towards the exit, we admired all the decorative stonework on the arches and spotted some intricate stone carvings on columns.  One looked like an Italian Commedia dell’arte clown character and another of a stylized lion with a quizzical, almost shocked look on his face.  As we were leaving, we took note of the huge lineup waiting to get into the palace and felt vindicated in our choice to start so early.

With one last look back at Pena Palace, we started our trek towards the Moorish Castle.  It was a 20-minute walk downhill on twisty cobblestone roads to get to there.  This was a relief after all the uphill routes that we had been climbing thus far in Sintra, although some sections were rocky and uneven and a bit slippery since the path was still damp.

The Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) is a military fortress constructed by the Moors between the 8th and 9th centuries, providing an excellent example of Islamic architecture, culture and heritage.  It was built strategically on a hilltop to protect the surrounding areas from invasion and guard against maritime access to Lisbon.  As a result, on clear days, the site provides stunning views of Sintra and its surrounding areas.  Too bad this wasn’t a clear day!  The Moors lost control of the fortress in 1147 when it was handed over to Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, leading to a Christian settlement residing here for some period of time.  It is about a 15-minute walk from the front gates to the ruins of the fort.  Along the way, you pass the remains of external walls and an old church of São Pedro de Canaferrim, which was the first parish church of Sintra built in the 12th Century.  There were some grain silos carved out of stone to store cereals and foods as per Arabic customs, an archaeological site, and an interpretation centre.

The historical Interpretation Centre houses artifacts found during archaeological excavations around the castle, shedding light on the lives of the population of the area now named the Islamic Quarter. Items on display include some game pieces, flints and blades and pieces of pottery.  A model of the site shows the castle ruins that we would explore next.  There is a tomb containing human remains that were discovered during 19th century restoration work that disturbed old burial grounds. Since it was unclear whether the body was Christian or Moorish, a plaque was installed that read “What man brought together, only God may separate”.  We also came across a large cistern that served as the fortress’ main water source.

When we finally got to the ruins of the Moorish Castle/Fortress, it was an impressive sight to behold.  The castle covers 12,000 square metres consisting of a double ring of fortified walls with crenulated battlements.  From the outer or curtain wall, there are different stages of construction and repair dating from the 12th century at the bottom through to the 19th century at the top.  At the centre of the castle are areas that once housed medieval Islamic quarters, which were converted to stables during Christian times.  At one point, five towers reinforced the inner wall.  Only two towers remain intact enough to climb up into, including the King’s Tower (Torre Real), the tallest tower and last stronghold in the castle in case of attack.

It took some precarious navigation along the narrow parapets and scaling up some steep stone stairs to get to the top of the King’s Tower where on a clear day, you are supposed to be able to see the Sintra Hills and even all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.  Unfortunately, this was not even close to being a clear day.  Sometimes the fog rolling pass was so thick that all I could see was a white expanse.  Luckily, every once in a while, the fog rolled past and at one point, I glimpsed the iconic twin conical smokestacks of the National Palace’s kitchen, which we toured on our first day in Sintra.  Rich decided not to make the climb to the top with me.  He claimed he was tired which was probably partially true but I also think he didn’t like the height.  The stone steps were narrow and uneven and I could see how treacherous it could be when wet.  The stones had mostly dried when I attempted my ascent and careful descent.

The walk from Moorish Castle back to the Historic Town was 2.5km away over steep steps and cobblestoned paths.  It took us almost an hour for this last trek of the day.  This final journey was a slog after a tiring day (our 8th tiring day of the trip so far!) and felt extra long when we lost cell service for a bit and were not entirely sure that we were headed in the right direction. But we did find our way back to down and back to our rental apartment.

The next morning, we had an early breakfast at the nearby Café Saudade before heading to Lisbon for the last leg of our vacation.  Café Saudade is a pretty coffee house with an ornate ceiling located just around the corner from the train station. We were able to score a private nook by a large window to enjoy ham and cheese croissants and some coffee/tea before leaving Sintra and taking the 30-minute suburban train ride to Lisbon Rossio station.  We had a nice time in this Palace-filled little town where the Portuguese royalty used to spend their summers.  It is too bad we didn’t have better weather.

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.