The village of Sintra is the most beautiful village in Portugal, with unique spaces, museums and nature like no other part of Portugal. If you’re planning to visit, you should have the following parks and monuments in your list:
- Moorish Castle
- National Palace of Sintra
- Park and National Palace of Pena
- Park and Palace of Monserrate
- Convent of the Capuchos
- Chalet and Garden of the Countess of Edla
- Farmyard of Monserrate
- Pena Farm and Stables
Sintra is so special that in 1995 it was classified as the Europe’s first cultural landscape, due to the pioneering recognition of Romantic landscaping.
The village alone is a wonderful space full of local customs and where, in addition to its nature, you can have fantastic places to eat and drink in places like the famous pastry shop “A Piriquita” and eat its traditional sweets like the “queijada de Sintra ”or a “Travesseiros de Sintra”.
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira is the jewel of the crown of Sintra, has luxurious gardens, chapels, palaces and the cherry on top of the cake, is a mysterious tunnel with an incredible network that connects all points of the place.
The Initiation Well
The most well-known attraction is the famous inverted well. Also knows as The Initiation Well, it connects the entire network of tunnels that the area contains. The tunnels look like a maze and, however good you are, you always end up lost in a different and surprisingly beautiful area.
Depending on the direction, if it is going down it seems that it is going down to the center of the earth and the sensation it gives is that it is entering a mystical world. If it is going up the opposite direction it seems that it is coming to life and coming to meet the light. This journey mystically represents death or birth in mystical traditions.
Palácio Nacional da Pena
Palácio Nacional da Pena is the best known palace in Sintra, it is part of the 7 wonders of Portugal. It was built in the 12th century dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Pena. The palace is located within the Pena national park and is located over 500m above the sea level.
According to local tradition, the chapel was built after the appearance of the Virgin Mary at the site. For many years it was maintained until it was affected by lightning in the 18th century and was subsequently significantly damaged by the great earthquake that occurred in Lisbon in 1755.
For many decades it remained untouched until the Reign of Portugal decided to rebuild it to serve as seasonal accommodation (in summer).
Parque da Pena today is considered the richest and most unusual park in Europe due to the variety of tree species, species that do not even exist in other countries and continents from which they originate.
The park is full of caves, bridges, garden benches and fountains. Small houses where guards and servants were housed. Greenhouses and nurseries of rare plants. Sculptures that can be seen from afar and picturesque lakes surrounded by trees.
We strongly advise you to make a Sintra Private Tour with a specialized company in the area in order to enjoy all the wonder that Sintra can offer you.
