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Photo: joselomba, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Regaleira Palace is part of the built heritage included in UNESCO's world heritage list as 'Sintra cultural landscape'. Its origins date back to 1697, when the property was bought by José Leite, but it was only by the late 19th century that the history of the Palace and Gardens begins. In 1892 Carvalho Monteiro, an eccentric capitalist that had made a huge fortune in Brazil, bought the property and hired the Italian architect Luigi Manini to conceive a place that gathered, on the one hand, a sum of artistic currents (Gothic, Manueline and Renaissance) and, on the other hand, the glorification of national history influenced by mythic and esoteric traditions. A great variety of Masonic symbols is present in Regaleira Palace and Gardens. An important example is the magnificent Poço Iniciático (Initiation Well), looking like an upside down tower, where at every 15 steps a plateau is reached, in a total of nine leading to the depths of the earth. The nine plateaus remind the nine circles of Hell, the nine sections of Purgatory and the nine heavens of Paradise, as designated by Dante. Everyone seems to get lost looking for the Initiation Well – hang onto the map you get when purchasing your ticket!
Quinta da Regaleira is a quinta constructed from 1904 to '10 and located near the historic centre of Sintra, Portugal. It is classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO within the "Cultural Landscape of Sintra". Along with the other palaces in the area such as the Quinta do Relógio, Pena, Monserrate and Seteais palaces, it is considered one of the principal tourist attractions of Sintra.
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The summer estate of the Portuguese royal family from the middle ages until the 1910 republican revolution. Built in several steps, the oldest standing parts is a chapel built by King Dinis I during the 14th century. Around 1400 King John I constructed "the Magpie Room" (Sala das Pegas), the ceiling of which is decorated with 136 magpies (as many as there where women at the court) in a subtle hint to end gossiping. King Manuel I added the Coats-of-Arms Room (Sala dos Brasões) in the early 16th century, showing the coat of arms of the 72 foremost Portuguese noble families of the era, as well as the arms of his own family. King Alphonse VI was imprisoned in the Palace from 1676 until his death in 1683, after being deposed by his brother and successor. Most of the palace is covered by excellently crafted azulejo glazed tiles, both on the inside and on the facade. The most striking feature of the palace exterior is the two 36 m tall kitchen chimneys.
Castelo dos Mouros
One of the highlights of Sintra not to be missed. Ruins of a castle built by the Moors from the 10th century onwards. Apparently, when Cascais was under the rule of Sintra, a huge fire would be lit here annually to remind the people of Cascais that the Moorish Castle is there to protect them. There isn’t much inside the castle but the views from around 400 m above sea level are stunning. Be careful on the walls though, they’re very narrow in places and lack any safety railings.
Palácio Nacional da Pena
Beautiful example of pseudo-Moorish Romantic architecture. You can walk there from Sintra in about an hour (uphill!) or catch a bus. You can see a good collection of furniture and the royal apartments. Tickets are sold on a timed basis. Arrive at the park 30 min before your ticket time so that you can walk up to the palace. You will not get a refund if you miss your time. Surrounding the palace is a huge park which is much quieter, and can be explored on foot or by a small tourist train service. The Chalet decorated with bark is particularly worth visiting, and the greenhouses, stables and lakes are pleasant. 15% discount if you purchase online at least 3 days in advance.
An old estate with a farmyard, giving you an opportunity to learn about traditional local farming. The estate was transformed into its current form by 19th-century British industrialist Francis Cook and his architect James Knowles Jr, and stands as a timeless piece of British Romanticism..
A secluded abbey where monks used to live in close contact with nature. Immersed in a wood, its crude and harsh style points out the importance of spirituality according to these friars and their strict Christian values. It has no electric light, so use your flash on to shoot great pictures! Don't miss the wood carved chapel, the library and the friars' cells.
A cape at the western coast which is the westernmost point of the European continent. If you feel like spending you can get a certificate of your presence at the westernmost point of continental Europe.