We returned to the lovely Rossio train station to take one of the earliest trains to the nearby town of Sintra. It was a short taxi ride up a steep road, followed by a short (also uphill) walk through the surrounding wooded grounds to get our place in line for Pena Palace, which luckily was behind a couple who’d hired their own English-speaking guide. While the visit was self-paced, lingering behind the couple helped me appreciate what we were seeing as we walked through the rooms and courtyards. It was built by King Ferdinand II (who married into the Portuguese royal family) using his own fortune and on the ruins of a convent destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. And as a Romantic who loved the arts, he brought in multiple architectural styles to evoke different times and places–Gothic, Moorish, Manueline, etc.. The interiors were mostly Victorian, and it was interesting to get a glimpse into what their daily lives were like in these private spaces. Attempting to take photos in the courtyard and seeing the long line as we walked out made me appreciate the early start. Overhearing another guide as we walked to the next stop, I learned that the surrounding forest included trees King Ferdinand had brought in from all over the world, making it one of the most important arboretums in Portugal.
 |
Pena Palace--a riot of colors and styles
|
 |
Cloister of Pena Palace, reflecting it's prior life as a convent.
|
 |
Grand Reception Room
|
 |
Ferdinand II's bedroom
|
 |
Balcony at Pena Palace
|
 |
Inner courtyard of Pena Palace--note the crowds on the left trying to get their photo shoots without other people.
|
 |
View towards the Moorish Castle and the ocean from Pena Palace.
|
 |
Intricate carving in the Monumental Gate
|
 |
Moorish Gate leading up to Pena Palace
|
Our next stop was the nearby 10th century Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle), with the now-familiar story of a hilltop castle built under Islamic rule until the conquest of Lisbon in 1147 when it became a Medieval town before being abandoned. The views were fantastic, and with all the steep climbs up and down the fortress walls along the ridgeline I was happy to stop often and soak it in.
 |
The Moorish Castle--we climbed every step and wall you see here.
|
From there we went a bit down the hill to Quinta da Regaleira, a 20th century palace most famous for the grounds. With a flair for the dramatic, they built grottoes and fake cave networks into their hillside gardens with a maze of paths to entertain guests. The most famous part, requiring the longest line, is an “Initiation Well”, spiraling down into the ground.
 |
Looking up from the bottom of the Initiation Well
|
 |
Fake grotto at Quinta da Regaleira
|
 |
Tile background at Sintra Palace
|
Sintra itself is quite small, so we didn’t stay long in the town, but I finally succumbed to all the ceramic shops we passed and picked up a pair of dinner plates to bring home. It was nice taking the train during the hottest part of the day back to Lisbon, and relaxing for a bit at the hotel before going downtown near sunset. Dinner was more Bifana at Beira Gare, and more Pastel de Nata sampling, this time at Fábrica da Nata. And capping it off, more sauna!
 |
| Arco da Rua Augusta |
 |
Sunset on the Tagus River
|
 |
Another great place for Pastels de Nata
|
 |
All of the metro stations had tile art; naturally the map one (also the stop for our hotel) was one of my favorites.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.