Sintra, Portugal
Sintra is a hillside of palaces built by people competing to be the most eccentric. Go early or stay the night. Sintra is forty minutes from Lisbon, everyone does it as a day trip, and by eleven the queues for the palaces gardens, and mystical forests that grace its landscape. The Palácio Nacional de Sintra has two enormous white cones you can see from anywhere in town. They are the kitchen chimneys. The Quinta da Regaleira enchants with its mysterious initiation wells and hidden tunnels, while the colorful Palácio da Pena perches dramatically atop a hill, offering remarkable views of the region. The cool, moss-covered stones of the Castelo dos Mouros tell tales of centuries past. Sintra’s microclimate ensures the lushness of its gardens, notably the romantic Quinta de Monserrate and the exotic Parque da Pena. The town centre is small and gets very full by mid morning. Sintra is a hillside of palaces built by people competing to be the most eccentric, wrapped in a forest that makes its own fog.
