Sintra
The small town of Sintra long served as the summer residence of kings and the wooded grounds are dotted with pastel-coloured mansions and palaces. The National Palace of Sintra was built in Moorish and Manueline style and is particularly striking with its two large conical chimney stacks and ornate ceramic tile panelling (azulejos). The 19th-century Palácio Nacional da Pena, situated on a hill, is known for its fairy-tale design and marvellous views.
From Rossio station, we travelled to Sintra by train with the Navigante Card. There is a hop on, hop off bus at the station, which serves all the castles and palaces. The ticket costs €13.50 per person.
Palátio National da Pena
The Pena National Palace was built after 1840 on the ruins of a monastery by order of the Portuguese titular king and royal consort Ferdinand II (1816-1885). Often referred to as the ‘Palace of Sorrow’ (from the Portuguese pena ‘sorrow, sadness’), the name is derived from the former convent dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Pena.
The palace is located on a hill, which you either have to climb or pay €3 for a shuttle bus to take guests up and down the park. There is an entrance fee for the park. The tour of the palace costs extra and is usually fully booked.
Palátio National da Sintra
The palace, which was already mentioned in the 10th century during the Muslim period as the Moorish Alcázar, is Sintra's landmark with its large conical chimney stacks, which are visible from afar above the large palace kitchen. It was the royal summer residence from the 14th to the 20th century.
Three of the numerous royal halls are particularly noteworthy:
The Hall of Swans stretches along the main façade on the first floor. It is closed off by a wooden coffered ceiling, whose octagonal coffers are painted with 72 white swans - a tribute by João I to his wife Philippa of Lancaster.
The ceiling of the Magpie Hall is decorated with 136 magpies. Each carries a banner with the words ‘por bemï’ in its beak. According to a story that is still told today, 136 ‘magpie-like’ gossiping maids reported to the queen that her husband had kissed a lady-in-waiting - whereupon he apologised ‘no offence’.
The imposing Hall of Arms is adorned with an octagonal, wood-panelled domed ceiling. Grouped around the royal coat of arms in the centre are the coats of arms of Manuel I's eight children and the coats of arms of 72 royal families, whose position in the hierarchy is reflected in the distance to the royal coat of arms.
There were many more palaces and castles in Sintra, but we didn't manage to see more than two. The shuttle bus took us back to the railway station.
