Sintra
A popular day-trip destination from Lisbon, the Parques de Sintra is a beautiful collection of natural and architectural wonders that offer an escape from the city into what can be only described as a fantasy world. While it may seem overwhelming when researching this park system, it is easy to get to, and to get around once you are there.
Beautiful Birds of Paradise growing next to the Placácio da Pena
Less than an hour train ride from the Oriente Station in Lisbon, (the train ticket is 2,25€ one-way), you will disembark the train and follow the other tourists out of the exit. Go east (turn right) down Av. Dr. Miguel Bombarda, where you will find a bus stop and a line of people. The bus company had staff members selling tickets down the line; our ticket cost 6,90€. There are different buses depending on which sites you are visiting. The 434 bus runs in a circuit, stopping at the entrances to the sites within the park that my friend and I wanted to visit. For admission to the sites themselves, you can buy a ticket at the first point of entrance. The price depends on how many sites you wish to visit.
I imagine the view a sunny day is incredible; Palácio da Pena
The first place we visited was the Castelo dos Mouros, or the Castle of the Moors. We went on an incredibly foggy day, so we didn’t get to see what must have been an incredible view. Nevertheless, considering how high up we were, I did feel like we were exploring a fortress in the clouds. I love the experience of walking around places like this, so grand and imposing, imagining what it would have been like to walk these stone steps hundreds of years ago.
Walking in hundreds of years of history at the Castelo dos Mouros
We then went to the famous Palácio da Pena, or the Pena Palace. You may recognize the distinctive red, yellow, and purple architecture. Being here feels like being on a film set, the palace so well preserved it seems brand new. It is a large space, and it was full of people. We only bought the ticket to visit the exterior, which was fine for us, but I believe there is an option to go inside. Afterward, we wandered around the forest-y area that surrounds the palace for a little while before heading back to the town.
The Escher-esque architecture of the Palácio da Pena
Rushing a little to catch the train back to Lisbon, out of the corner of our eyes we spotted Restaurante Chinês Da Fu Lou. Without having to discuss it, we looked at each other in approval and crossed the street to have a taste of Asian food we had both been missing. It did not disappoint.
Into the clouds; Palácio da Pena
There are many other fairytale sights to see in the Parques de Sintra, and it is a great place both for nature lovers and for those who just need a break from the city. Hopefully I’ll be back one day to explore more.
