Sir Sintra
Going on a Sintra tour is discovering a town full of magic and splendor; it is like entering a romantic realm where majestic palaces, a fairy tale castle and wonderful mansions, enchanting gardens, emerge from the lush hills and woods, it is worth enjoying even if you are coming from the other side of the world.
In the 19th century, Sintra became the first center of European Romantic architecture. Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle where this new sensitivity was displayed in the use of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish, and Renaissance elements and in the creation of a park blending local and exotic species of trees.
Besides the radiant summer sun, the Sintra beaches afford superb conditions for water sports, while the cliffs provide paragliding lovers with excellent jumping ramps.
Fishing, surfing, and body-board are among the sports most commonly practiced along the Sintra coastline.
There are wonderful walking paths from Sintra to the Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle. The beauty is not just in the buildings, but the whole national park with its winding paths over the hills, and it's a pity that even the local tourism office insists on taking the bus.
Hidden among its majestic pine forest, you will discover whimsical palaces, extravagant villas, and the ruins of a 10th-century Moorish castle. This variety of fascinating historic buildings and stunning natural scenery makes Sintra an outstanding tourist destination.
