Sintra

Return to the N247 from Cascais and continue skirting the western edge of the Serra di Sintra. A short drive brings you to the little town of Colares, justly famous for its superior wines. A few kilometers farther along you find yourself in Sintra, a very confusing town divided into three distinctly different parts: Sintra Villa, Estefânia, and Sào Pedro. Navigate yourself to Sintra Villa, parking as close as possible to the National Palace at the heart of this old part of town. Much of the Palace, whose two conical-shaped chimneys rise above the palace’s vast kitchens, was built by João I in the 14^th-century with Moorish additions by Manuel I in the 16^th century. It was the favorite summer retreat for the Portuguese court and royal family until the 1880s. Highlights include the Sala das Pegas with its intricate ceiling panels of chattering magpies, designed to discourage courtiers from gossiping; the Sala dos Brasões, a grand domed room whose lower walls are lined with Delft-like tile panels while its upper reaches are decorated with stags holding the coats of arms of Portuguese nobility; and the Sala dos Cisnes, a banqueting hall whose 17^th-century ceiling is decorated with swans. Sintra is an especially romantic little town, nestled in the heavily wooded hills that rise from the coast. This was once an area of great wealth and many of the fabulous old quintas (farm estates).A narrow zigzag lane leads up to the remains of the 7th-century Castelo dos Mouros whose ramparts provide enchanting views of the serra. Farther up the hill is the fantastic 19th-century Palácio da Pena, a colorful, flight-of-fancy construction, which includes elements of every architectural period imaginable. There are guided tours of the interior, featuring art objects and furnishings supposedly left exactly as they were when the monarchy was overthrown in 1910. The terraces, guard paths, and ornate onion dome afford marvelous views to Lisbon and the Tagus to the east and the Atlantic to the west. The terraces, guard paths, and ornate onion dome afford marvelous views to Lisbon and the Tagus to the east and the Atlantic to the west. This is a castle you mustn’t miss—it’s fabulous.You will find the return to Lisbon is well signposted.