| SINTRA |
Lying at the east end of a rocky range of mountains 26 km from
the centre of Lisbon, the fairy-tale setting of Sintra is one
of the oldest places in Portugal.
Occupied by the Romans until 5 AD, it has been repeatedly praised
by master poets over the centuries, including Lord Byron who
described it as a 'glorious Eden' in his autobiographical poem,
'Childe Harold'.
The town's landscape is lush with surrounding green forests,
exotic flowers and elaborate palaces built centuries ago as
summer retreats for the royal family. When the Christian Crusaders
captured it in 1147, they fought bitterly against the Moors
firmly entrenched in their imposing castle, the ruins of which
remain today.
What to see. There are several key attractions to explore
in Sintra. On the main square is the National Palace, begun
in the late 14th century and most noted for its tall, conical
chimneys, Manueline windows, 16th- and 17th-century tiles and
grand chambers such as the Swans Room with its magnificent ceiling
divided into octagonal panels decorated with swans. Perched
on a mountain top overlooking Sintra, Pena Palace is a rich
mix of Renaissance, Baroque, Moorish, Gothic and Manueline styles.
With its impressive drawbridge, towers, battlements and daintily-furnished
royal chambers, the palace remains much as it was when Queen
Amelia lived there at the beginning of last century. The Moorish
castle on the opposite hill dates from the 7th century. Snaking
along the mountain ridge, the castle boasts breathtaking views
far along the coast. Founded in 1560 by the Viceroy of India,
João de Castro, the remotely-situated Capuchos Convent
hidden away in another part of the mountain consists of a dozen
cork-lined cells cut out of the rock.
Nearby. 15 km west of Sintra lies Cabo da Roca, Continental
Europe's most westerly point. Known to the Romans as Promontorium
Magnum, visitors to this wild, windy place can purchase a certificate
testifying that they've been to the place where 'the land ends
and the sea begins'. Inland from Cabo da Roca and a short drive
from Sintra is the charming town of Colares, famous for its
wine and fruit. With vines rooted in sand, its oldest vineyards
survived the terrible phylloxera which destroyed almost all
of Portugal's grapes in the late 19th century. |
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| © 2007 Maisturismo |
