Lets take the train to Sintra! Home of the rich and famous, this is where the wealthy Portuguese travel during the hot summer months to cool off. Famous for its palace and castle, Sintra is one of the busiest spots yet. There was a crush of tourists, which made us adjust our plans.
We took the train from Lisbon, and arrived to Sintra. It was mandatory to board a bus, which took us to the Pena Palace. There, we stood in line to buy a timed ticket to get up to see the palace. Despite the timed ticket, we were not able to get into the Palace, as the line was just so very long, and it was moving so very slowly. Had we waited, we would have been at the palace for many hours. We decided that, despite having purchased tickets to get in, we would simply enjoy the exterior of the palace. And the views were really worth it!
As much as we enjoyed walking around the exterior of the palace, it was just too busy. So, we found a dirt path down back to the main road. Instead of waiting for an overcrowded bus, we found another path, that led to a rock walkway to the Moorish Castle. While there were some people on the path, it was much quieter and enjoyable. The views down to Sintra were beautiful.
A dirt road eventually led us all the way down to the town of Sintra. What a charming place! Even with all the people around, it is a lovely town. We found a corner restaurant, sat outside, and enjoyed lunch.
After lunch, we strolled through the busy town towards Quinta da Regaleira Garden. This was near the top of our list of things to see in Sintra. The grounds of the gardens are stunning, and there are so many beautiful structures.
But it is the Initiation Well at the top of the hill that had us so intrigued. An amazing structure, this well has a curved set of stairs that circles down to the bottom, almost 90 feet down. This was supposedly built as a ceremonial structure, used for initiations. It is a mystical place that leads to the most calming grotto and waterfall.
This was a very cool place!
We walked back into town, headed to the train station, and returned to Lisbon. The main Lisbon rail station is near the main square. After all that walking, we were a bit hungry. Back to Fabrica Nata for a sandwich, beers, and pasteis!
On the way back to our apartment, we stopped at a British Bar and enjoyed a beer and Aperol Spritz. Today was a ton of walking, but very enjoyable.
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