October 9, 2017
Beautiful day… again! …..well, we now have this drill down pat and we are starting earlier ….breakie, metro, train from the Rossio Station…
Today we are heading back to Sintra, a short train ride away.
Our game plan is simple …visit Pena Palace and the Monserrate Palace and try to get there before the crowds gather…Pena Palace exemplifies the 19th-century Romantic style of architecture. The palace is a mix of vividly painted terraces, decorative battlements and mythological statues…the palace is very unreal !!! Ferdinand August Franz Anton from Austria, who married into the Portuguese royal family and became King Ferdinand II, marvelled at the stunning views from the rocky outcrop and wished for a castle built to rival Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavarian decor of 1910. Really, there is not much to say other than to enjoy the palace inside and out… which, in certain aspects, is bizarre…..I suppose giving rise to one’s fantasies can be fun and certainly provides employment to scores of artisans…
Gardens and paths surround the area of the Palace, and we hiked up to the Cruz Alta > the highest point in the Sintra mountains, a rather pleasant, well-shaded walk…
…great view of the Palace…
and finally the “summit” …
…then back to Sintra to catch the other bus to go to the Monserrate Palace…..had lunch in a small eatery to prevent the “hangry’s” >>> very nice BBQ chicken + salad = 12 Euros for both of us, with a drink. Slow transition as the bus was late (yes, this is like a duathlon) and we are on the pathway to the Monserrate Palace:
Another amazing playhouse (in a state of restoration, but the thought, energy and wealth behind this dream is very evident) as it seamlessly blends Arabic, Gothic and Indian architectural styles to create a wonderful summer-house that is surrounded by beautiful themed gardens (desert/rose, etc.) The actual palace was imagined by an Englishman, Sir Francis Cook (2nd or 3rd wealthiest Brit of his time), who decided to build a summer residence from the ruins of a pre-existing neo-Gothic palace around 1860:
Inside photos…
Moosie wasn’t quite sure what to make of this room, but it was definitely not her favourite…
The Kitchen features a high-tech (for its time) wood-burning stove, which provided hot water for the boiler, thus integrating it into the heating system of the house…
…we slowly wound our way back to the bus stop imagining how it must have looked/felt when folks were enjoying this property in its heyday…
Some visitors complain about the ticket prices for these palaces, as they are higher than many other Portuguese tourist attractions, but the non-profit Parques de Sintra organization reinvests all revenue into the region’s monuments, and I was told it receives no funds from the state. To the naked eye, the Parks people are doing a great job, and with the ongoing restoration, these monuments should look even better in future years.
Time was running as we reversed our course and headed for Lisbon…..there are more palaces to see, but we will leave those for another visit to Portugal > sometimes it is better to savour such treasures. On the way back, we passed through several stations where hordes of Swiss fans were on their way to their eventual loss to Portugal >>> the singing in those stations made it seem as if you were at the stadium.
A fabulous day …..tired, we had dinner next doorish; we knew it would be just ok, and that is what it was…..watched as 2 tables close to us reminded the owner that what they ordered was not what was on the bill….. sorry, mistake >> I don’t think so; these owners are pros, and a lashing in TripAdvisor will be forthcoming !! Our bill was ok.