Sintra, World Heritage Site
Awarded the qualification of Cultural Landscape of World Heritage on 6 December, 1995, Sintra is an immense open book full of images from the past framed in a fascinating nature.
The natural landscape of Sintra gives this mythical place a unique beauty. The green of the mountains and the blue of the sea become one, enchanting and inspiring its residents and visitors.
The antiquity and heterogeneity urban agglomeration, which constitutes the so-called Old Town (Vila Velha), invites to a passionate stroll along the human past where you can feel and admire the various eras that governed the historical enjoyment.
Sintra Mountains
In Sintra, you breathe the green. The green of the rugged cliffs of the Mountains that surrounds the Town, both domineering and protective.
Quinta da Regaleira
It's one of the most amazing monuments in the Mountains. From the lush forest emerges a fascinating palace, in a style combining Neo-Gothic, neo-Manueline and neo-Renaissance features, sculpted in early 20th century.
This estate is one of the most beautiful examples of early 20th century revivalist art, a unique combination of the romantic splendour of gardens and woods with the Milhões Palace, the Chapel, the enigmatic grandeur of the initiation well, the underground, the lakes and the caves, which make it a unique place.
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Beaches
The natural beauty of Sintra descends from the mountains to the sea. The golden sands, the purity of the Atlantic waters and the outline of the coast with its rugged cliffs, make our beaches a truly enjoyable spot at any time of the year.
The coastline hides truly amazing century-old bays, bathed by the cold, stormy waters of the Atlantic, to the delight of all those who cannot say no to an invigorating dive or the daring adventurers who face the deep blue.
It will also please those who prefer to take a stroll by the frothy swell of the waves or just enjoy the sunshine.
Sintra Tram
From Sintra to the Ocean, the Sintra Tram is much more than a transport, it is a famous local landmark.
Inaugurated in 1904, it currently operates as a tourist transport, connecting the Town to Maçãs Beach for almost 13 kilometres along a winding path between the mountains and the sea.
During the 45 minutes journey, passengers can take advantage of open or closed carriages and be dazzled by the verdant landscape along the entire route.
Sintra National Palace
In the historic centre, two white, conical chimneys rising symmetrically are a famous Town landmark, a symbol of the Sintra National Palace, also known as Town Palace.
Of Arab origin, it was shaped by the Christian reconquest: the Mudejar features were combined with Gothic and Manueline lines. The only survivor of medieval royal palaces, it houses a unique assets of Hispanic-Moorish azulejo tiles. It is classified as a Portuguese monument since 1910.
National Palace of Pena
The Maximum expression of romantic architecture, this palace is the dream come true of artist King Fernando de Saxo-Coburg-Gotha, where its interior rivals beauty and opulence.
In a surprising harmony, styles as different as the neo-Manueline, neo-Gothic and neo-Arabic coexist, as if at random.
Cabo da Roca
The westernmost point of the European continent is, for poets, the place where the earth ends and the sea begins.
The rugged landscape, as if peering into the abyss, with its cliffs descending until the incessant crashing of the waves, are watched from above by a lighthouse.
As a testament to their presence in such a charismatic place, visitors can acquire a certificate at the local tourist office.
Gastronomy and wines
Sintra's gastronomic heritage equals the monuments and landscape heritage in richness and diversity. The most famous meat dishes include the Negrais Piglet, the Mercês Pork and the roast goat and veal. Sintra’s coastline is abundant in fish, seafood and molluscs. When it comes to sweets, the highlight inevitably goes to the Queijadas de Sintra, ancestral sweet that comes, at least, from the Middle Ages.
However, there are others that deserve to be tasted, such as the Travesseiros, the Pastéis da Pena, the Colares Walnuts and the Fofos de Belas. The Colares wine is indispensable to accompany any meal, especially in the famous Ramisco grape variety, one of the first in Portugal's glorious wine list.
Moorish Castle
Winding over two summits of the Sintra Mountains, the Moorish Castle has an 8th century Arab military construction, surviving over time and remaining as one the local viewpoints. The stunning landscape divides the mountains, the town and the sea.
