Following from my previous post, by the time we found parking and walked to the gates of the Pena National Palace, some of us were feeling a bit grumpy already, plus the queue to buy tickets was huge...
So by unanimous decision we decided to give the visit to the Palace a miss and go and have lunch instead.
I had visited the Palace many years ago, but I wasn't a blogger then and didn't always take photos of everything like I do now, so sadly I can't show much...
But of course, if you ever go to Sintra, take the time to visit the interior of the Palace and the beautiful gardens.
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| One of the Pena Palace towers |
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| Traditional blue tiles |
Sintra is also home to various other Palaces which you can visit -
Palacio da Vila (Sintra National Palace or Town Palace) right in the village centre, as well as Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors) atop the hill near the Pena Palace.
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| Palacio da Vila - Sintra National Palace |
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| Castelo dos Mouros - Moor Castle atop the hill |
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| Moor Castle from a scenic lookout |
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| Views from a Scenic lookout in one of Sintra's streets |
There are always "live statues" performing in this area from where you climb to the top of the village, and of course they rely on the public's donations. This one was quite entertaining.
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| My husband having fun with the live statue |
After lunch we walked around the old center, bought a few souvenirs and enjoyed a "Ginja" (cherry liqueur) served in a chocolate cup. Delicious!
We climbed to the top of the village through the narrow cobbled streets and came across the Lord Byron Pub. In 1809 he declared "We are inside one of the most beautiful places on earth" (Sintra, then written as Cintra).
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| The cobbled lanes with restaurants and souvenir shops |
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| A blue tiled building in Sintra |
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Sintra with the Moors Castle at the top
On the way to the parking we went past Fonte Mourisca (Moorish Fountain) an Arab inspired fountain covered in colourful tiles.
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This colourful statue we also on the way, right next to a Sunday crafts market that is held on the second Sunday of every month. I bought cork bracelets and necklaces, that are now quite fashionable in Portugal, and they were quite cheap as the ladies were packing up and wanted to get rid of their stuff.
In the parking lot, this statue by Pedro Anjos Teixeira (1908-1997) from 1969, called "The persecuted" stands near the small house where he resided, now a museum of his and his Dad's sculptures.
Hope you enjoyed the tour around Sintra and this post has
whet your appetite for a visit in the near future!
Our French and Dutch visitors certainly enjoyed their day!
Wow, I love all those colors, Sami!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, you are right, now that you mention, I take more pics since I blog, too - funny.
What is the last pic/statue about? It´s beautiful (yes... I like being protected by "my" man... - though I certainly am happy to stand up for myself as well!).
I've updated about the statue, it's called " The Persecuted" and was sculpted by a local artist who died in 1997.
DeleteYes, now I take far too many pictures...my family tells me I must have a Japanese ascendant somewhere.
I can certainly see why Bryon called Sintra the most beautiful place on earth!
ReplyDeleteI think the last photo the Guy is saying: "You stay here love, I'll unpack the dishwasher!
Have a lovely week Sami!
Wren x
Lol, that could be an interpretation of the statue. Sintra is very pretty indeed!
DeleteA nice overview of the beautiful castles in Sintra and surroundings. I didn't either visited the Palace because of the long lines waiting for the entrance.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the best way to get in quick is to be there early in the day or otherwise be very patient!
DeleteDearest Sami,
ReplyDeleteYou are such a knowledgeable and passionate tour guide to your readers! Loved this city of Sintra with its obvious Moorish influences, beside the Moors castle. Excellent photos and yes, we too have been to many places at a time when there was no iPhone, iPad or whatsoever and cameras that were a lot less in quality of what we got today. But it is on our retina; even if that is very hard to share with others!
Thanks for your excellent writing and for taking the time to take us along.
Hugs,
Mariette
Thanks for your lovely words Mariette. Of course no such technology years ago...I still remember 8 years ago I was still using the film camera, had to wait until the film was developed, maybe the photos were good, maybe not...
DeleteGlad you are enjoyed the trip.
I always enjoy seeing photos of Sintra by the lens of other people. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jose. Sintra is a real gem to photograph!
DeleteThanks for visiting on T day at my place. Had you not left a comment, I might not have visited. You have a beautiful blog and a lovely camera because your photos are to die for. I've been scrolling down, reading, and enjoying sights I have never seen before. I was especially taken by the tea plantation. I really enjoyed this visit, and hope to see more of your colorful world soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting Elizabeth. The tea plantation in the Azores was fabulous, the only tea made in Europe too.
ReplyDelete