Sintra

Sintra is a lovely town not far from Lisbon. It has a cool microclimate, making it a summer refuge. Beginning in the 18th century, royalty recognized this, and Sintra began to develop its fairyland ambiance. It became one of the 1st capitals of Romanticism in Europe.
Part of the aura is due to it's climate that includes lots of misty weather. I experienced that during my visit. In fact, the famous Pena Palace was completely enshrouded. So that is missing from this post.
The 1st picture is about the 1st thing you see after leaving the train. It is the old town hall dating to the 12th century in a former palace. The 2nd picture looks across what was the former harbor (now silted in and developed) towards the old town and the royal palace that was originally a Moorish palace, but the current building was significantly remodeled several times.
The 3rd picture is a rebuilt Moorish fountain that replaced the earlier one destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. The 4th picture is a bit of the hillside town of Sintra in the mist. The 5th picture is the old punishment site where people were whipped. The 6th picture is the old jail with the tower of St. Martin's church (the Templar church) in the background.
The 7th and 8th pictures are typical streets in Sintra's old town. The last picture is another fountain dating to the late 18th century.
My visit barely touched on all there is to see here.Read more