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Spain & Portugal 2023
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Spain & Portugal 2023

A 13-day adventure by Moosecorn Read more
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  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Heading to the flat with more pizza!

    September 19, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌙 64 °F

    》We stopped at Pizza Bella Mia! again on the way back. Worth it!

    》The Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy (Capela de Nossa Senhora da Piedade)

    A charming chapel situated on a headland overlooking the sea, the 18th Century Capela de Nossa Senhora da Piedade was built by fishermen who were miraculously saved from a shipwreck.

    Every September, locals commemorate this event with the procession of Our Lady of Mercy, accompanied by brightly decorated boats and traditional festivities.

    》Padroeira de Portugal (Patroness of Portugal)

    On March 25, 1646, Our Lady of the Conception was proclaimed patroness of Portugal. Since 1820 the Portuguese queens costumes have been used to dress the image of the patron.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Train to Lisboa

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    》One of the greatest time-saving connections for those who are traveling in Portugal from north to south is a ride on the fast Porto to Lisbon train. The distance from Porto to Lisbon is 332 km (206 mi) and the high-speed Alfa Pendular bullet train ride takes as little as 2 and a half hours. The train is well-equipped and offers modern amenities and onboard comfort all the way from Porto Portugal to Lisbon. Every day more than 5 high-speed trains depart from the central part of Porto, the Campanha Station, and arrive in Lisbon's city center at the Oriente Train Station.Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Made it to Lisboa

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    》Santa Apolónia Train station

    Constructed in 1865, Santa Apolonia train station is the oldest railway joint in entire Portugal. The railway complex is picturesquely nestled on the northern banks of the Tagus River in the charming Alfama district.Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    First glimpses of Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    》On way to Airbnb

    》Disney Cruise is here!

    》Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha

    The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha in the Alfama district of Lisbon dates from 15th century when it was constructed as the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia, possibly over the remains of a previous synagogue.

    Only the superb portal of the church, however, survived the destructive earthquake of 1755 and this is the main reason to visit the church.

    A classic piece of Manueline architecture, the portal, below a triangular pediment, is richly carved with motifs of angels, armillary spheres, flowers, and the cross of the Order of Christ.

    The facade includes an image of the Virgin of the Misericórdia and figures of nobles and monarchs including D. Manuel I and his sister D. Leonor as well as religious clerics.

    Following the 1755 earthquake the church was transferred to the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and the original Misericórdia moved to the Church of São Roque, following the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1759.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Lunch at Taberna do LIS

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    》Croquettes (3 shrimp and 1 sausage)
    》Sparkling wine

    ^Croquettes are one of the most popular and widely known Portuguese food dishes. They are made with just about any type of meat and are perfect on their own or as a side dish.Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tuk tuk tour around Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    》Ingo was our tour guide and as he says, "My name is like Ringo without the R"

    》Lisbon, Portuguese Lisboa, city, port, capital of Portugal, and the centre of the Lisbon metropolitan area. Located in western Portugal on the estuary of the Tagus (Tejo) River, it is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe and serves as the country’s chief port, largest city, and commercial, political, and tourist centre. The city’s name is a modification of the ancient Olisipo (Ulyssipo), and its founding has been attributed to the legacy of Ulysses (Odysseus), the hero of Homer’s Odyssey; to Elisha, purported to have been a grandson of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham; and,
    more credibly, to Phoenician colonists. Lisbon owes its historical prominence to its natural harbour, one of the most beautiful in the world.

    》Castelo de S. Jorge

    The Castelo de Sao Jorge stands majestically above Lisbon. The castle is entwined in Lisbon’s early history; it saw the fall of the Romans to the Visigoths, experienced the fierce conflicts between the Arabs and Christians, survived formidable sieges by the Castilians and witnessed the birth of Portugal as a seafaring nation.

    This varied and turbulent history is reflected throughout the castle. There are heavily fortified battlements, medieval royal quarters and seaward views, which inspired exploration within Portuguese kings.

     》Quartel da Graça

    Located in one of the seven hills of Lisbon, with privileged views over the city and the Tejo river, stands Quartel da Graça, housed in the former Convent of Graça, and originally built for the Hermits of St. Augustine.

    Its construction began in 1271. Over the centuries, it has undergone significant alterations, and the Church’s late baroque character is a result of work done after the 1755 earthquake.

    The ensemble comprises two cloisters, one main, the larger, intended for contemplation, and another secondary that includes the service area. The cloisters are both square, on two storeys, the lower ones forming Serlian motifs and the upper ones, added later, with bay windows.

    》Once a remote outpost on what was thought to be the farthest edge of the known world, Lisbon had established itself as a centre of operations for Portuguese exploration by the 15th century. The city centre was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755 but was rebuilt by the marquês de Pombal. This seagirt city of multicoloured houses and elegant parks and gardens is no longer the capital of a vast overseas empire. It has been reconstructed as a bustling modern metropolis. In fact, Lisbon was designated a European City of Culture in 1994, and in 1998 it hosted the World’s Fair (Expo ’98). That event sparked the city’s biggest renewal project since the rebuilding that followed the 1755 earthquake, including the construction of the six-lane Vasco da Gama Bridge, then the longest bridge in Europe, and other extensive upgrades of the city’s transportation infrastructure. The fair also was the primary catalyst for the construction along the Tagus River of an oceanarium, marinas, hotels, commercial complexes, and entertainment venues.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tuk tuk tour around Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    》The city lies on the north bank of the Tagus River estuary, about 8 miles (13 km) from the river’s entrance into the Atlantic Ocean. From the ocean upstream to the city, the river is almost straight and about 2 miles (3 km) wide. It is spanned, on the west side of the city, by the 25th of April Bridge. Just east of the bridge, the Tagus suddenly broadens into a bay 7 miles (11 km) wide called the Mar de Palha (“Sea of Straw”) because of the way that it shimmers in the sun. The widest part of the Tagus estuary is spanned by the Vasco da Gama Bridge, which was built to help alleviate traffic on the 25th of April Bridge. Scenically spectacular, this hill-cradled bay of burnished water lies on a strategic sea route and serves as a busy port, handling much of the trade between Portugal and Spain.

    》The general outlines of the city remain as they have for hundreds of years. Lisbon is still a city of balconies and vistas. Some of the most striking of the latter can be seen from the miradouros, the terraces maintained by the municipality on seven of its hillsides. (Many Lisboetas, as the people of Lisbon are known, profess their city to have seven traditional hills, like Rome.) For centuries Lisboetas have discussed the symptoms of an affliction they believe to be endemic in their city: saudade (“melancholy”), a state of anxiety tempered by fatalism that is said to be reflected in fado (“fate”), the melodic but deeply emotional folk songs that can still be heard in specific restaurants, mainly in the historic quarters of Alfama and Bairro Alto.

    Lisbon’s port maintains an intimacy with its city that was common in the days before steam. Amid the freighters, warships, cruise liners, and ferryboats, a picturesque note is struck by the fragatas of Phoenician origin.

    》Secret Garden LX

    Rooftop bar for amazing sunset views    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tuk tuk tour around Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    》Igreja de São Vicente de Fora (Monastery of St. Vincent Outside the Walls)

    The original Monastery of São Vicente de Fora was founded around 1147 by the first Portuguese King, Afonso Henriques, for the Augustinian Order. Built in Romanesque style outside the city walls, it was one of the most important monastic foundations in mediaeval Portugal. It is dedicated to Saint Vincent of Saragossa, patron saint of Lisbon, whose relics were brought from the Algarve to Lisbon in the 12th century.

    The present buildings are the result of a reconstruction ordered by King Philip II of Spain, who had become King of Portugal (as Philip I) after a succession crisis in 1580. The church of the monastery was built between 1582 and 1629, while other monastery buildings were finished only in the 18th century.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tuk tuk tour around Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    》Igreja de Santa Luzia

    The Church of Santa Luzia is located at Largo Santa Luzia in the Alfama district. It is a National Monument and the location of one of Lisbon's finest viewpoints of the lower Alfama neighbourhood and Tangus River. Historically, Santa Luzia was originally built in the 12th century upon the grounds of a former Moorish fortification during the reign of D. Alfonso Henriques. However, the church you see today was the result of rebuilding in the aftermath of the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake by architect Mateus Vicente da Oliveira. Note the Maltese Cross above the entrance, linking to the church to the Order of the Knights of Malta.

    Probably the most interesting feature of the Church of the Santa Luzia are the large azulejo tile scenes located on the southern walls of the church. One panel scene depicts the Christian siege upon the grounds of St. George Castle in 1147 AD. Another large panel is of Praça do Comércio and predates the infamous 1755 quake, providing a glimpse into what the large square looked like prior to be mostly destroyed and rebuilt. Look up from there and you'll be able to see a third interesting azulejo tiled image of St. Lucy, for whom the church is named.

    》Towards the Castle, in the middle of the nave wall, a large smooth stone can be seen embedded, with a shield in the middle. Gothic letters run beneath this shield, crumbled and erased by time. We were helped by the diligence of a caretaker, aware of the ephemerality of the inscription, who recovered it on a board, which he hung on the same wall, which contained the following: Here lies D. Fr. Lourenço Gil, Freire of the Order of the Hofpital, Commander who went to the Church of S. Braz in Lisbon; and was the son of Gil Affonso, son of Rey D. Affonso, the pay of Rey D. Diniz.

    》Lisbon is built in a succession of terraces up the slopes of a range of low rolling hills that rise from the banks of the Tagus River and the Mar de Palha northwest toward the Sintra Mountains, whose covering of lush Mediterranean and Atlantic European flora provides an attractive retreat for the city’s population. Sections of the city vary considerably in elevation, especially in the older areas along the water’s edge, which offer splendid 
    views of the river and the low cliffs that line the river’s southern shore. Several geologic faults cross Lisbon and the surrounding region, but, notwithstanding the devastating earthquake of 1755, seismic activity has been limited to slight tremors since the 20th century.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tuk tuk tour around Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    》The Cathedral of Lisbon 

    Austere in appearance with a predominantly Romanesque style, although with the alterations made over the years, different styles have been masterfully blended which give it a very special character.

    From the outside, the cathedral is protected by thick walls framed by two bell towers, which give it an appearance more typical of a medieval fortress than of a church. The façade still retains its 12th-century Romanesque style and its centerpiece is a central rose window.

    Once inside, we'll find a temple that, in the midst of its austere character, has some decorative elements such as the fountain in which Saint Anthony of Padua was baptized, some 14th-century sarcophagi, and a striking 14th-century Gothic chapel.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tuk tuk tour around Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    》Building where Fernando Pessoa was born

    He is considered by many to be the greatest Portuguese writer of modern times. He lived the vast majority of his life in the city of Lisbon, and it is still possible to find a lot of him in the Portuguese capital.

    》Teatro Nacional de São Carlos

    The Teatro Nacional de São Carlos is an opera house in Lisbon, Portugal. It was opened on June 30, 1793 by Queen Maria I as a replacement for the Tejo Opera House, which was destroyed in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The theatre is located in the historical center of Lisbon, in the Chiado district.

    》Luiz de Camoes Memorial

    A monument located in Luís de Camões Square in the 
    Chiado neighbourhood. The monument comprises a tall bronze statue of Luís de Camões, the national poet, on a lioz limestone pillar surrounded by eight smaller statues of leading figures of Portuguese culture and literature in the Age of Discoveries: Fernão Lopes, Pedro Nunes, Gomes Eanes de Zurara, João de Barros, Fernão Lopes de Castanheda, Vasco Mouzinho de Quevedo, Jerónimo Corte-Real, and Francisco de Sá de Meneses.

    》Funicular

    The “lifts or elevators” in Lisbon are basically funiculars that help locals and tourist climb the steep and long slopes that are so characteristic in Lisbon a comfortable and convenient way.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tuk tuk tour around Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    》Palácio de São Bento ("Saint Benedict's Palace")

    This palace is the seat of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, the parliament of Portugal. Originally constructed in 1598, São Bento has served as the seat of Portugal's parliament since 1834, when the former monastery of the Benedictine Order was 
    dissolved after the Liberal Wars. During the Portuguese constitutional monarchy, the palace served as the seat of the Cortes Gerais, the traditional parliaments of Portugal, until 1910.

    São Bento Mansion, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Portugal, is located within the grounds of São Bento Palace.

    》Basilica da Estrela

    This vast neoclassical monument is one of Lisbon's most eye-catching landmarks.

    Built in the second half of the 18th century to fulfill a vow by Queen Maria I after she gave birth to a son and heir, it has a huge rococo dome and a façade with twin bell towers decorated with an array of statues of saints and allegorical figures.

    The spacious pink and black marble interior contains an elaborate Empire-style tomb of Queen Maria I, and an impressive Christmas manger composed of more than 500 figures.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Trams of Lisbon

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    》Lisbon's trams are an integral part of the public transport network, and cover many of the areas of the city where there is no access to the metro.

    The Remodelado trams are the quaint yellow trams that rattle and screech through the narrow streets of Lisbon. The most scenic route is the E28.

    ^E28 – Martim Moniz to Campo Ourique (Prazeres)
    This is the classic tram route through the Alfama, Baixa and Chiado districts, and connects the eastern and western sides of central Lisbon. The route passes through many of the historic areas of Lisbon.

    ^E12 - Martim Moniz to Martim Moniz (Alfama loop)
    The number E12 tram is a one-directional loop (clockwise) through the Baixa, Mouraria and Alfama districts. The E 12 follows the scenic section of the E28 route as is passes through the Alfama district and is a good alternative to the E28.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Dinner at Aqui Ha Peixe

    September 20, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    》Since 2009 Aqui Ha Peixe settled in Chiado, one of the most fascinating places in Lisbon due to its involving historic architecture and clear city light.

    Aqui Ha Peixe means "there's fish here" and to honor the name drilled, cooked, or roasted fish is the most important and special ingredient. For the meat lovers there's a special Brazilian meat named "Picanha" or the traditional loin steak.

    》Spaghetti Pomodoro
    》Cuba Libre

    1/2 ounce fresh lime juice (roughly half of 1 lime)
    1 ounce Cuban rum (I like Havana Club)
    3 ounces Coca-cola
    Lime wedges or lime slices for garnish
    Ice cubes

    In a tall highball glass, add the fresh lime juice then add the ice.
    Pour in the Cuban rum then top with the Coca-cola.
    Slowly stir to combine then squeeze another lime wedge on top as a finishing touch.
    Garnish with a lime wedge or lime slices.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tour day...Stop 1: Sintra

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    》Sintra is a charming Portuguese town situated within the cooling hills of the Serra de Sintra. Hidden among its majestic pine forest, you will discover whimsical palaces, extravagant villas and the ruins of a 10th-century Moorish castle.

    This variety of fascinating historic buildings and stunning natural scenery, makes Sintra an outstanding destination. Sintra is regarded as the finest day trip of the Lisbon region.

    》Alcoveto Vésper Moisés Preto Paulo Sintra statue

    》Fonte Mourisca

    Sintra boasts over 20 public fountains of various sizes, ages and states of preservation. Before modern plumbing, these were the source of drinking water for the inhabitants of Sintra, and many people still today use these fountains for such a purpose. 

    Ironically the most photographed of Sintra's fountains is the youngest. The lavish and ornate Fonte Mourisca (Moorish Fountain) was relocated 20 metres closer to the old town centre. The most striking feature of the fountain is its exaggerated arabesque style. Neo-árabe was a popular revivalist style during the later years of Romanticism used extensively at the Palace of Monserrate.

    Three large horse-shoe arches form the entrance. Faced inside and out with fine neo-Mudejar azulejos tiles and colourful stucco work. The structure is the creation of Coimbra-born sculptor José da Fonseca, whose family assisted Manini building Quinta da Regaleira. The Moorish Fountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    》Pelourinho de Sintra

    Pelourinho (pillories) are a common sight in many Portuguese towns and cities. They are fequently located in the main square or outside an important church or civic building, such as the Town Hall. They were initially implements of justice but later have become mere symbols of the justice and political and administrative power invested in the state.

    It is believed public pillories date back to the Roman period of Portuguese history. Wrongdoers were often tied to the pillory to be exposed to public shame and in worst cases whipped or even maimed. Some pillories still have the metal rings to which prisoners were bound. Executions were not usually performed at the pillory but at a gallows in another location.

    》The Fantastic World Of Portuguese Sardines Souvenir Store

    》 Villa on sale along the Rua Consiglieri Pedroso

    €3.5 million

    This sprawling 8,202 sq ft manse has already been stripped back to its bones, ready for conversion.
    The property sits inside the Serra de Sintra region: a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Traditional tiling has been retained across the building, dissected solid wooden staircase snakes its way up the height of the five-storey property.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Tour day...Stop 1: Sintra

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    》Lawrence’s Hotel is the oldest hotel on the Iberian Peninsula, having welcomed such illustrious guests as Lord Byron and the great Portuguese writer, Eça de Queiroz. Each of the 16 rooms and suites are unique. There are no numbers on the doors, but names imbued in history.

    Legend has it that George Lord Byron began writing The Pilgrimage of Childe Harold while staying at Lawrence’s Hotel in 1809.

    》Fonte dos Pisões

    Located on the road which leads to Quite da Regaleira and the Palace of Monserrate its bright yellow colour makes it difficult to miss. It has a semi-circular courtyard and a circular panel of tiles behind the tap. The overflow tank would have enabled farm animals to drink from here. Today sadly the water source has run dry yet the Fonte dos Pisões remains an interesting monument.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Palace Quinta da Regaleira

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    》Sintra is home to many extravagant 19th-century villas, but none are more intriguing than the Quinta da Regaleira.

    This grand house is a fusion of eccentric, neo-gothic architecture and whimsically decorative features. However, the main attraction of Quinta da Regaleira is its gardens. These are not the conservative gardens of a conventional stately home, but those of an owner fascinated with secret religious orders and mysticism.

    It is speculated that the owner used the grounds for secretive ceremonies and was a member of the Knights Templar. Found within the gardens is a hidden cave network and forested pathways that connect the ornamental lakes, chapel and - the highlight of Quinta da Regaleira - the Poço Iniciático (The Initiation Well).    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    The Initiation Well

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    》As seen on Oak Island

    》This 88-foot-deep well is located on the land of Quinta da Regaleira, near the town of Sintra, Portugal. The well was never used as a well and, in fact, was never built to serve as a water resource at all. It was actually built for secret ceremonial purposes.

    The owner of Quinta da Regaleira, the wealthy Portuguese businessman Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, was a well-known Freemason. With the assistance of the Italian architect Luigi Manini, he designed and constructed the four-hectare property with enigmatic buildings, mysterious parks, and underground tunnels.

    All of the structures erected in Quinta da Regaleira are filled with many symbols, which are linked to masonry, alchemy, the Rosicrucian and Hermetic legacy, the Knights Templar and Tarot mysticism.

    The Initiation Well, in some way, is an entrance to the underground labyrinth too. It is connected to other entrances via a series of underground walkways. The Initiation Well has a striking spiral staircase supported by carved columns, that lead down to the bottom of the well through its nine landings. It is believed that the spacing of these landings, as well as the number of steps in between, are linked to Tarot mysticism and Masonic principles. At the bottom of the Initiation Well is a compass over a Knights Templar cross, which is said to have been the coat of arms of Carvalho Monteiro, pointing to his association with Rosicrucianism.

    The nine small round landings, separated by fifteen steps, also evoke references to Dante’s Divine Comedy and may represent the ‘Nine Circles of Hell’, the ‘Nine Sections of Purgatory’ and the ‘Nine Skies of Paradise’.

    It is believed that Templar initiations at Quinta da Regaleira began with candidates entering one of the Initiation Wells blindfolded. Holding a sword close to their heart, they would descend nine flights of stairs – a number that represents the nine founders of the Templar order. Once reaching the bottom of the well, the candidate would walk into a dark labyrinth where they would symbolically and literally find their way up towards the light. If they were able to make back through the well tower and into the sunlight, initiates would walk across stones in water to reach the chapel, where they would then be welcomed into the brotherhood.

    The Initiation Well looks like an inverted tower and depending on the direction the adept choose to walk, it represents a journey into the depths of Mother Earth or a rise up into the light. Symbolically, the well represents the death/rebirth allegory, typical within many mystical traditions. The journey through the well is like a rebirth through Mother Earth’s womb.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    The Unfinished Well

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    》Another curiosity in the Quinta da Regaleira is that there are not one but two of these wells. The labyrinth running below the estate from the Poço Iniciático is also connected to the unfinished tower of the Poço Imperfeito (the Unfinished Well). Although the Poço Iniciático sees more people taking selfies these days than Templar Masonic initiates, the Poço Imperfeito remains hidden and mostly unknown by many visitors. You can see the tower structure here and even ascend the levels, but it’s rougher. No finely carved columns or intricate Templar symbolism here, but it feels like something more prehistoric or ancient.

    Perhaps this second well was meant to resemble the Poço Iniciático and would have been included in the initiation – maybe to represent descending into hell and up in heaven à la Dante or to represent rebirth into the light – but it was never finished so we may never know.    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Palace Quinta da Regaleira - Gardens

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    》Monumental architecture during the late 18th Century in Portugal seeked to express a golden age of discovery. This extends beyond its buildings and into its parks.

    One of the things I love about the Quinta da Regaleira is how its gardens are a living collection. Here, there are species of trees from all over the world. There are sequoias from North America, Magnolias from South East Asia, Cycads from Central America and even the Norfolk Island Pine from New Zealand. It is not surprising that Monteiro, a biologist and an avid traveller, planted these trees to bring the world into his garden.

    》Chalet Biester – the film set for Johnny Depp’s ‘Ninth Gate’

    Ernesto Biester, a Portuguese journalist and playwright of German origin, famous in his time, ordered this mansion to be built in around 1880 from the architect José Luis Monteiro. Its interior was conceived by the famous Italian that worked on Quinta da Regaleira, also in Sintra, and the sceneries of La Scala Opera in Milano, and theater São Carlos in Lisbon: Luigi Manini – and the sculpture Leandro Braga. Biester asked Monteiro to use the English style called ‘Queen Ann’ style, a mixture of Neo-Gothic and Neo-Romantic. The result is one of the most important buildings of his career and of Portuguese revivalist architecture, the Biester Chalet. Interestingly, all the four façades are completely different from each other, using a harmonious composition of various elements and of various architectural and decorative styles.

    The chalet sits on the way to Pena Palace, perfectly fitting its surroundings. Its gardens are simple and perfect, adding to the artistic effect of the chalet. The house became an attraction and a landmark for Sintra, and is one of the first buildings and finest examples of chalets of its kind. I was lucky enough to visit it in about 1994 when it was rented by an American family. Impressive. The inside has a centralized plan with a large staircase. The house is well organized by use, practical, has a couple of kitchens, a second ‘service staircase’ more in hiding and an interior chapel. Even if every tenant changes some of the furniture, they cannot change the impressive woodwork and stain glass windows, yet the house was still ‘homey’. If you want to see its inside, watch the movie, the Ninth Gate!    Read more

  • MoosecornSpain & Portugal 2023Traveler

    Palace Quinta da Regaleira - Main Palace

    September 21, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    》Underneath the chapel is a “secret” tunnel that leads to the main palace. The tunnel exits on the kitchen level, where you will have to walk past a long corridor to get to the stairs leading to the front porch of the building. The main palace is perhaps the most famous sight of the Quinta da Regaleira.

    Its slender Manueline-Gothic spires dancing high into the sky, its stone walls half hidden by the surrounding greenery. It is an enchanted castle in an magical forest.

    The interior and its furnishings are well preserved and restored, and it was easy to imagine myself as a visitor travelling back in time.

    At the heart of the palace is a beautiful chestnut staircase that links its three main floors. Although it is simple in design, the wood is beautifully carved.    Read more

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