DAY 9 : PORTUGAL : SINTRA AND CASCAIS

Weather : cool, misty, overcast, windy : 12o

SINTRA

 

 

Today we booked on a small group tour to Sintra and Cascais. Sintra is a hill district about an hour north of LIsbon. There are 4 palaces and a Moorish castle spread amongst the hills and natural forest. We visited the Palace of Pena - a palace built in 1839 by King Fernando and Queen Maria in Romantic architecture on the original site of a 16th century Franciscan hermitage. We drove home via the western coast and along the River Teja.

 

A tiled representation of the Sintra hill district



 

The entrance gate to Palace of Pena

 

Entering the palace grounds

 

Francisco, our excellent guide and

driver, and other members of the

8 member group.

 

 

The palace is considered to be created in

the Romantic style with 3 influences -

neo-Arabic, neo-classic and neo-Gothic.

 

   

A courtyard in the Moorish style

 

Highly decorated rooms with

tiles and colours

 

Tiles floor to ceiling and ornate furniture to match.

 

Palace of Monserrate built in 1856 by

Sir Francis Cook, an Englishman.

 

DRIVE ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST

 

 

First stop Cabo da Roca considered to be

the most westerly point in Europe.

 

 

Cascais - a popular summer beach, fishing

port and sailing centre.

 

Sand castle art - even on a windy, cloudy

November day.

 

One of the many forts along the coastline

built to resist Napoleon.

 

We arrived back in Lisbon after 5 and walked

home via the Chiado precinct.

Click on arrow to experience Friday evening end-

of-week activity in the city.

 

 We discovered a great tapas place tonight

run by young chefs - with waiting list board.

The restaurant is Petiscaria Ideal - close to

where we are staying.

 

Stand out dish for us was grilled cuttlefish,

with shellfish and parsleyed potato.

 

 

 

M&M

23/11/12

Our email : mm_smith@bigpond.net.au