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The district that is now covered by the borough of Sintra has been inhabited by man for a very long time indeed. The privileged geographical and environmental location has over the ages attracted and fixed settlers. Numerous archaeological remains, including prehistoric and proto-historic tombs, testify to its antiquity.
Sintra has remained even nowadays the "noble town surrounded by many estates, pleasant woods with plentiful springs of excellent water", referred to by various ancient authors.
A tourist region par excellence, Sintra is one of the most delightful places to be found in Portugal. With its extensive range of green bills with its crags - the Serra de Sintra - so picturesquely situated and offering stupendous views of the coastline with its impressive beauty, Sintra is indeed "a garden of the earthly paradise". Sintra is also the location of the Westernmost point of Europe, the “Cabo da Roca”, a 140 meter cliff that abruptly marks the end of Sintra’s mountain range into the vast Atlantic Ocean.
The potentialities of the Sintra district are not confined to the wild enchantments of the Serra, sometimes wreathed in mist, and to the artistic heritage of the Old Town, described by poet Lord Byron as "the most pleasing in Europe", but also include valuable archaeological remains, particularly from the Roman period, ancient manor houses, churches of great artistic value and characteristic villages.
Of the many monuments one can visit in Sintra, the main attractions are:
Pena Palace
Outcome of the colourful dreams of King Ferdinand II, this 19th-century palace is a remarkable example of the romantic architecture in Portugal. Its rooms are beautifully furnished and the large gardens are the most idyllic set for a long stroll.
The Palace was built on the site of a monastery devoted to St. Jerome, destroyed by an earthquake. King Ferdinand bought the remains and requested the services of Baron Eschwege for the construction of this fairy tale palace.
There’s only a similar construction in the world, the castle of Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, the native land of King Ferdinand.
Moorish Fortress
Built during the 8th century by Muslim settlers, it remained theirs until 1147, when they were vanquished by King Afonso Henriques and the Templar knight crusaders.
Its walls feature breathtaking views over the countryside and the Atlantic Ocean. A real watchtower and an inexpugnably fortress.
Capuchos Convent
Founded in 1560 by the son of the governor of India.
This convent is located on hilltop and was carved by hand out of a huge granite rock.
Its tiny quarters make it hard to believe that someone could actually live there, remaining the living proof of the Franciscan monk’s vow of poverty.
Also known as the cork convent as Monks used cork to make their existence bearable inside the humid rock environment.
Monserrate Palace and Gardens
Here you will understand the full meaning of Lord Byron’s words when describing Sintra as a “glorious Eden”.
Visitors will be overwhelmed by the beautiful waterfalls and mixtures of rare botanic species and art forms brought over from every continent.
Sintra National Palace
This grand 15th Century palace was built for the Portuguese Court as a summer residence through several kingdoms.
It dominates the landscape of the town centre with its quite unusual chimneys, which became Sintra’s landmark, and the beautiful Manuelin windows.
It is considered the ex-libris of Sintra for its historic meaning as several interesting episodes of Portuguese monarchy happened here.
Quinta da Regaleira
This mysterious estate is an extraordinary combination of architecture and mysticism. Its owner requested the services of Luigi Manini, an Italian scenographer specialised in operas, for the plan.
Its gardens display wells, mythological statues, grottoes lakes and waterfalls. But the greatest appeal of Quinta da Regaleira is its mysterious connections with alchemical and sacred rituals and to the masonry.
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