Sintra :. Portugal

Sintra center
aerial view of the center of Sintra

Sintra is a charming little town full of history located about 30 kms from Lisbon. Due to the mild climate and geographical location, Sintra was in the fifteenth century the place chosen by the Portuguese royal family to build his summer residence. Known as the National Palace of Sintra, it is today one of the important landmarks of Portugal, one of the main attractions of the city of Sintra. At about 530 meters above sea level is located the Pena Palace, another important milestone in the heritage of Portugal, is the result of a creation of genius D Fernando II. The Pena Palace includes a park and a forest with over five hundred species of trees from around the world. A 3 kms from the Pena Palace is the oldest building in Sintra, the Moorish Castle. The Moorish Castle, with over a thousand years, is famous for fantastic views that provides the visitors. It is even possible to see landscapes to several kilometers away, and on a clear day we can catch sight of the Atlantic Ocean with ease. In 1147 D Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal won this castle and ordered the construction of the first Christian chapel in the Lisbon region.

Sintra is from the nineteenth century, a place of inspiration for artists, including Alfredo Keil, Richard Strauss, Eca de Queiros, Ramalho Ortigão, Lord Byron, Christian Andersen. This Portuguese city is the capital of the artistic movement, philosophical and political European Romanticism, determining aspect to receive the UNESCO World Heritage distinction in 1995. In Sintra is worth visiting:

Castle of the Moors in Sintra
The Moorish Castle is a medieval castle on the hill in Sintra, Portugal
Monserrate Palace in Sintra, Portugal
Palace Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra
Palace of Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, Portugal
Old town of Sintra, the historic center
Tourists in the streets of the old town of Sintra, historical center
  1. Sintra National Palace - Palácio Nacional de Sintra
  2. Pena Park - Parque da Pena
  3. Pena National Palace - Palácio Nacional da Pena
  4. Moorish Castle - Castelo dos Mouros
  5. Monserrate Park - Parque de Monserrate
  6. Monserrate Palace - Palácio de Monserrate
  7. Quinta da Regaleira - Quinta da Regaleira
  8. Old Town or Old town of Sintra - Centro Histórico ou Vila Velha de Sintra
  9. Freedom Park - Parque da Liberdade
  10. Capuchin Convent - Convento dos Capuchos
  11. Park Picnic - Parque das Merendas
  12. Chalet of the Countess D`Edla - Chalet da Condessa D`Edla
  13. Sanctuary of Peninha - Santuário da Peninha
  14. Centre Olga Cadaval - Centro Olga Cadaval
  15. House Livio de Morais Culture - Casa da Cultura Lívio de Morais
  16. Sintra Arts Museum - Museu das Artes de Sintra
  17. Ferreira de Castro Museum - Museu Ferreira de Castro
  18. Sintra Natural History Museum - Museu de História Natural de Sintra
  19. News Museum - News Museum
  20. Adro the viewpoint of the Church of St. Martin - Miradouro do Adro da Igreja de São Martinho
  21. Viewpoint of the Current - Miradouro da Correnteza
  22. Viewpoint of Blacksmithing - Miradouro da Ferraria
  23. Center Interactive Sintra Myths and Legends - Centro Interativo Sintra Mitos e Lendas
  24. Life Science Center of Sintra - Centro de Ciência Viva de Sintra

Sintra, despite being a place marked by history, has major projects in the area of sport, including Sintra a Correr the Gala dos Campeões de Sintra which pays tribute to athletes and teams of the county, and the project EscolAventura intended for elementary school students and secondary. Sintra offers quality sports facilities located in the city and in the existing parishes in the municipality, available on the practical application of these sports projects.

postcard of Azenhas village of Mar in Sintra
postcard of Azenhas village of Mar in Sintra

Tourism is a highlight in the Sintra municipality's economy. Because of this importance were created several projects focused on promoting local accommodation, and in particular SintraInn, consisting of a website sponsored by the city of Sintra in partnership with dozens of small promoters of the county and with the support of the Tourism Association of Lisbon and Tourism of Portugal. This digital design allows adding a wide range of tourist accommodation available for rent to those who want to visit and stay in Sintra. Due to the geographical situation of proximity to the coastline, the inhabitants of Sintra live with a strong connection to the sea. This connection is reflected from the fishing tradition, especially the collection of shellfish, notable for stocks of small coastal villages typical of fishermen, including Azenhas do Mar and Praia das Macas, and the practice of various water sports, including surfing. This sport is a real industry in the county, most notably the existence of several surf schools, and two beaches of excellence for the practice of this sport: Praia Grande (where already performed many surf world championships and bodyboarding due the existence of large and fast waves) and Ericeira (locality with about 8 kms of beach and perfect waves for surfing and bodyboarding). Due to the implementation of seaside resorts, the small coastal towns of Sintra municipality initiated a strong tourism growth in the beginning of the twentieth century.

Sintra offers two types of unique transportation means: the horse-drawn carriages and electric train, two ex-libris of the city and allow time travel. The horse carriages offer various itineraries, always from Historical Center: one of the courses you can see the Shower Tour, the City Council of Sintra Palace, the train station, the Largo de Morais and some farms; another possible path can be a walk through the Old Town, a trip to Quinta da Regaleira, the Seteais, Monserrate or to climb the Serra de Sintra up to the Pena Palace. Another option is the possibility to enjoy the route from the town of Sintra to Praia das Macas in an electric train, which runs for about 45 minutes in a railway 12 kilometers created in 1904. On this tour with an approximate cost of € 3 per person is can admire the verdant nature and sighting along the route several monuments and traditional houses from Sintra to the coast.

electric train Sintra
electric train decorated for the inauguration of the Sintra - Praia das Macas line in 1904

The fairs of Sintra have an important role in boosting the economy and attracting tourists to the city and county. Among them should be highlighted:

  • Feast of the Holy Spirit takes place seven weeks after Easter
  • Fair São Pedro de Penaferrim : held on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month
  • Festivities in honor of São Mamede : takes place in August
  • Parties of Nossa Senhora da Praia : held on the 1st Sunday of September in Praia das Macas
  • Festivities in honor of Nossa Senhora da Graça : is held on the 1st Sunday of October
  • Círio de Santa Rita de Cássia : pilgrimage that takes place in June between Banzão and the Sanctuary of Peninha Colares
  • Fair São Pedro : it is held on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month and goes back to the Christian occupation times
  • Market Brocante : 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month

The craftsmanship in Sintra is a very old and varied activity. This activity should be highlighted the clay workshops in Santa Susana and Almoçageme , workshops rope and sing in Montelavar and Pero Pinheiro . All these workshops work with secular traditional methods.

Typical cuisine in Sintra

Sintra has a very rich and varied cuisine. Meat dishes should be highlighted the Piglet Negrais the Pork às Mercês , the Cabrito and Veal Roast. Of fish dishes there to highlight the stew of abrótea e caboz , the Migas à pescador , the Escaldada de lapas , mussels on the plate, the mussels with onions and cod Açorda. The rich desserts of Sintra is known for traditional sweets, examples: the Fofos de Belas the Queijadas de Sintra (factories Piriquita, Sapa, Gregório, Preto ), the Travesseiros de Sintra , the Nozes de Galamares and Queijadas de Colares . To accompany any meal in Sintra there is a possibility to choose between different wines, in particular: the wine Colares caste Ramisco the Arenae White, the Arenae Tinto, the Chão Rijo White, the Chão Rijo Tinto, the Saloio White and Saloio Tinto all the demarcated region Colares and produced the following wineries: Winery Beira-Mar das Azenhas do Mar , the Regional Colares Cellar, the Wine Cellar Viúva Gomes in Almoçageme, the Casal Santa Maria in Serra Sintra and Caves Visconde de Salreu .

Places to visit near Sintra

  • Queluz National Palace
  • Colares
  • Archaeological Museum of São Miguel de Odrinhas
  • Sintra-Cascais Natural Park
  • Cabo da Roca
  • Cabo Raso
  • Ursa Beach
  • Vigia Beach
  • São Julião beach
  • Praia da Adraga
  • Azenhas do Mar
  • Praia das Macas
  • Big beach
  • Ericeira
  • Praia do Magoito
  • beach Pequena
  • Sintra's Mountain
  • Sierra de Colares
  • Viewpoint Vigia in the Serra de Sintra

Quick Facts Sintra

  • Population of the municipality: around 378,000 inhabitants
  • City Population: about 35,000 inhabitants
  • Area: 319.23 km2
  • Golf Courses: 4 (Pestana Beloura Golf, Belas Clube de Campo, Lisbon Sports Club; Penha Longa)
  • Tourist offices: 3
  • Parishes: 11
  • District: Lisbon
  • Former province: Extremadura
  • Municipal holiday: June 29