Sintra: A Real-Life Fairytale

Europe is filled with fairytale castles, from the ruined stone fortresses in Scotland to the painted palaces in Bavaria. However, none of these places are as colorful and whimsical as Sintra, Portugal. This town is located about an hour away from Lisbon by train, making it the perfect escape from the busy Portuguese capital.

On my final day in Portugal, I ventured over to Rossio Station to catch a train to this magical town. As I left the city, I rode past several suburban buildings before the scenery quickly changed to countryside. An hour later, the train pulled into Sintra Station, where I disembarked and began my exploration of this beautiful place.

The town is set on the side of a lush mountain, making it an area of both architectural and natural beauty. From the street, I could see quaint, pastel-colored homes built into the terrain. I continued down the winding road until I reached the village, known as “São Martinho.” This colorful area had a similar architectural style to Lisbon, but on a much smaller scale.

As I ventured beyond the village, I passed through a lush, fairytale-like landscape. It was simply stunning, with a harmonious beauty between the countryside and the built environment. I turned around the corner and saw a large, Gothic palace come into view. I had arrived at my first major site of the day: Quinta da Regaleira!

Quinta da Regaleira

This large estate was originally built in 1910 for a wealthy Portuguese family. The land includes the palace, as well as an extensive garden with several unique elements. After buying my entrance ticket on-site, I proceeded into what felt like an otherworldly escape from reality.

I seriously felt like I was walking through a fantasyland. The gardens around me were surreal, with all kinds of flora and various architectural elements that added a one-of-a-kind touch to this magical place. I meandered through several slender stone towers, each providing a unique view of the estate.

The property is built with the mountainous terrain in mind. Many of the garden’s pavilions are set right into the land, with interior staircases leading from one outdoor terrace to another. Visitors can either follow hilly footpaths or climb through tight staircases to ascend to the upper gardens.

At the top of the estate, I reached what was probably one of the most photo-worthy stops in all of Sintra: the Initiatic Well! Despite being called a “well,” this spiraling underground tower was never actually used as a water source. Instead, it was used for rituals. The well descends 27 meters into the ground. I began my descent down the dark and damp stairs. When I reached the bottom, it was almost completely dark, with only a small amount of light peering in from the outdoors.

From here, I entered a narrow, mysterious underground tunnel. Although initially dark, I could see a light in the distance, followed by the sound of running water. I continued walking towards it, eventually emerging outside in a serene grotto. As I left the jagged, limestone cave, I hopped across stones over the duckweed-covered pond and eventually made my way back out into the garden.

Quinta da Regaleira is full of secret passageways, and one could spend hours wandering all of its caves and unique structures. Everything is interconnected, whether by way of winding pathways and staircases or underground limestone caves.

I headed back down the hill towards the palace: an elegant Gothic structure. Outside, the stone estate building features carvings, pinnacles, gargoyles, and an imposing octagonal tower. When I stepped inside, I passed through various spaces, including a living room, dining room, and bedroom. The interior finishes range from fine wood trim to marble ribbed vaulting.

A Scenic Hike

Although Quinta da Regaleira is a stunning site, it isn’t the only fairytale-like place in Sintra. The region actually has several palaces and other attractions. One could easily spend multiple days and still not see it all. I decided to visit one more attraction at the top of the mountain before heading back into the city for New Year’s Eve. Visitors can ascend the mountain by bus. However, I decided to take the scenic route.

After a brief lunch in the village, I veered off the main street and onto a scenic pathway. I began my hike up the mountain, walking by otherworldly rock formations, dense vegetation, and log steps. The trail looked like it came straight out of one of my favorite adventure videogames.

I eventually reached a clearing in the trees where I got a commanding view of the Castle of the Moors. This medieval castle is another popular attraction within Sintra. It was built in the 8^th century as an important Moorish base during their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula before being conquered by Christian forces.

From there, I walked up a few more steps before reaching the main road again. I was just around the corner from what is arguably the star attraction of Sintra: the Pena Palace.

Pena Palace

If Cinderella had a castle in real life, this would be it! It is seriously one of the most colorful pieces of architecture I have seen in the entire world. The palace was built in the Romanticist style, which incorporates many different architectural styles into one whimsical design. The building has influences of Romanesque, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Manueline, Neo-Islamic, and Neo-Renaissance architecture. It also incorporates inspiration from other Portuguese sites, including the Torre de Belém.

I passed through the main entrance with my ticket, which I had bought in the town. Although the queue was not long, the castle was very crowded once I got inside. I explored many of the castle’s outdoor terraces, where I got a close-up view of the unusual architectural elements.

The palace’s interior is well preserved to give viewers a peek into what life was like for the royal family. The building was finished in 1854 as a summer royal residence. The majority of the rooms feature ornamented rib-vaultied ceilings and opulent furnishings. The interior spaces surround an open courtyard that features azulejo tiles.

The Pena Palace grounds also include lush gardens and flowing water. From the palace, I wandered down the hill to a picturesque stream surrounded by a forest. The stream opened up into two ponds, each featuring a miniature castle as its centerpiece. These ornamental structures once served as duck houses, but today provide a charming attraction to the gardens.

Back in Town

Overall, Sintra absolutely blew me away. This travel experience was the closest I have ever felt to living a real-life fairytale. The otherworldly landscapes easily look like they came from a make-believe world and the colorful architecture reminds me of palaces that I have only seen in movies. By mid-afternoon, I began walking back towards the station, where I hopped on a train back to Rossio Square.

A Portuguese New Year

It was New Year’s Eve, and I was ready to celebrate a great year of traveling. I went to the supermarket to pick up some champagne before heading back to my hostel to meet up with friends. Although there were various events going on, we all decided to head to the Praça do Comércio to see the main fireworks show.

Unlike in Amsterdam, where locals launch fireworks left and right, Lisbon has one controlled fireworks show. About an hour before midnight, we all ventured down to the water to catch this spectacular display.

Once the clock hit midnight, fireworks took over the entire riverfront area. It was probably one of the most beautiful displays I have ever seen, with different colors being fired left and right. Nearby, my friends and I checked out a New Year’s concert right in the plaza. With fireworks, good music, and new friends, it was the perfect way to begin 2019!

The next morning, I woke up and hopped on the metro back to Lisbon Airport. After three successful trips to Europe, I had visited almost all the places that were on my original list. However, that list was only growing. Although I was headed back to the states, I knew that this would not be the last time I did a trip like this.