Palaces and Castles of Sintra

For our final day in Lisbon, we decided to check out nearby Sintra. We caught a train from Rossio train station not far from our hotel for the 40 minute trip.

Our first visit was the Moorish Castle. It was built in the 9th century but abandoned when the Moors retreated south. It was later removated by King Ferdinand 11 in the 19th century.

We caught a bus from the station but had a 15 min walk to the castle. We then walked up the battlements, a series of steep steps with wonderful views over the country side and to the Atlantic. This is one of the most picturesque spots we have visited.

We went on to the Pena Palace, a Royal summer holiday house built by King Ferdinand from an abandoned monastery. We went up the steep hill on a train that was really a bus.

The palace has a magnificent location not far from the Moorish castke. The views also extend to the Atlantic and we could see the most westerly point of Europe.

The furnished rooms were packed with items that the royals had acquired. These ranged from royal beds, royal baths, royal (bathroom) thrones and some interesting furniture and beautiful fittings. The castle is quite exquisite.

We finished the visit with a wander through Sintra village before catching the train home. Another great day!

We leave tomorrow for Faro. The train strike is still on and although we could not catch the train intended, we have another one booked.