RSMR Portugal Trip 2013: Day 11 Oct 7

We absolutely love our accommodations in Lisbon! We are renting 2 one bedroom apartments that are joined and this morning's breakfast was delightful. The management company leaves cheese, butter, jams, juice and yogurt in the afternoon for the next morning's breakfast and then delivers fresh, warm bread to your door in the morning! We have a washing machine in each apartment so we were able to do laundry in the evening..it's perfect.

Our first stop on our tour this morning is Sintra which is a very charming, picturesque small town. Sintra is dotted with expensive mansions and estates, most of which were originally royal retreats, estates, and castles built in the 8th & 9th century. Many other buildings in the area were completed between the 15th and 19th century, including the Pena National Palace which was built in the mid-19th century as King Fernando II's summer residence. The town was designated a World Heritage Site in 1995.

We made our way to the Pena National Palace built on the top of the hill above Sintra. We passed by the damage that had occurred due to a hurricane this past January. Trees were blown over and the rock wall flanking the road was severely damaged in places. We were a little shocked at what we discovered...walking onto the Palace grounds was like walking into a Disney theme park. King Fernando and his wife were extremely eclectic in their decorating style. The palace is an example of how 'more' isn't always better and that wealth does not buy good taste. Every wall and ceiling is covered in tile, stucco or painted in trompe-l'oeil and every floor tiled. This would not be a bad thing...slightly overwhelming to the senses though! Every single room had different tiles and some rooms had several different patterns of tiles.

We've included many images from the interior and exterior of the Palace...we'll let you make your own opinion on the overall aesthetic.

Entrance Gate

Covered driveway to front entrance

Palace

An example of multiple tile patterns used within the same space

The Dining Room

That is tile on the wall...not wallpaper

Trompe-l'oeil

Some examples of ornate decorations found throughout the property

View of Castelo dos Mouros from the Queen's Bedroom

After some tastings of local pastries, goat cheese, black pig sausages, olive oil, and some locally produced liqueurs at a gourmet shop near the town square we headed to Quinta da Regaleira. The Quinta da Regaleira is an estate located near the town center. The estate has a park featuring lakes, grottoes, wells, granite benches and fountains alongside the main house and other estate buildings including a chapel. The grottoes were very interesting to explore.. a maze of tunnels that has entrances/exits hidden all through the park. Some of the passageways even have 'secret' pivoting stone doors.

Main house

Ornate carved ceiling

Chapel

Stained glass within the chapel

Views of the grottoes

View of Castelo dos Mouros from the Quinta da Regaleira

We headed to Azóia, a small village along the coast of Colares for lunch.

After eating our body weight in seafood and wild boar, we headed to Cabo da Roca.

Cabo da Roca is a cape that forms the westernmost extent of mainland Portugal and the European Continent. It has amazing views of the Atlantic coast. Michelle and Randy have now been to the most norther point (in Norway) and the most eastern point of Europe - only two more points to go!