Sintra, Portugal – Missed Outing

With optimism in the weather and a plan for a good day, we headed to Sintra, Portugal, in the hopes of seeing the Moorish Castle or the National Palace of Pena. Unfortunately, shortly after we arrived our hopes were dashed after we learned the weather had trashed the place and everything in the park was more or less closed due to too many fallen trees, so a missed outing.

How To Get There

By metro it takes about forty-five minutes, leaving Lisbon’s Rossio metro station, a number of blocks from our hotel uphill, to Sintra station about a dozen stops away. This metro line is very busy, so be prepared.

The Town

Is chaotically laid out and has many narrow passageways and alleys. As with most of Portugal, you get the feeling you must always climb up or down, so be prepared for a lot of steps.

Quinta da Regaleira

The Quinta da Regaleira was another issue. Though we wanted to visit the property, it only has reservations and time slots. Aside from that, the line was so long, since everyone was looking for alternatives due to the closures, that it was quickly out of available times. So we took some photographs and turned around.

Biester Palace

Having failed to come on a day when the majority of the park was open, we settled on the Biester Palace, so that the day and trip was not a total loss.

Not technically a palace, the residence that is called Biester Palace stands prominently and views from the grounds are very nice. The grounds are quiet enough and there is a cafe where one can enjoy a hot or cold drink while enjoying the beautiful flora.

The house itself is decorated with wood, a majority of its finish and main rooms are adorned with something similar, if not, oak. One comes away with the house having an almost Spartan interior and the chapel appears to be the most adorned room in the house.

There is an elevator, though it was never electrified and gives the appearance that it was only used when company was present, or for other civil tasks.

The Ninth Gate

One claim to fame this house has that might appeal to some,  it was one of the locations where Roman Polanski shot the film The Ninth Gate. It was during Dean Corso’s travels to visit Victor Fargas that the house and fountain are involved in the movie.

Restaurants

In Sintra there are plenty of restaurants and cafes, so you shouldn’t have a difficult time to find a place to eat.

Fatto da Claudio Coelho

A nice place for lunch, service Italian food and other specialties. We each shared the bruschetta and a pasta special, so something simple and somewhat light.