Sintra

Fantastic castles perched on precipitous hillsides; Sintra was the cool summer refuge for Portugal’s royalty and nobility, eager to escape the August heat. And they have left their mark here in more than one way.
A tourist region par excellence, Sintra is one of the most enchanting places in Portugal. Its vast range of green rocky mountains – the Serra de Sintra – in their picturesque setting with marvellous views of the sea and coastline, really makes Sintra “paradise on earth”. 


However, Sintra has more to offer than the wild enchantment of its mountains, often covered with mist, or the artistic heritage of the old part of the city. There are also ruins of considerable archaeological value, especially those dating back to the Roman era, old country houses, churches of considerable artistic value and very characteristic villages.


The three National Palaces - Palácio da Vila, Palácio da Pena and Palácio de Queluz – and the range of municipal museums are very important examples of historic and artistic heritage that show how Sintra’s inhabitants were successful in extending their territory as well as the magic Sintra aroused in Portuguese and foreign artists who enriched a world famous heritage. 
Sintra has a lot to offer its tourists with its renowned quality winery, marble quarries (marking the beauty of several regions for many years), reputable confectionary and gastronomy and, last but not least, its wide variety of textiles.

Sintra has always been the “noble city surrounded by many estates, enchanting woods and many springs with excellent quality water”, as described by many writers. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is a ‘must visit’ destination of the first order.