SINTRA | A DAY TRIP FROM LISBON

Nestled in the rolling hills is this breath taking centrepiece, Sintra. Just a short distance from Lisbon, this region has a rich and vibrant Portuguese past. Visitors from all over the world come to see the Pena Palace which is a UNESCO world heritage site and also the biggest attraction in Sintra.

Getting to Sintra:

We started early so that we could spend the maximum time in Sintra as it was a day trip from Lisbon. You can stay one day in Sintra but since it is not too far from Lisbon a day trip works just fine. It takes around 40 minutes to reach Sintra by train from Rossio Station in Lisbon. As soon as we got out of the station, we took a taxi straight up the hill to the castle Pena which is the highest point in the city.

ATTRACTIONS:

Pena Palace

A UNESCO World Heritage Site: There is a shuttle bus service in front of the gate which took us to the entrance of the palace. It costs extra 3 euros each but is well worth the time saved. The palace looks marvellous and is very nicely maintained and preserved by the government. I have been to many castles but this one is very unique in construction and the bright and vibrant colour really sets it apart. There is a lot of history all around the castle but this blog is not the place for that :). After around 3 hours in the castle, it was time for us to head back down to the historic centre of Sintra .

Quinta De Regaliera and Historic Town Centre

It is a beautiful estate (another UNESCO WORLD Heritage site) on the way down from the castle and definitely warrants a visit. However, we gave it a miss as we decided to take it easy and spend some time idling away at the quaint little shops in the old town centre. We tried some Portuguese pastries and I must say everyone should try at least a piece. They are super delicious.

Azenhas Do Mar

This was our last stop of the day and you should definitely consider this place if you are planning a day trip from Lisbon. For us, it was the main reason for going to Sintra. It is a beautiful village sitting on a cliff overlooking the sea. You can either go there by bus no 440 or 441 from the Portela De Sintra Station or take a taxi (around 15 Euros). Azenhas Do Mar is one of the best spots around this place to watch the sunset and that is exactly what we did. We had planned to reach there exactly an hour before sunset so that we can get the time to set our tripod and adjust camera settings to take the perfect shots. And what a shot we got! As the sun began to set slowly, the whole place was lit up and it was mesmerising to see the view from the cliff. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I had to thank my husband for planning to come to Azenhas Do Mar. After our trip to Greece, we were so much into sunset views and views; we had to do the same in Portugal :).

We truly had a lovely time in this beautiful place and enjoyed every moment spent here. I always enjoy travelling with my husband as I somehow feel travelling with him makes a place more beautiful than it actually is because not only do I enjoy the place, the moments shared together is also very special. 🙂

Feel good and enjoy life

And always

Stay healthy, Stay fashionable. 🙂

Photo Shots by  Rajarshi Sen ( Instagram)