SINTRA

SINTRA-UNESCO'S SECRET GARDEN I've always wanted to go to Portugal...I don't know why, but something always drew me to this country. Maybe it's because of it's heritage and history, of all the travellers that have gone through it, maybe it's the combination and just perfect mixture or cultures and races, maybe all of the above, anyway I always knew I'll find in Lisbon a home away from home. The first thing that gained my attention was similarity. Of all the places I've been to and all the people I met, the Portuguese are the most similar and compatible to Greeks. Easygoing, friendly, very hospitable, passionate, crazy, good food lovers with a great appreciation for life and its small pleasures, the Portuguese are simply so easy to absolutely love. Even if you don't speak the language, Portugal is one the most tourist-friendly countries. I had the privilege to be one of those tourists for 10 days in Lisbon and its suburbs and loved every moment of it and every part of the city life; however the day we spent in SINTRA was the most memorable of all. SINTRA is a fairytale town with mystical hills dotted with fairytale palaces and extravagant
IN THE AQUARIUMvillas. It was summer residence of the Portuguese royal family and attracted a number of wealthy aristocrats who built huge mansions and villas. It is indeed an extraordinary place with a surreal mixture of history and fantasy, protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Its fairytale palaces, incredible vistas, and notable museum collections make it a destination you should make the effort to see, especially if you visit Lisbon. The train ride takes about 40 minutes from Entre Campos or Areeiro stations in the centre of Lisbon. In the main square is the National Palace, dating from the 14th century. Its two gigantic conical chimneys are the town's most recognizable landmarks, and they look like they have been taken out a children fairytale book. All the buildings have a very strong Gothic style. Although SINTRA is an easy daytrip from Lisbon, it is a good idea to stay overnight to allow more time to see all the sights and to experience its even more magical atmosphere at night. There are many castles one can visit, but if you have only a day or very limited time, in my opinion it's best to visit just one and enjoy it, rather
Pena Palacethat rushing from one castle to the next. We chose the most famous building in SINTRA - Pena Palace. When we got out of the train, we were so impressed by the scenery that we decided to walk all the way to the palace. This is something you DON'T want to do. Even though we greatly enjoyed walking for about 2 hours uphill in a forest that reminded me of the scenery in Lord of the rings, we had to hitchhike the rest of the way as it was very tiring and by the time we would reach the palace it would probably be very late to see it and we would be exhausted. The smartest was to go around is a day bus that takes you up to the castles and back down to the centre of the village. Our walking adventure ended up costing us the opportunity of getting to the interior, which is said to be fantastic. Built in the 1840s, it is one of Europe's most fantastic palaces. Surrounding the palace is the mystical Pena Park, filled with a variety of trees and exotic plants from the former colonies of the Portuguese empire, ponds, fountains, and
Pena Palace 1black swans. At the highest point is a statue of King Ferdinand looking towards his palace, and a viewpoint called "Cruz Alta" overlooking Pena Palace and surroundings. One of the best views can be had from the Queens' Throne, set among gigantic mountain formations, where you can take in the palace & thousands of dark green tree tops. The area below the palace is also worth exploring, where there are a series of linked ponds which have black swans & ducks. When you return to the centre, there are many museums one can visit and maybe the most unique of all (if you are into these kind of things or you are traveling with children) is the Toy Museum. It hosts an extraordinary collection of more than 20,000 items including 3000-year old Egyptian toys, trains from the 1930s, Nazi toy soldiers made in Germany during World War II, birthday and Christmas gifts given to royal children, and some of the first ever toy cars. Many natural fountains can also be found in the city that have been given striking decorations and make them perfect background for romantic photographs. It's a visit you certainly have to make should your road brings
Pena Palace 2you to Lisbon.