🇵🇹 2023 Summer Sintra

I woke up early to get to Sintra by 9 am. The moment I stepped out of the train station, I knew that I'd made a deadly mistake. I dressed for Lisbon, a cute sleeveless dress and a jacket, but I didn't realise that Sintra is in the mountains and had heavy wind. For the whole day, I felt chill because my dress kept flashing.

It took about an hour to walk or take the bus from the train station to Pena Palace, so I decided to take Uber. It saved so much time and it's also not too expensive. Uber's price in Portugal is not as expensive, so it is a good choice when in a hurry.

I booked my Pena Palace entry time when purchasing the Lisbon card. Pena Palace is up on the hill, a short walk from the gate to the palace. I saw some people queuing for a shuttle, but it was not for free, so I ended up walking. The staff member told me, "It's not too far, only half an hour's walk." The couple behind me started fighting after they heard that it was a 30-minute walk. The girl was nervous that it was almost the entry time they had booked, but the guy said that it would probably only take 20 minutes. The girl said, "Do you expect me to speed walk with you in heels?" Then speed walked off silently. The way up to the palace is actually not far as I thought it would be and the scenery on the way is nice. Just enjoy the walk. Although there is a booked entry time for the palace, there is usually a 10 to 15-minute delay with the queue.

Pena Palace was a monastery but it was ruined because of an earthquake. King Fernando II of Portugal fell in love with the beauty of Sintra and ordered the construction of Pena Palace on the ruins of the old monastery. It was their summer residence after construction. I really like Pena Palace, it is beautiful from the outside and inside the palace you can see the gorgeous furniture and interior design. If you are not interested in history, it's fine not to visit the palace, but definitely take some photos outside.

I left Pena Palace around 12:30 pm and was glad I chose to wake up early because there was huge traffic on the way to the palace. I walked downhill for 15 to 20 minutes to Castelo dos Mouros.

Castelo dos Mouros feels like the Portuguese version of the Great Wall in China. Well, I know I've never been to China, but at least I've read about it in the textbook. Castelo dos Mouros was built around the eighth and ninth centuries during the period of Muslim Iberia. King Fernando II of Portugal (yup, it's him again) conserved and improved the surroundings of the castle in the 19th century. The castle overlooked Sintra and on the other side, you can even see Pena Palace on top of the hill.

Warning! Don't wear a dress when you come to Sintra. And remember to tie up your hair. Or else, the photos will look like...

I took an Uber from Castelo dos Mouros to Quinta da Regaleira, my last stop in Sintra. Quinta da Regaleira consisted of a palace and a chapel, and what's more, are the wells and caves inside the garden. Initiation Well is one of the must-see in Quinta da Regaleira. It was a strange feeling as it felt like I walked into a tower, but it was upside down. At the bottom of the well, there is a secret passage and at the end of the passage, is a small waterfall. I would like to call it "Water Curtain Cave" (from the Chinese story Journey to the West)!

It is worth spending a whole afternoon in Quinta da Regaleira. I took several photos on my film camera. The garden is close to the old town of Sintra, so I think it's good to have it as a last stop. In general, I think Sintra is worth a visit if you are coming to Lisbon. It is not only beautiful but also different from the bustling Lisbon city centre.

The train back to Lisbon arrived as soon as I got to the train station. It gave me a really good feeling about this trip. Little did I know, I thought I took great photos on the film camera, but I took zero photos. I went to develop the film after coming back from Portugal, and I received 40 blank back photos because I didn't fit the film correctly. At least I have the nice memories in my mind.