Portugal · A day from Lisbon
A short ride from Lisbon, Sintra rises into a cool, mist-wrapped sierra that Lord Byron called a glorious Eden. For centuries it was the summer retreat of Portuguese royalty, and the hills are dotted with the romantic palaces and estates they left behind.
The candy-colored Pena Palace crowns the highest peak, a riot of turrets and tilework against the forest green. Below it lie the National Palace, with its twin conical chimneys, and the mysterious Quinta da Regaleira, whose initiation well spirals deep into the earth. We always tell travelers to book the headline palaces ahead, because the timed tickets sell out.
Plan a full day to do Sintra justice. The gardens alone, threaded with grottoes, fountains and shaded paths, reward unhurried exploration, and the wild Atlantic at Cabo da Roca is only a short drive beyond.
