Halloween parties and scavenger hunts! The two thoughts that came to mind constantly throughout several hours of exploring the Regaleira Palace and Gardens in Sintra, Portugal.
Sintra is listed in all the travel books as a must-see. I even had in my notes “fairy tale palaces” and “extravagant villas.” That was an understatement. A train ride through miles and miles of graffiti and apartment buildings and 40 minutes later you arrive at the most picturesque areas imaginable.
Within minutes of exploring the Regaleira Palace and Gardens, I was so happy there was no tour guide. No one to give a time limit for this visit. Hours were needed to explore this mythical and magical place. (In my mind a tour guide would have ruined the garden experience. Don’t do it!)
In the 1800’s the property was transformed into an elegant summer retreat and went through a number of transformations up through 1956. The Japanese bought it in 1987 and in 1997 it was finally acquired by the municipality of Sintra. Thank goodness. I can’t imagine pagodas all over this property. (Sorry Japan.)
The castle is filled with terraces, towers, porches and turrets. Massive!
The inside is detailed with carved wood ceilings and enormous fireplaces. The most incredible room (to me) was the library with a portion of the floor mirrored to create the illusion of depth and the feeling you were suspended on a platform. The person responsible for that designed succeeded, big time. It was a very weird feeling.
Everywhere you looked the rooms were full of detail. Door knockers that would cost a fortune today.
The garden was full of caves, grottoes, and secret passageways. You’d follow a dirt pathway and the next thing you know you’re inside a pitch black cave with no light in sight. I would’ve screamed bloody murder had my hand touched anything other than a mossy wall. Later I read the property is open until 8:00 p.m. during the summer months. I can’t even imagine the experience of exploring this place in the dark.
It’s really hard to find the words to describe this experience. All I know is if you ever make it to Sintra, of all the monuments, museums and gardens…this is a MUST.
I love gargoyles so a quick stop at the Pena National Palace before heading back towards the train station made me very happy. Isn’t he a cutie?
A trip to Sintra would not be complete without coffee and the famous Sintra cheesecake. I’m sure the little man in the cafe could see the expression on my face when he pointed to this little round thing in the glass case. Not what I was expecting, but delicious!
I wanna go, too. If your still there, could you get me a cook book. Thanks
Sorry to be a nit-picker, buuuut:
That’s not a Gargoyle. The name Gargoyle comes from the latin word for throat, and refers strictly to a statue on a building with a hole in it (usually the mouth) that ‘squirts’ rainwater from gutters away from the walls to avoid/reduce stone erosion. The figure in your picture is more accurately a Grotesque.
Other than that – lovely pictures. Going soon, and am excited about this place ^__^