Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal

“It is a journey into an imaginary universe of symbolism and metaphor…” I read on the brochure.  IF this did not capture your attention, you must be crazy! When I stumbled across this quote, I was like OMG, yes!! I NEED some of that in my life!!  I was planning this tour!

Quinta da Regaleira is a  walled palace  located in the Old World Quarter of Sintra, Portugal. It was built  way back in the early 19th century, and was designed in the spirit of romanticism and its ideals. It was THE BEST tour I have taken thus far.

Ohhhh mmyyy goodnessss…. it was like nothing I had ever seen before !! It was breath-taking and absolutely magical!!

Honestly, it appeared to be a back drop for an elaborate Disney movie.  My eyes could not stop scanning and my brain had difficulty processing and comprehending all that my senses were receiving.  Elaborate wonders that were presenting themselves to me didn’t seem real.  Acres of grass, ancient trees, fountains, sculptures, and stone lookout towers. The towers were probably my favorite, as there are so many!! They are in every shape and size and are located randomly throughout the landscape. You walk along and all of a sudden you see a small one that is well hidden and you feel as if you have discovered a secret hideaway.  A secret hideaway WITH a panoramic view.

Another favorite of mine were the organic waterfalls and “The Well” with its cave system.  It seems impossible that people actually built that with only their bare hands, no power tools, no large equipment, just muscle, stone, and hard labor.  It is perfectly cylindrical and so are the steps that descend into it.  Every angle seems to catch different rays of sunlight.  Each step you take, you go deeper into the earth and you begin to feel the change in temperature. Sooo cool !!  The cave system underneath is also extensive and I was thankful when I realized it was lit with rope lights along the floors.  Be careful, several of the ceilings require you to duck and your shoes will probably get a little wet.  After all, it IS a cave.

Last, but not least, The Palace.  The architecture is AMAZING!!!!  I wanted to just sit and study the extreme vastness of it. The exterior and the interior  walls and ceilings both display magnificent, ornate carvings. The rooms, and there are too many to count, are humongous.  With that being said…. the indoor decor was limited and therefore, was no competition with the exterior. This made me realize how happy I was to know that the City of Sintra had purchased it from the previous personal owners as the Palace probably would have been empty and cold to actually live in.  I feel public exploration and discovery bring this place the respect and awe that it well deserves.

The property, within itself, appears to be a small walled city or village.  The grounds are extensive and well maintained.  When you buy tickets to enter, they actually give you a map to follow so you don’t get lost!  Plan on spending 2-3 hours here so that you can take in all that it has to offer.  Believe me, you will not regret it.

At this time I should mention, if I haven’t already in previous posts… Word to the Wise – “Wear sneakers/ tennis shoes”- whatever you call them.  The streets around Europe are all cobblestone and slippery!! In addition, 80% of the amazing places to tour, are all UPHILL.  I have pushed this idea on several occasions, as I felt my well-planned outfit deserved those adorable sandals or boots that matched perfectly.  However, after 3 months of traveling, lets just say that I finally swallowed my pride and put on my kicks- for my own safety and comfort.