The happiest place on earth - Disneyland? No. Sintra and Belem

We awoke in our poetry-adorned room at Poets hostel to a lovely included breakfast of ham and spread cheese on toast (very European, Kendra informs me), fresh fruit, coffee, and granola cereal with milk....energy we would need on a jam-packed day in nearby Sintra and the Belem area of Lisbon.

The view from a bus in Portugal...

Sintra is the small seaside hilltop village west of Lisbon and is basically the place where palaces come to retire. A Moorish castle-turned portuguese estate-turned ruins, as well as the pastel-colored Peña palace were the main targets for today. Little did we know our favorite would be the incomparable secret garden mansion that is the Quinta de Regalaira...

But first we had to get there, and trying our hand at Portuguese public transport (though more simple than we make it seem) filled me with more dread than high-school Derek felt talking to girls. We went to the Rossio train station (not to be confused with the rossio metro subway station just further north 100m) and caught an 8€ round trip subway through the countryside 30 min to Sintra. While the view of the journey was uninspiring, it did showcase Portugals´ seemingly universal affinity for graffiti. We got off at the end of the line Sintra station with basically everyone else and went out front to the bus stop to await the 434. It travels in a counter-clockwise direction in a loop that hits our two main targets. Fortunately, we also managed to use it to get to the Quinta as well. It cost 5€ each for the trip, where you can hop off and on at each site but only travel around once.

Immediately we knew we´d love Sintra. It has the cozy yet upscale ambience of Vail combined with the charm and beauty of Italy, but was distinctly Portuguese. Arriving at the Moorish castle on the first bus, we were surprised to be practically the only two to hop off. Getting our tickets, we purchased a combo pass for both the Moorish Castle Ruins and Peña Palace, which was 18€ instead of around 24€ if bought separately.

In front of a tomb

Walking along the path leading to the ruins, we became increasingly excited. Beautiful gray granite boulders sitting in a verdent forest full of birdsong... I could swear I saw five hobbits run by. You reach the lower areas of the estate and start to see remants of the Moorish settlements, with an inscription by King Ferdinand over a tomb stating, "What God made let man not separate," communicating his respect for the Moorish burial sites after the Portuguese took over the castle. 

Passing through the castle walls, you come across the grounds and find two hilltops that you trek up. The ruins are simply astounding, their stone walls overlooking the indescribably beautiful countryside and adjacent hilltop of Peña palace. Hiking around, with the boulders, view, and ruins all combining into one aesthetic, that made us giddy with combined excitement and relaxation. The photos speak for themselvs. I mean, how could a Moorish Castle turned Portuguese palatial residence that was rennovated by  Medieval people not be awesome???

Moorish castle walls with Peña in the background 

Next up was Peña palace. We are extremely glad we got here so early, as later in the day there are throngs of people, enough to be off-putting. This early (10 am), and with our combo pass from the ruins already in hand, we skipped the already lengthening line and got right in. Once in the gardens, you trek up the short but fairly steep hilltop to the palace at the summit. Don´t worry, if hill walking isn´t your thing there´s a 3 euro shuttle to the top. The hilltop even without the place is an ecologic wonder, the Portuguese having terraformed a previously barren hill into a Garden of Eden with over two thousand plant species. Constantly working gardeners gave quiet testimony to maintaining such a unique place. 

Walking up the hillside, you suddenly can't believe your eyes as the pastel colors and arabic dome of the palace greet them. Kendra´s jaw dropped so far that I had to carry it for the next two hours. Peña Palace is like Disneyland for adults in real life. Kendra went on a spree of photos to such an extent that the sparks were flying off the damn thing, capturing all of the incredibly intricate tile work, stone masonry, sculpting. It was the most beautiful building I´ve ever seen, and Kendra said it´s on par with Neuschwanstein. 

Walking around the perimeter of the castle railing, you see how they intentionally incorporated the hillstop stones into the structure of the castle, giving it the appearance of rising from the hill itself. The chapel on it´s own was worth the price of admission, complete with ornate stained glass, paintings, tile work, sculpted ceilings... we could go on and on. Then inside to the never-ending display of decadent rooms, all replete with elaborate furnitures, scultptures, painting, and ceilings that were themselves works of art. We were overwhelmed upon leaving, and found peaceful moments eating a tomato and mozarella baguette sandwich in the garden below for 2.8€ each.

The centerpiece is a ship made of silver given as a wedding present from Spain

But it wasn´t over.
As the 434 took us back to town, we preemptively got off back at the national palace right before the station, which isn´t a stop on the map for that bus loop but the driver stopped anyway. From there I made the call that we should wander through town and then walk up to the Quinta de Regalaira. Tita, the attendant at Poets Hostel, had said it´s her absolute favorite place in the entire world, and she was raised in Porto and lives in Lisbon, so we knew it had to be good. Sintra is so beautiful, on our walk we even came across a random waterfall straight out of Rivendell from Lord of the Rings. I nicknamed it "Vindication Falls" after Kendra questioned the decision to walk. Shortly after we found the estate and so commenced the greatest visual orgy we've ever experienced. We will subsequently measure the time in our life not by our age but by B.Q. and A.Q. (Before Quinta and After Quinta).

The Gardens alone could occupy pages. We could not believe something so intentionally and deviously and meticously crafted had ever been built. It was as though a child´s imagination occupied Michelangelo´s body and took control of Bill Gate´s savings. Elaborate stone turrets, chapels, fountains, minarettes, and statues were interspersed among grottos, ponds, and innumerable smaller gardens. So why previously did I mention the grounds as being ´devious´? Because as we came across a wall we found a path inside, a path leading into the darkness and upon a tight spiral staircase, up which we ascended into the corner of a chapel. That´s right, the gardens were replete with elaborate secret passageways! 

We wandered from stone structure to structure, strolling along quiet garden paths or ducking down narrow chamberways, climbing so many spiral staircases that we lost count. Wandering to a giant fountain, we found a gateway in the back leading into a deep cave-like tunnel in near complete darkness. Stumbling through, water dripped from the ceiling as we came upon the middle of a 100 foot deep secret well! We were astounded and amazed. Walking down the carved-granite steps to the base, our feet slapping in puddles of water, we found another secret passageway, this one much longer, and leading to a pond with stone steps taking you back into the garden. We could not believe such a place was real.

Impossibly, the estate was even more impressive than the grounds. Commisioned by the capitalist Monteiro to be built as his country home by the architect Manini over twelve years, no detail in the stone, wood, ceiling, or floors was overlooked. The estate also incorporated numerous subtle and overt references to alchemy, the freemasons, heaven and hell, it was eerie, and beautiful, and inspiring all at once. It was simply stunning, on the level of Michelangelo, and so intricate and ornate that I can only show you photos:

Truly overwhelmed by Sintra, we found ourselves back on the train to Lisbon. We wandered down to the 15E bus from Praco do Comercio and now took it headed in the proper direction to Belem. Our excitement offset the fatigue in our legs on the 2.85 euro and 30min long bus ride, a welcome respite from all of our walking. While taking the bus, we watched for the names of each bus stop written on a yellow sign, and got off at the stop for Jeronimos Monastery after the Belem stop. There we found ourselves right in front of the gorgoues cathedral monastery known as Jeronimos monastery. Though the front doors were closed, an open door to the left took us into the tallest cathedral I´ve ever seen, stunning in its stark beauty and also remarkable for the graves of celebrated navigator and portuguese hero Vasco da Gama, as well as poet Luis de Camoes.

Vasco da Gama's final resting place

After Jeronimos, we headed a block to the left to experience the infamous Pasteis de belem. One apparently cannot leave Lisbon without trying them, and the locals tell you to never attempt to order one as you will simply go back and order another six. The custard pastries, flaky on the outside and doughy sweet inside, gave us fuel to walk through a beautiful park towards the Monument of Discoveries, well as the further kilometer down the waterfront to the Tower of Belem, the most famous tower in belem. Moonrise framed the Monument of Discoveries on our return, and we caught the 714 bus back to the Praco, where a tosta mista ham and cheese portuguese sandwich (2.5€) and chocolate croissant (1€) ended the busiest and best day we could´ve possibly had. 

Tower of Belem

Monument of Discoveries