Sintra, City of Fairy-Tale Castles

SINTRA, PORTUGAL -- April 29, 2006

I may as well have visited Sintra yesterday -- I didn't feel much more rested after last night's late, late finale. I arrived in Sintra at 11:00 AM by train, with little sense of an agenda other than to explore the two palaces and a castle set amidst towering hills and fairytale-tall trees. As I walked into Sintra-Ville, bonsai gardens and vendors selling fresh flowers in every shape and size lined the walkways, and classical music lilted in the air as if raining down from the sky.

I poked my nose around the Palacio Nacional de Sintra, exploring this palace bedecked with Moorish, Gothic, and Manueline architecture, fine furnishings, and absolutely regal painted tiles. But, sandwiched between gobs of German tourists on holiday, I found myself growing impatient to reach the exit to the palace. I much more preferred to be wandering through this tiny little village, peering up at the castle walls clinging to a high precipice several kilometers away. I began to make the climb to this castle, and huffed and puffed for three kilometers up an incredibly steep road that climbed into the mountainside. The hairpin turns were a bit unnerving, as drivers and bikers would unsuspectingly turn the corner, and I'd be left to jump into the gutter to save my life :)

Finally, I found myself at the entrance to the Castelo dos Mouros, the ancient Moorish castle which towers over the city below. The views from the top, peering down over lush green foliage and charming villages clustered in the valleys below, were incredible. It was here that I met three American travelers, all students in a study-abroad program which laced together a Spanish study experience in Mexico, Argentina, and Spain. Amber, Becca, and Mary and I spent the remainder of the afternoon scaling castle walls, gasping at the magnificence on display in the Palacio de Pena, and wandering through the dense "jungle-like" forests of the adjacent Pena Gardens.

At one point, we became so lost in its winding trails that it seemed we were venturing into the heart of darkness. Luckily, we found a high cement wall with paved road on the other side, and like a team of army cadets, scaled over the top and dropped our bodies down a five-foot distance to the earth below. We wound our way eventually back to Sintra-Ville, and descended on tourist-trap heaven, where we picked over souvenirs of every shape and size. The most impressive were the hand-painted tiles depicting images of the fairy-tale Pena Palace, which truly has to be seen to be believed. Set high in the mountainside, it grabs your attention with its brightly painted turrets and towers. Pinks and yellows dominate the skyline above the trees, and with little imagination you can picture yourself painted into the pages of a children's fantasy book.

Our tired bodies wilted on the bus-and-train connection back to Lisbon. I said goodbye to my new friends, and headed back to Fred's, where I had a few hours to pack up, catch a bite to eat, and say goodbye before heading back to the train station for my overnight ride to Madrid. Oh, so little time here.... I had contemplated not even making the trip, since Lisbon stretched 8 hours both going and coming from my nearest connecting destinations. But now, three action-packed days later, I am looking back reminiscing over my explorations into the heart of Portugal, and my only regret is that I couldn't afford more time to enjoy this amazing place. As a parting gift, Fred offered me his corkscrew, which I know will come in quite handy as I continue my travels throughout Europe. My experience in Lisbon wouldn't have been nearly the same without the kindness, generosity, and fun-loving personality of my exceptional host, who allowed me to see Lisbon both as a first-time traveler and as a five-year veteran. Lisbon will long remain a bright jewel in my travel charm bracelet.

~Melanie