Sintra

As promissed in my last publication, here are the rest of the pictures of my trip to Lisbon. These were however taken in Sintra, a typical portuguese town of the Lisbon district.

Sintra is mostly known for its several palaces and quintas and their respective blend of several styles. Perhaps you have already heard of the Pena Palace, its (partial) restauration and construction ordered by Fernando II, also known as the Artist King. The palace assembles a mixture of gothic style with neo-manuelism (revival) architecture, giving it simultaneously a romantic and mystical aura.

It was very difficult to take any decent pictures of the palace. There were several restauration processes taking place, and the palace was jammed with tourists.

The palace is also surround by a vast "garden" (forest); with every step we took there were fairy-like bridges like this to find, gigantic birdhouses, ponds, moss covered benches and other hidden gems.

Black swans!

Next we headed to the Quinta da Regaleira, also known for its awe inspiring mixture of gothic and manueline architecture. The quinta is often described as a bit grotesque, as it holds several depictions of masonry, alchemy, rosicrucianism and other mystical/religious allusions. The gardens also gave way to all that mysticism and magical feeling: a whole groto labyrinth can be found within the estate (that every visitor can explore, by the way), lakes, statues, wells and sundials were also to be found. 

Much love,
Andreia