Private Tour 2 Days Sintra and Lisbon

Sintra, Cabo da Roca, Guincho and CascaisThe fantastic Pena Palace is one of the greatest examples of romantic revival of the century. XIX in Portugal.

Situated on Monte da Pena, the Palace was built on the site of a former convent of friars of the Order of St. Jerome. It was the brainchild of D. Fernando de Saxe Coburgo-Gotha, who married Queen D. Maria II in 1836. In love with Sintra, he decided to acquire the convent and the surrounding land to build the summer palace of the royal family.

The king consort adopted Portuguese architectural and decorative forms for the palace, in the revivalist taste (neo-gothic, neo-manueline, neo-islamic, neo-renaissance) and in the surroundings decided to make a magnificent English park, with the most varied tree species. exotic

Inside, still decorated to the liking of the kings who lived there, stands the chapel, where you can see a magnificent alabaster marble altarpiece attributed to Nicolau Chanterenne (one of the architects of the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon). Also worthy of mention are the trompe l'oeil murals and the tile coverings.Time to wander the narrow streets of Vila de Sintra and enjoy your convent confectionery.

The following are two options for view:

1 - National Palace; 2 - Quinta da RegaleiraThe millennial history of Sintra Town Hall begins during Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula. Already mentioned in the 11th century, the early Moorish palace - owned by the Portuguese Crown after the conquest of Lisbon by D. Afonso Henriques (1147), 1st King of Portugal - is first intervened in 1281, during the reign of D. Dinis. New constructive bodies are added over time under the reigns of D. Dinis, D. João I and D. Manuel I, maintaining their silhouette since the mid-16th century.

The arrangement of the spaces in height, adapting to the terrain; the intimate organization of the open-air inner courtyards, where the running water is heard; its windows with outdated arches; and the tile coverings of rich geometric patterns show the Moorish connection of the craftsmen who built and embellished the Palace.Quinta da Regaleira is one of the most amazing monuments of the Serra de Sintra. Situated at the end of the historic center of the village, it was built between 1904 and 1910, in the last period of the monarchy.

The romantic domains that once belonged to the Viscountess of Regaleira were acquired and expanded by Dr. António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro (1848-1920) to found his place of choice. Holder of a prodigious fortune, which earned him the nickname of Monteiro dos M Millions, he associated with his unique architectural and landscape project the creative genius of Italian architect and set designer Luigi Manini (1848-1936) as well as the mastery of sculptors, flowerbeds and carvers. who had worked with him at the Palace Hotel do Buçaco.

A man of scientific spirit, vast culture and rare sensitivity, a remarkable bibliophile, a discerning collector and a great philanthropist, this vision of a cosmology, a synthesis of the spiritual memory of humanity, has its roots in the mythical Lusa and Universal Tradition. The architecture and art of the palace, chapel and other constructions were scenically conceived in the context of an Edenic garden, emphasizing the predominance of neo-Manueline and Renaissance styles.

The garden, a representation of the microcosm, is revealed by the succession of places imbued with magic and mystery. Paradise is materialized in coexistence with an inferius - a Dantesque underground world - to which the neophyte would be led by Ariadne's thread of initiation.

With these scenarios, the representation of an initiatory journey, as vera peregrinat mundi, is concretized, through a symbolic garden where we can feel the Harmony of the Spheres and peer into the alignment of an asceticism of consciousness that travels through the great epics. There are glimpses of mythology, Olympus, Virgil, Dante, Camoes, the Templar mission of the Order of Christ, great mystics and thaumaturgists, the enigmas of the Royal Art, the Great Alchemical Work. This symphony of stone reveals the poetic and prophetic dimension of a Luso Philosopher's Mansion. Here Heaven and Earth merge into a sensible reality, the same one that presided over the theory of Beauty, Architecture and Music, which the acoustic shell of the Celestial Worlds Terrace allows to propagate to infinity.Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of the European Continent or, as Luís Vaz de Camões wrote, the place “From where the earth ends and the sea begins” (in Os Lusíadas, Canto VIII). A stone pattern with a tombstone mark this geographical feature to all who visit this place. Cabo da Roca is also referred to as “Focinho da Roca” by people connected with things of the sea, and more poetically by “Promontório da Lua”. It is part of the Sintra Cascais Natural Park, which encompasses a vast area of natural interest and beauty. from the Citadel of Cascais to the mouth of the Falcão river. From Cabo da Roca you can follow various eco-trails. In Cabo da Roca, the visitor faces a spectacular landscape, an imposing lighthouse and various infrastructures. It is also here that one of the rarest plant species is found, the 'armeria pseudoarmeria'. Being inserted in an area of easy access and of great tourist affluence are countless people who visit it.On the outskirts of Cascais, the extensive sandy beach of Guincho Beach is much sought after by bathers during the summer season and year-round by surfers and windsurfers, sports for which this beach offers excellent conditions.

Along the road by the sea, numerous top-quality restaurants offer excellent fresh fish and seafood dishes.Situated by the sea and traditionally a fishing village, Cascais had an important development in the 19th century. XIV, when it was a port of call of great movement for the ships that went to Lisbon.

It was however from the 2nd half of the century. By the nineteenth century, when the sea baths began to be appreciated, Cascais underwent a boost that turned it into a very fashionable summer resort. The main driver of the transformation was King of Portugal D. Luís I, who in 1870 converted the citadel fortress into the summer residence of the Portuguese monarchy. This example was followed by the nobility who built palaces and beautiful villas here where they spent the hottest time of the year, completely transforming the old fishing village.

Cascais also began to attract the curious, whose access was made easier by the inauguration of the railway line between Pedrouços and Cascais in 1889. Nowadays, Cascais is a very lively and cosmopolitan place that still retains its aristocratic air. .

A stroll through its streets, which have excellent shops or a rest in one of the many terraces that are here, is recommended. The beaches continue to be one of the biggest reasons of attraction, being possible to choose between those located in the sheltered bay of the village, or those a little further away in the Guincho area (already integrated in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park) that offer excellent conditions for surfing and windsurfing. Boca do Inferno, a recess of the coast surrounded by rugged cliffs and caves, remains a natural curiosity that attracts many visitors to see the force of the sea.

Gastronomy, especially fresh fish and seafood, can be enjoyed at the many restaurants in the region.A world-renowned resort, Estoril is a true cosmopolitan center of great nightlife and has all the necessary infrastructure for a great summer center - beaches, excellent hotels, golf courses, a casino and even a race track.

It was at the beginning of the century. XX, that the planned transformation of this locality began, due not only to the proximity of the sea that began to be a center of attraction, but also by the existence of hot springs then very fashionable.

The center of this new luxury resort was the Park and Casino (formerly Estoril), surrounded by arcade buildings and excellent hotels.

Formerly, Estoril was known for the various coast line Forts that ensured the defense of one of the possible entrances to Lisbon and the Recollection built by the Order of the Franciscan Friars in the 19th century. XVI turned into the College of Salesians.

From 1930, Estoril became one of the main exponents of tourism in Portugal, having been the place of choice for the exile of many deposed European monarchs, including the King of Spain D. Juan Carlos.

During World War II it was the refuge of writers, politicians, artists, traders and many Jews persecuted by the III Reich.

Lisbon City TourDedicated to the Mother of God since 1147.

Dedicated to the Mother of God, the Lisbon Cathedral is one of the city's ex-libris and one of the most significant monuments in the country, for its historical, religious and artistic value. Its construction began in 1147, when the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, reconquered the city from the Moors and was built on a Muslim mosque - which, as the archaeological excavations confirmed, was built on a former Visigothic Christian temple.

Although the city had been a bishopric since the 4th century, at least, and continued to have a Christian bishop at the time of the Christian Reconquest, in the 12th century, the English crusader Gilberto de Hastings was appointed for this function and the works began. already under your responsibility. The first architect was Mestre Roberto, a Frenchman of probable Norman origin, who also worked on the construction of the Coimbra Cathedral and the Santa Cruz Monastery in the same city. At the time, D. Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, brought the relics of the martyr St. Vincent of Zaragoza from the Algarve and deposited them in the See.

The original building followed the canons of the Romanesque style, but between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries underwent the first changes. In the reign of D. Dinis, the cloister was built, already in Gothic style. Later, King Afonso IV had the ambassador built for his family pantheon, which made the See more able to receive the pilgrims who came to see the relics of St. Vincent. The ambulation gives rise to ten chapels that take various titles, some of them linked to the Virgin: the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha de France, the Chapel of Santa Ana, the Chapel of Santa Maria Maior and the Chapel of Our Lady of Conception.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, works were done in Baroque style, especially at the decorative level on the altars and the chancel. In the first half of the century. XX, the medieval character of the Sé was restored.

Inside, one must visit the chapel of Bartolomeu Joanes, an important bourgeois of medieval Lisbon, and the excavations of the cloister, which uncovered the successive occupations of this space. Although much of its former estate is preserved in museums (such as the Museum of Ancient Art), the See includes a visitable collection called the Treasury of the Patriarchal See.Visit the exterior of the castle, entrance is optional and not included

São Jorge Castle is one of Lisbon's most iconic monuments, situated on the highest hill in the city.

The oldest known fortification on the site dates from the 19th century. II BC, although traces found here date from the 18th century. VI a.C. Archeology also allowed to discover traces of Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans and Muslims, proving the constant human occupation since ancient times.

The castle itself was founded in the 10th and 11th centuries, when Lisbon was an important Muslim port city. In 1147, the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, conquered the castle and the city from the Moors. Between the century XIII and the century. XVI had its most important period. In the century It was in the castle that King Manuel I received Vasco da Gama after his sea voyage to India and that the first Portuguese theater play by Gil Vicente was performed at the birth of King D. João III.

Declared a National Monument in 1910, it underwent major restoration works during the 19th century. XX, which gave it the current look. It is one of the most important places in the city and a leisure space very crowded by the population of the surrounding neighborhoods. You can say it has the best view of the city and the Tagus River.

Inside, there is the museum nucleus, where you can see the history of Lisbon, and the Ulysses Tower. The city's legendary founder names the castle's ancient Tumbling Tower where a periscope lets you view the city in 360 ° in real time.Passing and stopping in the neighborhood where Fado was bornReborn from the rubble of the 1755 earthquake, this beautiful Lisbon square delimits the Baixa Pombalina area to the north. Its space develops in a large quadrilateral, dominated by the harmonious neoclassicism of the D. Maria II Theater, built on the site of the Inquisition House.

For the Marquis of Pombal, Praça do Comércio had become the city of choice and a symbol of a new social order intended for the nation. However, over time, it was Rossio, a sunny and welcoming space, that gained the forum privilege of the Lisbon bourgeoisie. The square was animated by hotels (already missing) filled with outsiders, shops and tobacconists. And, of course, there were plenty of cafes, a very Portuguese institution where one talked, conspired, talked about political affairs, discussed the arts.

Life has changed and most of the cafes have disappeared, but Café Nicola (western side) and Swiss Pastry (eastern side) have remained to testify of another time. In the center a 28 m high column, placed here in 1870, supports the statue of King D. Pedro IV, who holds in his right hand the Constitutional Charter. In 1889 two monumental fountains were added, one on either side of the column, where friendly florists sell flowers.

To the south of the square notice a graceful arch that connects with the Rua dos Sapateiros. It is a beautiful piece of Pombaline architecture from the end of the century. Eighteenth, with ornamental motifs where stands a beautiful big window with balcony open to the square. It paid for its construction the capitalist Pires Bandeira and therefore it was known for posterity by Arco do Bandeira.

The splendor of the original Portuguese cobblestone has recently been returned to Rossio and the central floor is lined with small blue and white stones that draw the waves of the sea.Located at the top of Avenida da Liberdade, it is a place of excellent panoramic view over the city. Initially called the Liberty Park, it was renamed the King of England during his visit to Lisbon in 1903. Since its inception this park has been the scene of fairs, exhibitions and entertainment.

Its structure, with a grass-covered central strip, flanked by a Portuguese sidewalk, is by architect Keil do Amaral constituting an important landmark in the urban evolution of the city.

Here we find the Sports Pavilion, built in 1932 in D. João V style, today called Carlos Lopes Pavilion in honor of the great Portuguese athlete, the Cold Greenhouse, with a huge variety of plants from around the world, lakes, a set of statuary Noteworthy is the bust of Edward VII of England and the sculpture evoked on April 25 by João Cutileiro.

The park has a children's playground, a picnic park next to the Pavilion and Club VII, with a tennis court, gym, swimming pool and restaurant.On the edge of the Tagus, the heyday of Manueline architecture.

In the place where the Jeronimos Monastery is located today, next to the old beach of Belém, was originally a small chapel dedicated to Santa Maria that was built by Infante D. Henrique in 1452. In the early 16th century King D Manuel I was recognized by the Holy See for his intention to have a large monastery erected there, which was donated to the Order of Friars of St. Jerome. High point of Manueline architecture and intrinsically linked to the Epic of the Discoveries, this monastery is the most remarkable Portuguese monastic ensemble of its time and one of the main parish churches in Europe.

Construction began in 1501, lasted for a hundred years and was directed by a remarkable set of architects and masters of domestic and foreign works. With the initial layout of the French Boytac, the work was continued by other Masters, namely João de Castilho and, already in the middle of the century, Diogo de Torralva. After the Portuguese arrived in India, the Portuguese crown was able to fund the venture with funds from trade with the East. King Manuel I channeled much of the so-called “Vintena da Pimenta” (approximately 5% of revenues from trade with Africa and the East, the equivalent of 70kg of gold per year) to fund the construction work.

This monument, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, deserves first of all the facades, the Church and the cloisters. In the south façade, you can admire the portal carved by João de Castilho, where the figures are arranged according to a specific hierarchy: below, the Infante D. Henrique guards the entrance, in the middle, the Virgin of Bethlehem blesses the monument, and Archangel Saint Gabriel, the protector of Portugal, shoots the bow. The western portal, through which you enter the sacred space, is by Nicholas Chanterenne. On the left, protected by St. Jerome, is the statue of King D. Manuel who is said to be a faithful portrait, and on the right, that of Queen D. Maria, his wife, protected by St. John the Baptist.

Inside is the church hall, the masterpiece of Manueline by João de Castilho. Notice how in a bold architectural work the beautiful vault of the transept is not supported by any column. At the entrance, after the low choir, are the cenotaphs of the poet Luís de Camões, author of the epic poem "Os Lusíadas", and of Vasco da Gama, commander of the navy that in 1497 headed for India. In the side chapels are buried the kings, princes and infants descended from D. Manuel I. In the chancel, later reconstituted by Jerónimo de Ruão, are the tombs of D. Manuel I, his son D. João III and your wives. Special mention should be made of the solid silver tabernacle, a work of Portuguese goldsmithery from the mid-17th century.The harmony and delicate ornaments of the Tower of Bethlehem suggest, to the eye of the beholder, a crafted jewel. However, the contemporary view of its construction was different: a formidable and fearsome bulwark defending the river's entrance, crossing fire with the border tower of San Sebastian on the other bank. Commissioned by D. Manuel I (1495-1521), it was built by Francisco de Arruda between 1514 and 1521 on a basalt islet that was located near the right bank of the Tagus, in front of Restelo beach. However, with the progressive displacement of the river course over the years, the Tower was virtually "tied" to the bank.

It consists of a quadrangular tower that resembles medieval castles and a polygonal bulwark, a defense element intended to support heavy artillery, with bombs that are shallow to the sea. The watchtowers with domes of buds, which rise at each corner, denote the influence of Moroccan fortifications. Alongside these orientalist elements, Manueline decoration predominates in the stone rigging that surrounds it, in heraldic motifs and even in the famous rhino, the first stone representation of this animal in Europe. The most decorative face of the Tower is the south-facing side where the balcony runs. On the wall of the cloister that rises above the bastion stands a sculptured image of the Virgin with the 18th Century Child. XVIII, "at the bow" of the tower.

The interior deserves a visit by the climb to the top floor, where the effort is rewarded by the admirable view over the wide Tagus estuary and the western part of Lisbon, so evocative of the history of Portugal during the Age of Discovery.

In 1983, the Belém Tower was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.In Lisbon, Belém is the memory district of the Age of Discovery and Portuguese maritime expansion. In the 15th and 16th centuries, from here the caravels left and here came the news of the discoveries. D. Manuel I then had the Jeronimos Monastery and Belém Tower built, symbols of Portugal's 16th century wealth and splendor. Classified as World Heritage, they are two masterpieces of the "Manueline" style, Portuguese interpretation of the final Gothic. In the former convent dependencies of the monastery we can find the National Archaeological Museum and the Navy Museum, where you can learn a little more about the navigation techniques that the Portuguese used.

In the century In the eighteenth century, King D. João V elected Bethlehem to his residence, ordering to restore the Palace and make a riding school. The arena was adapted to the National Coach Museum and the "pink" palace became the official residence of the President.

In 1940, under the pretext of commemorating the founding of nationality, the Salazar government decided to hold the "Portuguese World Exhibition" here. To this end, the layout of Belém was reorganized and Afonso de Albuquerque Square was created, in honor of India's first viceroy, Empire Square, the Monument to the Discoveries and the riverside leisure areas.

The Church of Memory, the Chapel of St. Jerome, the Tropical Agricultural Garden and the Museum of Ethnology complete the museum complex of this neighborhood.

Today, there is neither the port nor the Descobrimentos beach here, but a pleasant leisure and culture area where Lisboners like to walk. The visit to Belém will not be complete without a stop at the centenary Casa dos Pastéis de Belém, where you must taste this sweet specialty.It is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, open south to the immense Tagus estuary. Until the era of air transport, it was the great reception room of Lisbon for those who came by boat and could enjoy even better its beauty. Here was the quay where the Kings and Heads of State who visited Portugal landed.

Before the 1755 earthquake it was named Terreiro do Paço. The Royal Palace had occupied the western wing of the square since the early 19th century. XVI, when D. Manuel transferred him from São Jorge Castle to this place. In 1580, Philip I of Portugal had a new palace erected, with the risk of Filippo Terzi and Juan Herrera (the same architect of the Escorial). Everything was destroyed by the earthquake. The name of Praça do Comércio already belongs to the Pombal era and reflects a new social order that the Minister of D. José I wanted to privilege and value: the commercial, financial and bourgeois class that contributed so much to the reconstruction of his city.

In the geometric center of the square, facing the river, is the equestrian statue of D. José I, mounted on his gentle horse, the work of sculptor Machado de Castro. It was placed in this place with great pomp on June 6, 1775, the day of the King's years, who quietly watched the act of one of the windows of the Customs building. The parties lasted three days and included a gigantic banquet for all the people of Lisbon. On the river-side pedestal, the effigy of Pombal (removed when the Minister fell from grace and replaced by the Liberals in 1834) is topped by the royal shield. The sculptural groups on either side of the pedestal represent Triumph leading a horse and Fame leading an elephant in clear allusion to Portuguese overseas domains. At the back of the pedestal, an allegorical bas-relief represents the various contributions to the reconstruction of Lisbon.

Under the north arcades, near the entrance of Rua do Ouro, be sure to enter the Martinho da Arcada café-restaurant, a landmark of the city and one of its places of worship. Before continuing along Augusta Street, which leads to Rossio, take a moment to observe the Triumphal Arch that adorns the passage.Imagine a space that brings together some of the boldest projects in contemporary architecture, the Oceanarium, one of the largest in Europe, amazing theme gardens, exhibition centers, shows and events. All along the Tagus River, enjoying over five kilometers of breathtaking scenery in the heart of Lisbon, within easy reach and parking, coupled with a wide range of shopping and dining options.

Five minutes from Lisbon Airport, Parque das Nações, resulting from what was the last world exhibition held in the twentieth century, EXPO'98, is the imagined city come true.