Day tours in Lisbon & surroundings
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Program
Abounding in history, Sintra village is dominated by the two conical chimneys of the Palácio Nacional da Vila, dating
from the XIV century; this is the oldest royal palace in Portugal, where sea conquerors planned their trips and navigators
where welcomed by the king, like Columbus and Vasco da Gama. Visit the palace. (Closed on Wednesdays, replaced by
Regaleira Palace).
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Free time at Sintra’s historical town centre. It is made up of a charming maze of steep, narrow streets lined with fine examples of old palatial homes hiding
behind lichen-covered walls, while local pastry shops provide the famous Sintra ‘queijadas’ (cheese pastries), ‘travesseiros’ (egg and almond pastries) and
local wine. The town is also full of shops that carry many of the local crafts like pottery, ceramics and lace.
Drive across the luxuriant Sintra Mountain and its gardens - "The Glorious Eden" - by twisted roads bordered by several plants, its mystical hills dotted
with fairytale palaces and extravagant villas that have bewitched visitors for centuries. Pass by Colares, famous for its "Ramisco" vines, some of the oldest
in Portugal and belonging to a demarcated area of wine.
Go up the mountain by twisted roads with breathtaking views of the coastline and arrive to Cabo da Roca - the westernmost point of continental Europe, a
promontory of Sintra Mountain, a granite cliff, 472 feet (144 m) high - for a fantastic view of the seaside. Stop. (From the 1st March to the 31st October).
Next is Guincho beach, backed by dunes and with some of the best rollers in Europe, it is a true paradise for surfers.
Continue by the seaside with rocky and sandy beaches and the picturesque cliff - the Mouth of Hell - where high waves crash into gigantic caves carved out
of the rock by the sea.
Cascais fishing port swiftly expanded to an elegant, cosmopolitan, coastal resort. Once stop of navigators like Columbus and Vasco da Gama. From the hill
there’s a nice view of Estoril bay and the typical fishing boats unloading the catch, a flash marina and a castle.
We return to Lisbon by Estoril Coast where we can have a panoramic view of the Casino and its gardens. The Estoril coast, incorporating holiday hotspots
offers great beaches and a choice of historic sights.
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... Described by Lord Byron as “Glorious Eden,” Sintra’s charms have long been celebrated. Once the summer
residence of the kings and Moorish lords, today Sintra is a romantic getaway for people from all around the world.
Inhabited since the pre-history period and by Celts and the Romans who called this area “The Mountain of the
Moon”. In the 8th to 9th century, Muslims built a castle here. During Medieval times, the Portuguese royal family,
overflowing with the pomp and riches from their colonial triumphs abroad, first came here to escape the heat (and
stench) of the summer in Lisbon. Beginning in the 14th century, the Portuguese aristocrats followed the royals to
Sintra, a dwelling place for hunting and relaxing. Stormy and mysterious, the mountain is covered by more than 1000
different species of plants. Several artists from different countries came here to work, inspired in the beauty of this
place, extolling its beauty: “The Garden of Paradise”, “Garden of Europe”, “Glorious Eden”…
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...One of the most beautiful parts of the Estoril Coast is a succession of hills dotted with pine trees and houses, sweeping
down to the sea and the local villages with their typical houses and the old palatial villas along the sea front. Villas from
the Roman period have been excavated and inscriptions found of family names, names of the Gods they worshipped and
names chosen for their sons. Cascais became a lookout for Lisbon in the great maritime era of discovering new worlds.
It was the first place the navigators saw when they returned from long and adventurous voyages seeking their homeland.
It was in Cascais during the latter part of the XIX century, that the Royal Family first began to bathe. It was a custom
which was becoming popular in Europe and Cascais was an ideal place owing to its mild climate. Over the years, many
important families have made Cascais into a cosmopolitan town...
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