portugal (sintra & cascais) day 7

Today we decided to visit Sintra. I’ve been to Sintra before and thought the place was quite beautiful so I wanted my mom and sis to experience that too.

Sintra is a beautiful old town high in the mountains. It has its own microclimate and as such, experiences a lot of rain.

A few years ago, I visited Quinta de Regalaria. The driver who took me there pronounced it keeenta da hhhhghalarria – so that’s how I say it now. 🙂

Quinta Da Regalaria is an estate which once belonged to a Viscountess whose merchant family came from Porto.

The gardens are romantic with a wild, overgrown feel to them. Because it’s so damp and rainy, moss grows everywhere. Tropical palms and bamboo grow alongside chestnuts and pines. Flowers of all kinds grow abundantly and prolifically.

After leaving Sintra, we drove to Cascais – about 30 minutes drive away. It’s a coastal town that’s both ruggedly beautiful and laid-back touristy. Definitely worth a more leisurely visit.

Colares, which is nearby, is the western-most point on mainland Europe. Wildflowers – kinds I’d never seen – pepper the area. Some look like flora from another planet.