Thursday, September 07, 2006

Sintra - town from fairy tale


Sintra is small town on Atlantic coast of Portugal just short trip by train from Lisbon. It looks and feels like fairy tale set. Town and area was favorite hunting ground for King of Portugal, later popular retreat for English and European nobility. Great old palaces, churches and mansions used as summer houses discreetly hidden by ancient forest. Two highest mountain peaks of Sintra adorned with ruins Castelo dos Mouros, a fort built by Arabs the 8th Century and 19th Century Royal castle Palácio da Pena.

Build on the ruins of the Hieronymite Monastery of Nossa Senhora da Pena by Dom Fernando II, the German husband of Portuguese Queen Maria II. Revolution of October 4, 1910 forced last King Manuel of Portugal to flee country. Everything in castle left intact, my favorite place was kitchen with number of huge cooper and brass pots and cooking utensils.
Castle surrounded by magnificent and mysterious Jardins de Monserrate - romantic park where local trees mixed with exotic subtropical plants and shrubs that were planted by Sir Francis Cook with the help of his head gardener James Burt.

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