Estoril is an upscale residential town 30 minutes west of Lisbon, quieter than the big city but close to Lisbon and other interesting areas we wanted to visit. We didn’t spend any time looking around Estoril, just used it as our base to explore the surrounding area.
SINTRA
The town of Sintra is a 30 minute drive from Estoril and while February is low season here, Sintra is still a popular destination. Once a summer retreat for Portuguese nobility and royalty, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is captivating with its opulent palaces, extravagant villas and historic sites, all set amongst lush forests and steep hills. The sites are so spread out that its impossible to see everything in one day so we broke our sightseeing into two days. The first day was a bit of getting lost and figuring out when/where/how to get around so we only visited Quinta da Regaleira, one of the principal attractions in Sintra. We missed this one when we were here 6 years ago and I was keen to see the famous Initiation Well, built between 1904 and 1911 by Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, an eccentric Free Mason who owned the estate at the time. It is believed the well might have been used for clandestine ritualistic purposes and became popularly known as the Initiation Well. The well is 27 meters deep and more like an inverted tower than a well, with a circular staircase and 9 platforms, possibly representing the nine circles of Hell. At the bottom of the well is a tile floor depicting a compass and a very faded Knights Templar Cross. The well is so interesting that we went through it twice, the second time was much less crowded than the first so that was a good idea.
At the bottom of the well there are four tunnels leading to the grottoes, a waterfall and a second unfinished well.
Other than the Initiation Well the main attraction of Quinta da Regaleira is its gardens. They are not the typical gardens of a stately 19th century home, but those of an owner fascinated with secret religious orders and mysticism. Within the estate is a hidden cave network, forested pathways, ornamental lakes, a chapel, a tower, fountains and the extravagant villa. It was easy to spend a couple of hours exploring the property. Tickets to Quinta da Regaleira cost 10 Euros (USD $10.36) each.
During our first day in Sintra we stopped at the tourist information office and were told that we needed to pre-purchase tickets online for the Pena Palace, so we did that before we went back for our second day. Tickets are sold for specific time slot entries and you don’t want to be late or you will be denied entry. We booked the 9:30 am slot, the first one of the day, and made it just in time. Everything takes much longer than you think so if you are coming here, allow yourself plenty of time. First we had to find parking, which is a big challenge in Sintra, then we had to find a way up to the palace gates because only authorized vehicles are allowed up the narrow mountain road. There is a bus but it does not start until 9 am and tuk-tuks are scarce at 8:30am so we ordered an Uber to take us up the mountain. We got to the gate for the 9 am opening and it was then a short bus ride, or a 15 minute walk, up to the palace itself (the shuttle bus costs 2.85 Euros/USD $3.08 in addition to the palace ticket). The tour through the palace is a one way route in order to keep people moving efficiently, not crucial in February but essential in the height of tourist season I’m sure. Tickets to the palace cost 20.85 Euros (USD $21.71) each.
The Pena Palace is an outstanding example of the 19th century Romanticism style of architecture, with its brightly painted terraces, ornamental battlements, statues of mythological creatures and an entrance guarded by a statue of Triton. It was built in 1839 when king consort Ferdinand II attained the ruins of the monastery on the site and started to adapt it to a palace. In 1889 the palace was purchased by the Portuguese State and in 1907 was classified as a national monument and transformed into a museum.
CABO DA ROCHA is the most western tip of Continental Europe. We have been here before but its not far from Sintra and it’s a stunning viewpoint worth visiting a second time.
BOCA DO INFERNO is at the western edge of Cascais and is a unique sea arch and cliff formation. The highly eroded limestone cliffs are relentlessly battered by the full force of the Atlantic Ocean sending the waves exploding upwards over the cliffs.
We had originally booked 15 nights at the apartment in Estoril but unfortunately it was in an old building and the cigarette smoke from the neighbors infiltrated our apartment and was unbearable. So much so that we asked our host for a refund, which he kindly agreed to, and we moved to an apartment in Cascais, very close to Boca Do Inferno. So off we go for an unplanned stay in Cascais…..
TRIP TIPS
If you are looking for a gym in Estoril we can recommend the Next Level Fitness Club. It is a small gym attached to a tennis club and it cost 50 Euros (USD $51.83) each for a two week pass.
Tickets to the Pena Palace can be bought online here.
If you don’t have an early time booking at Pena Palace then there is a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus that will take you to all the sites around the town. It can be bought at the bus stop and there are two routes you can take. The cost is 13.50 Euros (USD $14.60) for 24 hours.