Location: Parque da Pena - Estrada da Pena, Portugal
A lovely weekend of 18 degree days greeted us as we stepped out into the foreign sun of Lisbon on Saturday morning, compensating for the 4:30am easyBus ride to London's Luton Airport.
We headed straight for the town of Sintra, a 40 minute train ride from Entre Campos station, which we reached from the airport via bus, effectively saving us from making a pit stop in the capital.
Arriving in the quaint town, a bus ride up the Sintra hills bypassed views of a number of historical palaces and castles. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was validated as we entered the grounds of Palácio da Pena for €8. Tackling the incline of the palace's gardens, (grateful that the '18m' sign post was interpreted correctly as 18 metres, rather than 18 minutes), we viewed hints of fairytale fantasies as we glimpsed the pastel colours of the Neuschwanstein-like castle th
rough the trees. A kids playground as we explored the palace, there was a surreal romanticism surrounding the former royal retreat, bringing more highlights and amazement at each corner.
To make the most of the weather, we followed the winding footpaths further up the mountain through the historical gardens to the highest place of the Sintra Hill
s, Cruz Alta - High Cross. Climbing the rock face, we weren't sure if we had actually made it until we saw the crater in the stone, a timely reminder of where the cross should have been. All that effort for the missing redeemer! Fresh air and sunlight during our visit to the park made for such a refreshing weekend away it was only timely that it would rain the whole day after, when we got back to London.
Item 18: Sintra? CHECK!
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