On 10/12/2022, we dropped the kids off at school and went to Sintra, just the two of us, to enjoy our Brazilian holiday, visiting the Sintra National Palace with all the peace and quiet in the world. What a delightful trip! Sometimes, going for a walk or traveling without kids is all we need, right?

We parked the car very close to the Palace, in the middle of the street, and walked to the entrance. We bought the tickets online. on the official website of the place and we took advantage of the 5% discount, totaling 17 euros for the 2 of us.

The Palace

The National Palace of Sintra, founded by the Arabs, became the residence of the Portuguese Royal Family from the 12th century onwards and for around eight centuries. The only surviving medieval Royal Palace, its current configuration has not changed substantially since the mid-16th century, resulting from successive building campaigns by King Dinis, King João I and King Manuel I.

The Sintra National Palace, which combines several architectural styles – Gothic, Mudejar and Manueline – was widely used in the Middle Ages as a retreat for the court during the summer months and for hunting. World-renowned for the profile of the two monumental conical chimneys in its kitchens, it displays a unique collection of Hispano-Moorish tiles inside.

(source DGPC)

The visit

We walked around very calmly, reading the signs, taking photos, enjoying the view and each other. I think we stayed there for about 2 hours. There is a lot to see, many beautiful Moorish details that fascinate me, but the place we liked the most was the Hall of Coats of Arms, where we found our surnames. It was really cool to look for it!

We left the Palace feeling excited, walked through the narrow streets of the center of Sintra and when it started to rain, we got back in the car and drove back to Cascais, where we went to try the delicious Izakaya restaurant, which serves Japanese bar food. If you want to know more, see this post.

Our photos