Sintra

A visit to Sintra is a must

Sintra is a compulsory place for any tourist coming to Portugal to visit, due either to its natural beauty or its rich architectural buildings and monuments

Located in the town's historical centre which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Quinta da Regaleira is one of these special places. Built at the turn of the 20th century in the romantic style style, this fascinating ensemble of buildings built in the middle of a dense wooded area is based on the realisation of the mythical magical dreams of its owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, in conjunction with the talents of Italian scenographical architect Luigi Manini.

Quinta da Regaleira is a place to be experienced. Learning about its history, the landscape and its mysteries leaves a lot to be desired: one has to be there in person to soak up the atmosphere, view the scenography of the gardens and buildings, go through the exotic park, and feel the spirituality of the Capela da Santíssima Trindade ( Holy Trinity Chapel ).

Then, along the road you will find the magnificent Monserrate Palace, recently restored after close to fifty years of abandonement.

In 1858, Francis Cook contracted James Knowles Jr. to design a pavilion he intended to have built at Monserrate. The architect however faced several limiting factors since he was forced to retain the existing structures of DeVisme's small old Neo-Gothic castle. Nevertheless, the new building that was constructed followed Knowles' plan and the building proved to be original and highly ecletic. The three bodies of the pavilion - topped by bulbous red domes - have facades with doors and windows incorporating soft Gothic curves.

Inside the palace, the exuberant stucco decoration accentuates the oriental style of the pavilion, particularly in the gallery and "Music Room". The superb gardens around the noble building were designed and created by Stockdale and also Thomas Gargill, who used the micro-climate of the hilly region to great effect, thus establishing a magnificent park where more than three thousand exotic species can still be seen today.

Since the Praia das Maçãs tramway is also part of Sintra's history, why not take a relaxing trip by this classic means of transport that connects the town to the coastline through the hills. The stretch between Ribeira and Praia das Maçãs was rebuilt in 1996/97 and the trams returned to Ribeira once more on 30th October, 1997. On 4th June, 2004 - the centenary year of the tramway - Sintra witnessed the new arrival of trams at the Estefânia area. The idea of having a line from Sintra to Colares and later Praia das Maçãs arose in 1886. For several years, repeated attempts to finalise this plan but failed one after another.

Only in November 1898 was a gigantic step forward taken when the Council granted Nunes de Carvalho and Emídio Pinheiros Borges a 99-year concession to build and run a railway between Sintra and Praia das Maçãs, with the steam-powered engines being later replaced by eletrical rolling stock. On 31st March 1904, the first part of the line, measuring 8.9 kms from Sintra ( Vila Velha ) to São Sebastião de Colares, was opened, followed by the remaining 3.8 kms to Praia das Maçãs on 10th July of the same year.

Sintra also has the honour of staging a Music and Dance Festival, the only one in Portugal that is part of the official rota of international classical music festivals, and the only one in the country dedicated exclusively to classical music and ballet.

The Sintra Festival, one of the largest and most prestigious cultural events held regularly in Portugal, takes place at various venues. These include the Olga Cadaval Cultural Centre, the fantastic Monserrate and Penha Longa gardens, Pena and Queluz national palaces, the Seteias Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and the Palácio Nacional da Vila (Sintra).

Those who have taken part in previous Festivals include pianists Pedro Burmester, Maria João Pires, Grigory Solokov and Frenchman of Lebanese extraction, Abdel Rahman El-Bacha who provided a rendering of the complete works of Chopin.

Celebrated ballet performances have been held by the Royal Ballet, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Scappino Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, Olga Roriz, as well as the choreographer, Rui Horta.