Portugal

Swan Room was a favorite of João I, one of the founding kings of Portugal, father of
Henry the Navigator and husband of Philippa of Lancaster. The Room of the Sirens or
Mermaids is one of the most elegant in the palace. The Heraldic or Stag Room holds
coats of arms of aristocratic Portuguese families, and hunting scenes. Tile-fronted stoves
are in the Old Kitchen, where feasts were held in bygone days.
The palace is also rich in paintings and Iberian and Flemish tapestries, but perhaps it’s
simply worth a visit for its good views: In most of the rooms, wide windows look out
onto attractive views of the Sintra mountain range.
As you approach the palace, you can buy a ticket at the kiosk on your left. The palace
opens onto the central town square. Outside, two conical chimney towers form the most
distinctive landmark on the Sintra skyline. The walk from the train station at Sintra to
the national palace takes about 10 minutes. After leaving the station, take a left and follow
the road.
Largo da Rainha Dona Amélia. & 21/910-68-40. www.ippar.pt/monumentos/palacio_sintra.html.
Admission 5€ adults, 3€ ages 15–25, free for children under 14; free admission on Sun and some holidays.
Thurs–Tues 10am–1pm and 2–5pm.
Quinta da Regaleria Classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this quinta
(manor house) in the old quarter was built at the turn of the 20th century. It incorporates
architectural elements of the Gothic, Manueline, and Renaissance styles. You can take a
tour of the property, which is filled with antiques and artifacts. The building’s turrets
afford panoramic views of the countryside. After touring the house, visitors can stroll
through the surrounding park.
Rua Visconde de Monserrate. & 21/910-66-50. www.regaleira.pt. Admission with tour guide 10€ adults,
5€ children 8–14, 2.50€ for children under 8; without tour guide 5€ adults. Daily 10:30am–5:30pm.
Shopping
Folkloric, history-rich Sintra has been a repository of salable Portuguese charm since the
dawn of modern tourism. As you wander through its cobblestone streets and alleyways,
you’ll find many intriguing outlets for handmade folk art from the region and the rest of
Portugal.
The best shops include A Esquina, Praça da República 20 (& 21/923-34-27). It carries
many hand-painted ceramics, some of which are reproductions of designs that originated
between the 15th and 18th centuries. Almorábida, Rua Visconde de Monserrate
12–14 (& 21/924-05-39), in front of Sintra Palace, sells Arraiolos carpets, lace, and
intricately hammered copperware. A worthy antiques shop close to the town center is
Henrique Teixeira, Rua Consigliéri Pedroso 2 (& 21/923-10-43). It carries sometimes
dauntingly expensive furniture and accessories, including an exceptional collection of
antique brass and bronze hardware.
Casa Branca, Rua Consigliéri Pedroso 12 (& 21/923-05-28), is the shop for linens.
A recent client included former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright, who bingeshopped
here for what we were told was more than 30,000€ worth of bed- and tableware.
Inventories include embroideries from Madeira, the Azores, and the north of Portugal.
Nightdresses and negligees, some of them with rich embroideries on silk or cotton, are
particularly beautiful, often with provocatively flimsy décolletage.
Violeta, Rua das Padarias 19 (& 21/923-40-95), stocks hand-embroidered linen
tablecloths, towels, sheets, and bedspreads.
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ESTORIL, CASCAIS & SINTRA 7
SINTRA: BYRON’S “GLORIOUS EDEN”