Well, for those interested in one of the most eclectic palaces around, Portugal has one for the books: the Pena Palace in Sintra. Look no further for a Portuguese palace!
The town of Sintra
Sintra is a town easily reached from Lisbon; an hour away or so. It is very picturesque with its old district, windy and hilly alleys, and proximity to some interesting palaces/fortresses. The region around it is home to many ex-pats which makes it one of the more expensive areas of Portugal, much to the detriment of locals for whom the cost of real estate tends to go up in such scenarios.
But I digress… Visiting Sintra is a logical part of a circuit from Lisbon that could include the resort town of Cascais and Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point of continental Europe).
The Pena Palace
The main sight in the Sintra area is the Pena Palace. If you had asked me before to name a Portuguese palace, my mind would have gone blank. Pena Palace is quite a colorful sight with an eclectic mix of architectures. It sits on the site of a monastery that got destroyed in the massive earthquake that hit Portugal in the mid-1700s and devastated parts of the country. Its position atop the highest point in the area offers great views all around and towards Lisbon.
It took until the 1830s for someone to pay attention to the site. That would have been King Ferdinand II, a German price who married well into the Portuguese royal family. King Ferdinand, along with the Queen, infused the construction with many different styles of architecture such as Romantic, Medieval and Islamic. The result is a collage of styles and color that is quite fascinating to behold.
The palace remained a royal residence until Portugal shed its monarchy when the palace became property of the state. The interiors are typical of a palace.
Color me bright
The palace had lost its colors over the decades but that was addressed in the late 20th century when the original colors were restored.
By the way, it is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites so if you make it to Portugal, you must check Pena Palace out!
