royal palace - ilivetotravel's travel log

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.

Sintra, Portugal, Moorish Palace, travel, architecture — Sintra (Moorish Palace on top of the hill)

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.

Sintra, Portugal, Moorish Palace, travel, architecture, old kitchen — Massive kitchen!

Sintra, Portugal, Moorish Palace, travel, architecture, chapel — Small yet inspiring chapel

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!

Early last fall, when I was planning my itinerary for the SE Asia trip, there was an extra day to spare. With 5 days already in Bali and Singapore (and the phenomenal 57th story infinity pool) awaiting, the options became extending Siem Reap by one day, jumping from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, or stopping in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. As you may be aware due to my post about the Killing Fields, the choice was “PP” simply to avoid crossing another border (much as I wanted to “hit” Vietnam for the first time!).

It was a good choice. The sites related to the Pol Pot genocide of the 1970s were important to see. But it was also interesting to see this capital which seems to be booming (I suppose “booming” can be a relative term…) out its past as capital of a Communist regime. I wish I had gotten to see the “before” Phnom Penh so I could better grasp how far it has come.

Needless to say, the modern building boom is probably good for the economy but some of it is just more of the same glass buildings one sees everywhere. I seemed to have stayed in a good area (right by the Independence Monument) as main streets and side streets around the hotel felt much better than in other developing countries. The park by the Independence Monument and the park towards the Royal Palace were very pleasant spaces near the Mekong River. Lots of families walking the area and hanging out!

Though only 24 hours intown, I feel I did a good bit for such a limited visit – including a massage at the hotel I stayed (La Rose Hotel & Spa). Phnom Penh was pleasant and relaxed, and it was a good stop as the trip began to wrap up. And now I can spell Phnom Penh!

Here some of the scenes from Phnom Penh.