Sintra and its Charming Palaces, Castles and Water Fountains, Sintra, Portugal

Located in the hills of Serra de Sintra, Sintra is home to palaces, fairy-tale castles, castle ruins, water fountains and villas that belonged to Royalty and aristocracy. It is also one of the most visited spots in Portugal with millions of visitors flocking here to explore its beautiful castles, never mind the season.

Thus, one morning I arrived early on the train from Lisbon to explore this charming little city. My timed entry into Pena Palace, Sintra’s star attraction, was for 10.15 am, which gave me plenty of time to make quick stops before arriving at my destination. I decided to take my own private transport for two reasons – it gave me the freedom to stop wherever I wanted and secondly, I did not have to wait for the bus, which, going by the milling crowds, was going to pose challenges.

Alfonso, my driver, an immigrant from Argentina was a keen conversationalist and despite our differences in language (I speak no Spanish to save my life), we managed a decent flow of conversation. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).