Located in the Sintra hills, the Park and Palace of Pena are the fruit of King Ferdinand II’s creative genius and the greatest expression of 19th-century romanticism in Portugal, denoting clear influences from the Manueline and Moorish styles of architecture. The palace was built in such a way as to be visible from any point in the park, which consists of a forest and luxuriant gardens with over five hundred different species of trees originating from the four corners of the earth.

The Historic Centre in Sintra was one of the highlights of our trip. Sintra is this lovely, quaint little village where everything is boutique, local and artisan. It's a labyrinth of alleyways with a restaurant on every corner and a the delicious smell of something cooking wafts down every street. It's vibrant, there's colour everywhere, from the little flags that string across the pathways, to the deep mustard buildings, and the flower boxes that sit below windows. Little frescoes and tiles painted with rural scenes adorn the outsides of residences and they show a side of Portugal that is still very real. We will try the cherry liqueur served in a little chocolate shotcup, and you are free to explore and try the pastries all buttery and warm from the ovens.

Cabo da Roca liegt auf 38º 47´ nördlicher Breite und 9º 30´ westlicher Länge und ist ein wichtiger Punkt für Segler entlang der Küste, da es der westlichste Punkt des europäischen Festlands ist. Dies wird durch die Zertifikate bestätigt, die Besucher als Souvenir mitnehmen. Etwa 150 Meter über dem Meeresspiegel bietet sich hier ein Panoramablick über die Serra de Sintra und die Küste, der einen Besuch wert ist. Historische Aufzeichnungen belegen, dass sich im 17. Jahrhundert auf Cabo da Roca eine Festung befand, die eine wichtige Rolle bei der Bewachung der Hafeneinfahrt von Lissabon spielte und insbesondere während der Spanischen Unabhängigkeitskriege eine Verteidigungslinie entlang der Küste bildete. Heute sind nur noch Spuren davon zu sehen, ebenso wie der Leuchtturm, der noch immer ein wichtiger Punkt für die Schifffahrt ist. Es liegt im Naturpark Sintra-Cascais und ist eine der Sehenswürdigkeiten auf den Wanderwegen entlang der Küste.

Situated close to the sea and traditionally a fishing village, Cascais enjoyed an important period of development in the 14th century, when it was a major stopping off point for boats on their way to Lisbon, turning it into a very busy port at that time. It was, however, in the second half of the 19th century, when sea bathing became a popular activity, that Cascais was given the impetus that transformed it into a very fashionable summer resort. The great driving force behind this transformation was the king of Portugal, Dom Luís I, who, in 1870, converted the Fortaleza da Cidadela into the summer residence of the Portuguese monarchy. The king's example was immediately copied by the nobility, who built palaces and extremely beautiful villas in the town, where they spent the hottest season of the year, completely transforming the appearance of the former fishing village. Cascais also began to attract the attention of the curious, who came here to enjoy a stroll by the seaside, and access to the town was greatly facilitated by the opening of the railway line between Pedrouços and Cascais in 1889. Nowadays, Cascais is a very lively and cosmopolitan town that still preserves a great deal of its earlier aristocratic atmosphere.