SINTRA & CASCAIS TOUR, PORTUGAL, LATIKAS WORLD

SINTRA: Sintra is a delightful Portuguese town in the
foothills of Portugal’s Sintra Mountains, near the capital, Lisbon. Hidden within these pine covered hills are extravagant palaces, opulent mansions and the ruins of an ancient castle. The town of Sintra feels like something out of a fairy tale. Sintra, with its higher elevations and cooler temperatures, served as a popular summer retreat for the Portuguese nobility and elite, which explains the prevalence of the lavish castles and palaces here.

PENA PALACE AND PARK: Located in the Sintra hills, Pena Palace and Park are the fruits 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.

CASTLE OF THE MOORS: An ancient and majestic fortress built by the Arabs in the 8th century and conquered by the first Portuguese King Afonso I in 1147, it offers breathtaking view of Sintra.

QUINTA DA REGALEIRA: Built at the end of the 19th century, this magical villa and garden is a neo-Manueline extravaganza, dreamed up by Italian opera-set designer, Luigi Manini, under the orders of Brazilian coffee tycoon, António Carvalho Monteiro. The palace and other buildings disseminated in the estate are full of masonic, alchemic and esoteric symbols.

THE INITIATION WELL: It looks like an inverted tower and depending on the direction one chooses to walk, it represents a journey into the depths of Mother Earth or a rise up into the light. Symbolically, the well represents the death/rebirth allegory, typical within many mystical traditions. The journey through the well is like a rebirth through Mother Earth’s womb.

CABO DA ROCA: Cabo da Roca or Cape Roca is the westernmost point of mainland Europe. A famous Portuguese poet called Luís de Camões described Cabo da Roca as the place “where the land ends and the sea begins”.

CASCAIS: Cascais is a traditional and charming Portuguese fishing town, which is situated on the beautiful Lisbon coastline. It was the summer retreat of the Portugal’s royal family and today is an elegant fusion of decorative 19th century architecture and modern tourist facilities.

ESTORIL: Estoril is a stylish and fashionable Portuguese beach resort that is situated on the beautiful coastline that extends to the west of Lisbon. In 1941, a British Naval Intelligence officer by the name of Ian Fleming checked into "Hotel Palacio". He made the place legendary by using it for the creation of one of the most famous characters of all time - James Bond, getting influenced by British double agent Duskov Popov, who also stayed in the same hotel at that time. "Casino Royale", Ian Fleming's first Bond book, was published in 1952.

I booked this tour through "INSIDE LISBON" at Information Centre, Praça do Comércio, Lisbon. My sincere thanks to our Tour Guide Dr. Nuno Machado (dr.nfcm@gmail.com). He is very knowledgeable & courteous with excellent driving skills. According to me, it is a "must tour" when you are in Lisbon. Kindly enjoy this video as much as I did.