Maybe you remember that just a little over a week ago I was in Portugal for Spring Break. Maybe not. The thing is given how busy I’ve been this past week, it’s hard for me to remember that 10 days ago I was exploring an entirely different country. These days it seems like I’ve always lived in Sofia.
Luckily I have the pictures to prove that I was there!!
Gardens!
But it turns out that I have some really beautiful photos which prove that I was in Portugal and took a day trip to this incredible little town called Sintra. A town my guidebook called “the summer retreat of Portugal’s kings.” It’s not a town that will let you down or disappoint you.
View from upper street in Sintra
While a guidebook can give you plenty of names, dates and funny little stories they can never however do justice to the beauty of a place. In spring, the nature surrounding Sintra was a multitude greens. I couldn’t get enough of it.
Lord Byron apparently also dug Sintra. I can see why.
Main Street of Sintra
There are two great castles/palaces–the National Palace and Pena Palace–in and around the city. While climbing the hill to the second palace–Pena–for the first time in my entire life I wondered: what makes a building a castle? and what makes a building a palace?
Fairy-tale Castle
I think it’s okay to wonder these things as an American. It’s not like we do palaces or castles in America.
But do you want to know who does palaces well? The Portuguese.
More Castle
The Pena Palace is amazing and I bet that Prince Ferdinand who built the palace was also amazing. I told my Portuguese friends that I wanted him to be my dad so that I could live in that palace. They told me that I probably didn’t want him as my dad. I trust them on this one because, well, they know more Portuguese history than I do.
View from the Palace to the Atlantic Ocean
They also know where to buy the best pastries in Sintra. That’s why it’s important to have friends who are locals. They also speak the language which helps.
Pastries in Sintra
They also knew that we should try ginjinha a sweet sour-cherry liquor in a chocolate cup. Did I mention that you get to eat the cup once you’ve finished the liquor? Who thought of that. So Clever. And tasty. Yum. Yum.
Drinking Ginjinha
Yay, Portugal! I am going in a month as well. Do you happen to know how much is train/bus ticket from Lisbon to Sintra?