I recently took a trip to Europe to visit my younger sister who is studying abroad in Paris, France. While I was visiting her, she had two weeks off from school so we decided to do some travelling together. We spent a couple days in Barcelona, Spain and then five days in Lisbon, Portugal, before heading back to Paris.
One of my favourite things we did was visit Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, which is just outside of Lisbon. Sintra is a beautiful town with gorgeous parks, palaces and museums and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sintra is easily accessible by train from Rossio train station in Lisbon, making it the perfect day trip from the city. My sister and I then walked up to where Quinta da Regaleira is located and did some exploring.
The property is home to a gorgeous house which you can see from the street, a small chapel, lush gardens, gorgeous views of the town, including Pena Palace, and many mysteries to explore.
One of the most interesting parts to explore at Quinta da Regaleira is the underground tunnels. Although parts are very dark (and a little bit scary) it is worth exploring. The caves and tunnels are naturally cool, which is a nice break from sun on a hot day and lead to even more fascinating things, like the two initiation wells, one of which is unfinished. Not much is known about what the wells were used for, but they are rich in symbolism.
I was in awe at the beauty of this place the entire day and could not believe it was real. If you’re ever in Lisbon and love exploring, I would highly recommend a visit to Sintra and especially to Quinta da Regaleira.
katherineannlake
It looks so picturesque, and Pena Palace looks a lot like the scene in GOT where the stone men jump out at Tyrion. Glad you had such an amazing time, Taylor, and I can’t wait to see more pictures from your travels!
Katherine || The Green Bows
taylorjantzi
Thanks for the comment! I’ll be posting more pictures from my trip soon 🙂