Seniors Find Sintra To Be a True Gem

Sintra is one of the most delightful places to be found in all of Portugal, a senior tourist region par excellence. Historic Sintra is an heritage patrimony site declared by UNESCO. Today senior tourists flock to the area, dotted by royal retreats, estates, castles and buildings from the 8th-9th century.

Considered not only one of the wonders of Portugal but indeed all of Europe, Hans Christian Anderson described the city as the “most beautiful place in Portugal.” Lord Byron called it “glorious Eden.” Now seniors, you can add your quote after your visit.

 Sintra is both a town and a municipality in the Lisbon Coast region of Portugal. Its spectacular setting, 28km from the capital Lisbon, houses a Royal Palace, used by generations of Portuguese royalty prior to the 1910 revolution. The surrounding hills are surmounted by the remains of the Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) and by the nineteenth-century Pena Palace.

Seniors Drawn to World Heritage Site

Seniors are drawn to the altitude of Sintra surrounded by shady forests that have provided relief from the heat for centuries.  Lisbon is only a half an hour drive away, 17 miles, and many of the locals head out for Sintra when it turns hot. The train from Lisbon is about 40 minutes from Sintra so it’s often packed with day-trippers.

In 1995 the city was named a World Heritage Site and by now senior readers know that this author puts those sites always at the top of any bucket list. UNESCO noted that “its structures harmonize with a refined landscape created by man as a result of literary and artistic influences.” If that statement does not light up your curiosity, what does?

Good ol’ TripAdvisor is on the scene again and their listing of things to see and do prove very helpful in our plans to visit Sintra. Few places in the world can invoke a sense of magic and mystery as does Sintra. From magical forests to romantic palaces Sintra never fails to seduce. One of the true gems of this village is the Quinta de Regaleira.

The Palacio Nacional da Pena is located at Estrada da Pena, which is on the upper part of the Parque da Pena. The palace is a National Monument and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Monserrate Palace packs in visitors who learn that the exotic palace was built in 1858 for English nobleman, Sir Francis Cook.

 Sintra was a popular vacation escape for the Portuguese monarchy and aristocracy, who added their mark to the landscape by building so many wonderful palaces.

Enjoy Sintra. May see you there.  jeb