Traveling to Lisbon not only involves visiting the most attractive corners of the Portuguese capital, but implicitly includes making visits to its surroundings. What’s more, the trip is incomplete if you don’t take the opportunity to discover any of the beautiful towns or scenic spots in this region known as Costa Estoril.
The first thing you need to know is that everything is very, very close to Lisbon, and not everyone is aware of this reality. And this is where Iberinbound comes to help you. Iberinbound iberinbound@iberinbound.com incoming travel agency in Portugal, specialized in Group tours if they are Educational, Students, Leisure , ad-hoc groups, Shorex, MICE on a guided tour of Lisbon and surroundings, where you will get to know its main monuments and corners and the essential places that you should know in this beautiful region.
We refer to Cascais and the Guincho beach, or Sintra, the center of a lush mountain range, with various palaces and gardens, among which the imposing Pena Palace stands out.
And you even have the town of Mafra, with its imposing convent, which is just 43 kilometers away.
And I don’t want to forget about Obidos, even though I am already outside this coastal region, a fortified town, perhaps the most beautiful and charming you find just an hour’s drive north of Lisbon.
What to see in the Sierra de Sintra
This region that surrounds Lisbon has as its geographical center the spectacular Sierra de Sintra, a mountainous enclave with very lush eucalyptus forests.
But it is also very attractive the contrast between the lush landscapes and gardens of the Sintra park and the monumental corners it contains, which have the Sintra town as its center. So you have Sintra itself, a town whose history dates back to Roman times and was occupied by Muslims, although the most interesting places to visit are located in the surroundings, in various corners of the lush forest.
Specifically, it is the Palacio da Pena, the Quinta de Regaleira, the Castillo dos Moros and the Capuchinos Convent.
In the old town you can visit the Sintra National Palace building, built at the time of the Muslim occupation, and which in 1147 passed into the hands of the first king of Portugal. Its importance is found in that it is the only one preserved in Portugal from that time, although the building that you can now visit is from the beginning of the 15th century, and in which the elements of Manueline architecture and Mudejar tiles stand out.
Palacio da Pena in Sintra
When you go to Sintra you should know that the center of your visit must be the Palacio da Pena, which was the summer residence of the last kings of Portugal, and that in its majestic enclave most seems to be taken from a story.
This imposing palace was built in the mid-19th century and is the expression of Portuguese romanticism.
In this enclave there was an old monastery, whose structure is preserved in a part of the palatial building that you are now going to visit.
The Palacio da Pena is currently a monument declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.
On your visit to the Palacio da Pena you will see its iconic architectural element, the Portico and the El Tritón window. as well as various rooms and rooms, among which the Arab Room and the Indian Room stand out.
Quinta de Regaleira in Sintra
Another corner to visit near Sintra is the Quinta de Regaleira, a mansion located between large gardens and the lush forest of the mountains, which was built in the early 20th century.
This palace was built in the French Gothic style, although on visiting its interior you will see other architectural styles such as the Italian Renaissance.
On your walk through the park you will also see the Regaleira Chapel with its striking Manueline style, as well as the 27-meter-deep Initiating Well.
Monserrate Palace in Sintra
Of the places you can visit near Sintra, there is one that from my point of view has a special charm, the Monserrate palace and its gardens.
This is a mid-19th century palace that was built in a romantic style with Arab influences commissioned by a British millionaire.
The palace is located in leafy centennial gardens that, as a curiosity, have the first irrigated lawn that was installed in Portugal.
Inside the palace its interior decoration stands out, with its large arches and the spectacular Music Room.
Azenhas de Mar
A characteristic of this region is the great diversity of its attractions.
Above all, it is a coastal area where you can see from secluded towns such as Azenhas de Mar, located in a beautiful setting on a cliff.
At its feet, very popular natural pools open in summer, and Azenhas de Mar is also, due to its special location, a very nice place to go eat fish in one of its restaurants with a terrace overlooking the sea.
Guincho beach
On the road that takes you along the coast from Cascais to Sintra you will pass by the most famous beach in this area near Lisbon.
It is the Guincho beach, an unfriendly enclave to go alone to bathe or sunbathe due to its special location open to the Atlantic.
On the other hand, Guincho is a beach frequented by surfers due to the large waves that form, and wind surfing due to the strong winds that are common throughout the year.