My Lisbon vacation is long over. I've been back for almost a week now, yet every day I look at the thousands of photos I took and try to relive those moments. It was such a magical vacation abundant with great food, magnificent monuments, breathtaking miradouros, wonderful people!
Chances are if you've ever done some research prior to booking a Lisbon vacation, you absolutely saw Sintra as one of the must-see destinations around there. There is just so much to see! One of the places I was really looking forward to visiting while in Lisbon, was the infamous Palácio da Pena. I'm glad I looked into the best times to book, arrive et cetera, however I wish I hadn't overestimated my strength and walking abilities 😅 The distances are no joke! Enough with the talk though, I present to you one of my most treasured memories from Portugal - the colourful gem of Sintra: Palácio da Pena.
Seeing the photos of Pena Palace online is one thing, but being there, witnessing the vibrance of the colours, admiring the picturesque views, learning about its history - it's such a unique experience. The Palace is massive so it was really hard to fit it all into one photo (as you might have noticed). Truly majestic! ✨
We arrived at Palácio da Pena very early in the morning - there was only one couple in front of us. A few moments later, we saw a bigger group of people making their way to the entrance along with their tour guide. I gotta say I really liked this specific guide's vibe. First of all, he was talking in Spanish so I also got to enjoy his storytelling for a bit and for free 😁 He was also engaging with all the ladies in the group, sharing the history of the castle and the royal family, even making a few jokes here and there. Definitely booking him for my next Sintra visit (because one was absolutely not enough).
Even though I loved everything about Palácio da Pena (especially the views), Mosteiro dos Jerónimos remains my favourite when it comes to architecture. The monastery feels much more delicate and elegant, whereas the castle seem to inspire power, protection and security.
Pena Palace is one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, and trust me, these photos don't do it enough justice. The castle was originally a monastery. However, after the Great Lisbon earthquake in 1755, it lay mostly in ruins. The castle, as we know it today, was built in the 18th century by the orders of King Fernando II in the ruins of the monastery. Palácio da Pena was used as summer getaway by King Fernando II and his family, as well as King Carlos and his wife, Queen Amélie of Orléans.
The sitting room with its blue velvet upholstered chairs and sofa was perfection! ✨
Palace's courtyard.
And last but not least, some of the extraordinary views we were able to admire for a bit.
We could also see Castelo dos Mouros from Palácio da Pena which was quite spectacular.
All photos in this post belong to me
If you've successfully made it to the end (thank you 🙏🏼), here is a photo of me, pretending I've been cast in GoT 🤣
