A Swiss Chalet Of Dreams In Sintra, Portugal

What a strange little place -- they use cork to decorate the interior and exterior of this chalet. Everything is a bit over the top, but it was fun to visit and take pictures. And once we learned about the history, and the former owner, we knew that fairy tales really can come true. Read why, in the article below which was published first TODAY on our > Lisbon Travel Blog.

Elise Hensler was born in Switzerland, but moved to Boston when still a child, where she became an American citizen. She studied opera and returned to Europe as a young adult, living in Paris and joining the Teatro alla Scala, in Milan. Eventually, her job took her to Portugal for a performance at the São Carlos theater, where Ferdinand II was in attendance.

At this point, Ferdinand was no longer actually king of Portugal — he had only held the title through his wife, Queen Maria II. When she died, in 1853, the crown passed to their son Pedro V, for whom Ferdinand acted as regent. But still, even a former European king isn’t too shabby. Elise became his lover and, soon, his second wife. Although she wouldn’t ascend to the royalty through the marriage, she was granted the title of Countess of Edla.

The chalet in which she lived is utterly charming, and the alpine architecture reflects her Swiss origins. We knew immediately, though, that this couldn’t possibly be her actual house, because it looks brand new. After having fallen in to neglect, the original chalet was consumed by fire in 1999. The house was completely restored in 2011, and re-opened to the public.

There has been an effort to bring back the original elements. Most notable is the abundance of cork in the decorations, such as in the walls, and within the tiles of the dining room. There are just a handful of rooms, and you can see the entire chalet within fifteen minutes. Afterwards, it’s worth wandering around the gardens which surround the house, where Elise and the King engaged in their joint hobby, botany.

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