We boarded a van and headed for Sintra, only about a half hour's drive outside of Lisbon.
We then headed to the mountains to the Pena Palace above Sintra. It took quite some doing to get there by two different vans, plus some walking, but so well worth it! I have never seen such a colorful palace--so beautiful! It had its beginnings, also, in the Middle Ages, then became a convent, which finally became a palace of the royal Portuguese families until 1910. Now it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Afterwards, we saw the Cascais, a beautiful fishing and tourist area of Lisbon.
The historically important Sintra National Palace (where the Royal Families resided from the 15th to the 19th centuries). We toured the grounds but didn't go inside.
This is the dining room today . . .
This is what it looked like when the monks were living here.
Back to Sintra.
We then returned to Lisbon. Such a great day of learning so much and seeing so many beautiful places!
(Lisbon Continued on Next Post.)
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