Tag Archives: sintra
Enjoy the sweet Lisbon Valentine!
Celebrating February as the month of universal love, there are plenty of things to see, create and enjoy!
Allow yourself to live the most wonderful moments with your lovely half surrounded by uniqueness, romance, history and adventure.
Known as the city of colorful cobbled streets, Lisbon has a plethora of secrets that are unknown to most people. If you’re planning a trip to Portugal’s marvellous capital and want to know what lies beneath the surface, you cannot miss its most wonderful attractions!
Lisbon is the oldest city in Western Europe. In fact, it’s one of the oldest European capital after Athens, many historians believing that it was settled by the Phoenicians around 1200 B.C., who used the excellent transport possibilities offered by the River Tagus.
Lisbon has never been declared or confirmed as the capital in any official document, unlike most other capital cities. It simply became the de facto capital when in 1255 Alfonso III of Portugal moved the court to what had become Portugal’s largest and most important city.
One of the most interesting attractions is the beautiful Belém Tower, which is one of the city’s must-see landmarks and architectural wonders.
Standing on the waterfront at Belém, near the mouth of the River Tagus, the Torre de Belém is arguably the most iconic symbol of Lisbon. Originally conceived as a lighthouse, the tower was built during the Age of Discoveries as a defensive fortress at the orders of King Manuel I.
Originally sited in the middle of the river, the tower represents the highpoint of decorative Manueline architecture. Its ornate façade is adorned with fanciful maritime motifs, all twisted rope and armillary spheres carved out of stone.
Granted the World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1983, the Belém Tower is today one of the most popular tourist attractions in Lisbon.
Another astonishing attraction is the stunning Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of the Discoveries) which was designed to commemorate the Age of Discoveries in Portugal. It was inaugurated in 1960, on the fifth centenary of one of the country’s great discoverers, Prince Henry the Navigator, who discovered the Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde.
You can witness the beauty and the grandiosity of this building, and also learn the History associated with it. On the right bank of the Tagus River rests the image of the prow of a caravel (the ship used by the Portuguese navigators), with the shield of Portugal on both sides and the sword of the Real Casa de Avis (Royal House of Avis).
The tribute is located on the coast of Belém, near Lisbon and is also very close to other important sights like Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery.
Definitely one of the most rewarding day trip experiences out of Lisbon, is a visit to the wonderfully romantic town of Sintra, a direct 40-minute rail journey from the city center. Nestling in the foothills of the rugged Serra de Sintra, a rolling landscape of verdant woodland peppered with outcrops of granite, this enchanting destination unfolds as a scenic picture book of regal royal palaces, mysterious mansions, and a mighty Moorish castle dating from the 8th century.
The coloured tones of the palace, the pinnacle of Romanticism in Portugal and the eternal legacy of Ferdinand II, the King-Artist, opens the doors to the imagination of all those who cross its threshold, with the infinite shades of green painting the surrounding park establishing an idyllic scenario, frequently hidden under the veil of the mists that characterise the Sintra Hills.
Lisbon’s huge riverfront square, Praça do Comércio, is impressive enough seen from the ground, but it’s only when viewed from the Arco da Rua Augusta that its vast dimensions can really be appreciated.
You can visit the top of this unique structure for a truly singular and impressive view of Baixa and the river. It symbolises the rebirth of a new Lisbon after the tragedy of the earthquake, fire and tsunami in 1755 that razed what stood before.
You can always have a sweet escape to the fascinating city of Porto, safely using Porto Low Cost Transfers, which is always offering trusting transfer services, as well as Faro Airport Transfers, providing mesmerising trips and tours to the delightful Faro, ready to welcome the tourists from all over the world!
Lisbon is the magic city which provides the most wonderful experiences, romantic trips to Sintra and so many other key-points cities, and unforgettable adventures, always relying on Lisbon Transfers!
Sintra, the most romantic destination in Portugal
I always love to talk about this place because it is one of my favorite spots in Portugal. So today I’m going to share with you my impressions on Sintra, the most romantic destination in Portugal according to many.
Sintra is nested in a forested region where the air is fresh and old trees grow to shield the secluded town and its half a dozen castles and palaces. It is a beautifully seductive hiding place for those of you who want to stay in a “Beauty and the Beast”-like or fairytale-like, this is it!