Sintra has many romantic palaces but each has something unique to offer. One of our favorites is Monserrate, a palace surrounded by luscious gardens built in 1856 by Francis Cook, a famous British art collector.
When the Portuguese government bought the estate in 1949, the palace was in disrepair. The costly restoration work started in 1999 and only finished recently. It was worth the wait. We now have the privilege of seeing how the palace looked when the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen visited it in 1866. Here’s what he wrote:
“Large white bell-flowers hang from one tree; pearl-shaped, rose-colored berries from another, juicy fruits and sun-filled colored flowers grew here. Down over the smooth velvet lawn rippled the clear spring water. Above this fresh green, the castle rose in Moorish style, a fit subject for the Arabian Nights or a romantic fairy picture. The sun sank into the sea, which became rose-colored; the brightness of the sea and sky was reflected magically upon the marble white walls and decorations, filling with light the large mirror-clear window panes. The air was so warm, so still, so penetrated with the perfume of flowers, that one felt carried away from reality.”
Salt of Portugal 
É um palácio lindíssimo! Conheci-o há muitos anos, em perfeito estado de abandono, o restauro ficou uma maravilha. A não perder. Obrigado pela divulgação da minha amada Sintra! 🙂
É um prazer! Obrigado pelas suas palavras.
Adoro Sintra.
Reblogged this on The Portugal Years and commented:
Sintra has some of the most beautiful places in Portugal.
Reblogged this on TheZenith.
Love your blog.
Not sure how to contact you but wondered if I could save your banner picture. I wonder where it came from and if there is one for Porto? I am in Porto right now. Thanks.
You can save for personal use, but not for use in social media sites. It is a drawing of Lisbon by architect Rui Barreiros Duarte, who does the drawings for our blog. The copyright belongs to him.
Yes I have no intention of using it for anything but personal use. I wonder does he have a website or is it only commissions for you. Either way lovely and I will not use the image for commercial use. Thank you. Love your blog. As a Brit in Porto and Portugal for a time I am very much enjoying my stay. Obrigado.
Thanks! His website is http://www.rbdapp.com/atelier.html . Occasionally he can be convinced to sell the original drawings, if you are ever interested just let us know and we will put you in contact.
Thank you. That is wonderful. I wonder if he has one on Porto. Either way lovely.
Not yet but stay tuned!
Thanks for following our blog. It is a weekly love letter to Portugal.
i hope i can visit this place someday
It is really worth it; it has the enchantment of an era gone by.
great it’s well preserved
Will make sure to visit next time I go to Sintra! what an incredible place
It is one of the most romantic places on earth.
I would love to take a trip there.
Hello S.O.P., how does one get to Sintra from Lisbon?
You can take a train from Lisbon to Sintra. The train station is near Rossio.