PALÁCIO NACIONAL DE SINTRA (OR PAÇO REAL)
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Also known as the " Palácio da Vila ", this palace is a masterpiece of medieval and Manueline architecture.
You can't help but be struck by the sight of the two huge conical chimneys capping in white the austere facade of Portugal's oldest royal palace (over a thousand years old): the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, known as the " Palácio da Vila ". Over the centuries, various buildings were constructed and adapted to those already in existence. The date of creation of the very first remains an enigma - probably around the 10th or 11th century, when Sintra was still an Islamic territory. In the late Middle Ages, the palace of Sintra was the center of the kingdom and one of the favorite vacation spots of the kings of Portugal. The region's abundant hunting, cool climate and need for protection from the capital's plague epidemics made Sintra Palace a highly prized location. The two emblematic fireplaces can be admired from inside the royal kitchen, where huge cuts of game were prepared for court banquets. From room to room, you'll marvel at the diversity of decorative elements, particularly the Hispano-Moorish azulejos that characterize the palace. In the imposing "Hall of Coats of Arms", the grandiose dome, decorated with gold from territories colonized by the Portuguese, bears the coats of arms of the king, his children and 72 of the most important families of the Portuguese nobility. A remarkable site in every way. A must-see in Sintra.
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