Sintra was the first WHS on my trip to Portugal in May 2018. Actually, palaces and gardens are not my favourite kind of WHS, but due to the positive reviews and the high rating on this website I expected an enjoyable visit. Thus, I scheduled two days for Sintra to visit all the major sites. And I was not disappointed.

I arrived at Sintra at noon and went first to the Palacio nacional de Sintra in the town centre, its history dates back to the Middle Ages. The first what I saw were the iconic conical chimneys of the palace kitchen, a nice prelude. And also the interior was a pleasant surprise. I liked best the wooden ceilings painted with magpies and swans, and the Room of Coats-and-Arms with its blue and white azulejos. Well, these tiles are ubiquitous in Portugal, magnificent, but after a while you get used to them and the wow-effect is weakening.
Next I headed to Quinta da Regaleira, just a few minute walk from the centre. The Manuelistic palace was interesting to visit, but the highlight was the wonderful magical garden. It was great fun to explore all these grottoes and lakes and fountains - most spectacular were the initiation wells, a kind of 'underground towers' lined with spiral staircases. Quinta da Regaleira is one of the most popular sites in Sintra and thus quite crowded. But in summer, it is open until 8 pm and in the late afternoon after the daytours have left, you can really enjoy the garden.

The program for the next day was Pena Palace and Park and the Moorish Castle. The Palacio Nacional da Pena opens at 9.30, so I had plenty of time to walk from my hotel to the park entrance. I had already bought a combined ticket the day before, so I was the first in the queue (but be aware that there is a second queue at the entrance of the palace). A short walk up to the palace and for a few minutes I had the scenery for myself. The Pena Palace is an exuberant and quirky mix of styles, an explosion of colours and shapes. Modesty and reserve look different. The royal family used the palace as a summer residence until 1910, after the proclamation of the republic it was opened to the public. The entire interior has been preserved as if the family was still living there. That's what makes the visit so interesting.
The Parque de Pena is huge, not as magical as at Regalaira, but still worth exploring: fountains, bridges, small temples and a rich vegetation with endemic and exotic plants. Hard to believe that there was only barren rock before it was built. In the park is also the highest point of the Sintra Mountains, Cruz Alta, popular because of the fantastic view of the palace (photo with the summit cross). You have also a nice view from the St Catherine's height, a few steps below. In the west of the park is the pretty Chalet da Condessa d'Edla, built in the style of an Alpine chalet, the interior design is different in each room, an eclectic mix of different colors, shapes, patterns, materials. At the outside, cork is the main element of decoration: window and door frames, the balustrades and railings are decorated with cork.
Opposite to the Pena Palace is the Castelo dos Mouros or rather its ruins. As the name suggests, the castle was built by the Moors, and later reconquered by the Portuguese. Today, the huge walls meander around two mountain peaks of the Sintra Mountains and offer great views of Sintra and the surrounding countryside. For the way back to Sintra I took the hiking trail around the Castelo and via the Villa Sassetti. The villa is currently under renovation and is due to be opened to the public soon. You can take a hop-on-hop-off bus between these sites, but I chose the sportive way and walked all the distances. So I spent a whole day in the Sintra mountains.

The next morning I visited two sites on the western part of the inscribed area: Palacio de Monserrate and Convento dos Capuchos, both less frequently visited than the palaces in Sintra. Both are easily accessible by bus, but I went there by car because I wanted to continue my trip in the afternoon to my next destination, to Mafra. There were only a few other visitors in Monserrate early in the morning. The palace in its present appearance dates from the mid-19th century. The building basically consists of a long gallery that connects the three towers. The eclectic style is similar to other buildings at Sintra, but the Moorish influence is clearly visible: the arches and pillars of the gallery and the decoration of the domes. The palace is surrounded by a large landscaped garden but I took only a short walk around the palace and through the Mexican garden.
And finally, the Convento dos Capuchos, a former Friars convent, in the middle of a forest. After passing the hidden entrance, you go up through narrow corridors and plain rooms, all lined with cork to insulate from cold and humidity. You end up at a small central place with a fountain and a chapel, surrounded by high trees, a lovely and enchanting place.

I spent one full and two half days in Sintra, and that was a good decision. Of course, there are similarities between the palaces and gardens, but each site has its own characteristics and its own specific charm. But if you have less time I would suggest to visit Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and Sintra Palace.
As I mentioned at the beginning, I am actually not very keen on visiting palaces and gardens, but there are an increasing number of exceptions: Potsdam, Wartburg, Fontainebleau, Versailles (the gardens), Alhambra - and now Sintra. Seems that I have to reconsider my assessment, obviously I like to visit palaces, at least the best among them.