Lisbon & Sintra Portugal

#Lisbon_Sintra_Portugal

 

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe predating Rome by several centuries which was settled by the Phoenicians around 1200BC As you walk the streets you will notice the beautiful hand painted ceramic tiles known locally as Azulejos, this tradition was brought here during the Moorish period of their history in the area. On my way to find the Pasteis de Belem Bakery and its famous custard tarts that were created by the Catholic Monks at the Jeronimos Monastery. History tells us they used the egg whites to starch their clothes so needed a use for the yolks 😀

 KeyTip; Sintra  by car is not recommended due to the narrow roads, traffic and the lack of parking plus its expensive Taxi/Uber is 40 Euro with no time saved with the gridlock, so take the train at Rossio Station and get there in approximately 40 minutes for under 3 Euro Once you arrive the place is magical with its Villas, Castles, Estates and Royal Retreats that even the Romans were so enamoured with the area they named it Cynthia (who was the Goddess of the Moon.) There is so much to see here but my picks would be  A) Pena National Palace; which on a clear day can been seen from Lisbon as it sits on top a hill overlooking the area and its a UNESCO World Heritage Site. B) Monserrate Palace; it was a villa built in the 1800s  C) Quinta da Regaleria Estate; which needs to be seen with its architectural styles and hidden features. All sites has extensive landscaped gardens besides the structures so a full day to explore all three areas properly

Pena Palace
The site began as a medieval chapel, later became a Hieronymite Monastery (which had only eighteen monks) finally was severely damaged by the 1755 earthquake
The ruins were then purchased by King Ferdinand in 1838 and was transformed into the summer residence
Today it is used for state occasions by the President of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials

Park
The palace is surrounded by a 500 acres of imported exotic plants and trees like the American sequoias or the Australian ferns
It has created a lush, labyrinthine type of gardens with hidden paths, grottos and viewpoints

Colors
Red was used on the older monastery section, yellow was applied to the "new palace" wing built in 1845 and the blue that is found on the rooftop elements plus some facades is the famous
   local ceramic tiles
Rumor says that the fantastical design and the vibrant colors here are what inspired Walt Disney when creating the Cinderella Castle

Quinta da Regaleria Estate

Developed by the wealthy businessman Antonio Monteiro
 He had a varied range of interests / views from the Knights Templar, Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism and Alchemy
 Which then is why he filled up his property with the symbols and designs reflecting on those ideologies

Unlike other historical landmarks in Portugal, this estate was neither royal or of a religious origin,
 but the product of the owners personal vision and the financial resources to put it into place

Today
The property remained in private hands until 1997,  then the local government acquired it
Which turned it into a museum and cultural center for the public to view

Initiation Well
 It was never used for water but was an inverted tower for symbolic rites
The spiral staircase (27 meters - 88 feet) is a metaphor for the journey from darkness to light
 or death to rebirth.
The climb has nine platforms, which some believe is to represent the same number of the founders of the Templar Order 

Gardens of Mystery
The park on the grounds is around 10 acres with lakes, fountains and grottoes that many
 have hidden meanings,
which served its purpose within the owners beliefs 
It was designed to create a sense of mystery and then a journey of discovery

Tunnels
With an extensive network of dark, subterranean shafts and walkways, the newcomers would have to navigate the labyrinth to complete their symbolic trek

Freemason
It started in the Middle Ages with the stonemasons (who built the castles and cathedrals) in which they used the hidden symbols plus handshakes to protect their trade secrets
It is the oldest surviving fraternal organization in the world, which is often misunderstood as a "confidential society" but they have a long and public history

The Symbols
 A) The Square; from the workers roots which is in the meaning to be honest and fair in ones dealings
 B) Letter G; has two meanings God as in the great architect of the universe
 Geometry as the noblest of the sciences that helped the Masons understand the order
 and the perfections of the world
C) All-Seeing Eye; is featured on the US one dollar bill which is linked to the Freemasons, but they did not design that final version
D) Forget-Me-Not; during the Nazi era many were persecuted, so to identify each other they started to wear the flower pin which became an official emblem to honor
 those who endured persecution

Famous Members
George Washington, Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Lindbergh, Wolfgang Mozart, Mark Twain, Harry Houdini, Henry Ford, Shaquille ONeal and John Elway to name a few

Monserrate Palace
The structure is a blend of Islamic, Neo-Gothic and Indian architectural styles
It has an extensive botanical gardens with over 3000 exotic species, does not get the over-tourism as the other locations in Sintra and was used for the film Gullivers Travels
So many reasons to visit this location

Palacio Estoril Hotel
Because Portugal was neutral during the war, many elites plus royal families sought refuge in the country and with this hotel being "home" during those times

Spy Bar
It became a legendary spot where intelligence officers and double agents from many nations could be found having a drink just tables away from each other

James Bond
Author Ian Fleming (was at the time a British Naval intelligence officer) stayed at the hotel in 1941
With what he experienced and witnessed here during his time must of inspired some of his plots
 plus in the 1969 film On Her Majestys Secret Service,
  parts of the hotel were featured

Only to confirm or certainly add to the folklore of the location

Roman Galleries of Rua da Prata

The vaults were originally built as a network of corridors and galleries that were stabilizing the foundations of the larger buildings above it, which was on unstable grounds
The site was rediscovered in 1771 after the earthquake in Lisbon and during the rebuild of that city

Plan Ahead
The area is flooded most of the year which is drained for some guided tours
but only in the months of April and September

Sao Jorge Castle
When St. Vincent (Patron Saint of the City) was laid to rest in a tomb within the castle, the crows were said to have escorted the body to the location, then protect the remains from scavengers

Later on wealthy coal merchants in Lisbon would keep pet crows and name all
 of them "Vincent" to pay homage

40,000 Steps
That is how many (per day) in total for the locations of Lisbon and Sintra i put on my feet

KeyTip
If your not so incline for this number, there is a 24 hour unlimited travel card for around 7 euro
 which is a cost effective way to use the Metro, Buses and Trams here