Located little more than a 30-minute drive from Lisbon, the granite Serra de Sintra is a place of wooded ravines and tumbling streams that was once a favorite summer retreat of Portugal’s royal court. In the town of Sintra itself, attractions include the extraordinary 19th-century Palácio Nacional da Pena and the summer residence of the kings of Portugal, the Palácio Nacional de Sintra. The lesser-known Quinta da Regaleira is an elaborate Manueline-Gothic mansion that its owner filled with enigmatic symbols relating to the Freemasons, Rosicrucians and Knights Templar. And the ruined medieval Castle of the Moors is also worth a visit, if for no other reason than its sweeping panoramic views over Sintra and the sea. Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, lies 11 miles to the west. Sintra is especially lovely in the fall, when the season’s mists enhance the town’s romantic atmosphere.

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