Hello dear readers this time around we are going to talk about a place that I have visited in the summer. This past summer I decided to visit a friend of mine in Portugal along with some other friends. Our plan was to spend a few days in Lisbon and on the last day of our trip we decided to spend one day in in Porto because my flight back home was from Porto International Airport. In the city of Lisbon the first place we actually decided to visit is called Sintra. It is located right about 30 kilometres from the centre of Lisbon and it can be easily reached by car driving through the highway or even by transportation like buses. Actually Sintra is a very very beautiful place because you can spend days and days just wondering around the gardens, visiting the castles and all the marvelous places you can find there. We actually spend too hot days visiting two different parts of this whole Sintra area the first day we visited the very famous National Palacio da Pena while the second time we went back there with visited the Park and Palace of Monserrate. So please continue reading and I will take you on a tour and show you where I visited in this iconic castle and all the garden that was surrounding it.
What you must know though is that the castle is very far away from the entrance to the castles garden. So prepare your self for a 1 km long but enjoyabale walk. Enjoyable because on the way to the castle you go through many gardens with some much greeen on both sides of the walking pathway. Many indiginous flowers and plants are purpousely placed in some areas, making the surrounding even more colourfull and a real feast for the sight. One particular type of tree that is found in these gardens is the cork oak tree. This unique tree is used in many different ways and portugal is recognised as one of the largets producers of cork in the world. Cork is mainly used to make comfortable sandals (a must have essential if you are planning to stay in Portugal for the summer as it freshens you up in those hot summery days). Cork is also used to close wine bottles, securing the wine and garanteeing a perfect seal to keep the wine's quality for a long time.
Palace of Monserrate
There are many ways to reach the the area of Sintra especially where Palace of Montserrat is located. Luckily we had a car and we drove up with the car until the gate of this Palace. So I highly recommend renting a car especially if you're visiting Lisbon with a group of friends because it is worth it the time and the whole experience. As we got there we had a little snack because the walking was going to be a heavy and we had a lot of places to visit. As the gate we had to pay our entrance fee which was at the gate we had to pay our entrance fee which was around €6 (if I remember well the price might seem a little bit over the top but I can assure you that by paying the entrance fee to a museum or to a Palace or to a monument you are actually contributing to the restoration and preservation of this part of the history and culture and tradition of a country so do it and you won't regret any bit of it). Maybe the only argument I would have is the fact that they do not have a student price as opposed to other countries I have visited like Poland where almost everywhere there is the normal price and a reduced fee for the students which I think it's very practical and a valid idea.
Inside the palace
Take a nice and deep breath before you go inside because there is a lot to see and be marveld about. The inside of the palace of Montserrate will just blow your mind. Be it the meticulous design in the handmade architectural details on the ceilings and other columns comma or even the simplest chromatic choices and the lights that comes in the corridors in the rooms will just overwhelm you. For sure it is not your typical monumental Palace in fact I should say that it was partly under reconstruction or a maintenance work on some part of it which also makes me think that there are enough funds for this Palace to be well maintained and preserved.e
In the palace there is one main corridor and many left and right turns which lead to smaller rooms designed with different decorations I also think they all had different purposes.
And if you happen to visit this place in summer like I did with my friends you will actually appreciate so much of the piece the freshness and the tranquility inside this Palace. Because as you all know Portugal in specially Lisbon gets really really hot during the summer and finding a shelter or an indoor with fresh breeze is just what you need to give you some energy in to wake you up.
The embellishments and the decorations you'd see on each corner has its own story and its own background depending on the actual ruler or owner of this Palace throughout the years. If you are more interested on the origins and the owners of Monserrate Palace you should definitely visit the first floor where there is a whole area dedicated to illustrate the past history of these Palace and what it has gone through through the years.
I particularly advise you to visit this Palace of monserrate mainly because it is much less crowded compared to the Palace of Pena and the other typically touristic areas. When I got to this place with my friends there were there was little or no queue at the entrance and even when he we were walking around in the gardens and when we actually got in the palace they were few people and you could take our time and visit the place without hurrying or feeling the pressure of too many people around.
The park around Monserrate palace
There are many beautiful green areas surrounding the palace of Montserrate. You can find water ponds with beautiful fishes and fountains, with a thick forest around.
When I saw this water pond and all around it there was a nice forest I immediately thought about going backpacking with my hammock and living in the forest for unlimited time. Because the tranquility of the place the green leaves in the fresh breeze the birds singing it all text you back to your natural Instinct and you really feel like becoming once more a forest man living breathing and sleeping in the forest. This is what I felt and thought about it tonight or it and I would be happy to know what you think about this place in the comments area down below and maybe if you have already visited it I would like also to know your your thoughts about it.
Thanks for checking this article out. I hope you get the chance to visit this beautiful place and make memorable memories. Cheers to you all !!
