Palácio de Monserrate

Where?

Right in the middle of the magical Sintra's Mountain, there is one of the most beautiful palaces of the area: Monserrate Palace.

How to get there?

From Lisbon the best way to get there is by train, there are direct trains to the historic center od Sintra, and from there you can catch some buses to the palace, and there is also como turism cards that include a bus that passes by lots of monuments in the mountain besides this palace. If you are into some hiking through the mountain you can skip the bus and to a 5 kilometer hiking trip, on your way will pass by another atractions in the mountain, such as Palácio de Seteais, Quinta da Regaleira and you will have the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking view on your way.

The Palace

The Palace is one of the most wonderful samples of Indian and Mourish influences in Portugal, with its colorful and romantic architecture is for sure a sight will never forget. The style on the outside and inside of the palace resambles the gothic style and the 19th century electicism.

Before the famous 1755's earthquake that took Lisbon by surprise, the Palace used to be a chapel and a residence of a rich portuguese familly, but after that the damage didn't allow conditions to live there. After that an english man bought the property and renewed to its actual appereance with inspirations from all over the world and with a mixture of styles that end up in the great result we can see now.

The park

Outside the palace there is a huge park, probably one of the biggest botanical gardens on the surroundings. It has species from all over the world, with exotic plants combining with the style of the palace, which has exotic and flower motifs also in the inside. The park is organized by origins, plants were planted accordingly to where they came from, so the small gardens inside can have regions or countries names. The front lawn of the palace is the perfect place to rest after the visit, sometimes during the summer there are some activies organized in this area such as cinema sessions outside or theatre pieces that move along the palace. You can check this activities on the website.

Special Extra Tip: Before leaving the area, go across the parking lot in front of the palace entry, just walk a little bit until you cross a small fountain and meters ahead you can find a beautiful lagoon in the middle of the mountain, not sure if you go for a swim in there, but it's worth to go there just for the view.

Remember to book your ticket online to get a 5% discount!