After a relaxed breakfast in Lisbon, we took the Metro out to the airport to pick up our rental car, a Fiat 500, and made the 30-minute drive all the way to Sintra. This small city is home to several Unesco-listed castles. By mid-afternoon we were off on foot to begin our explorations. After a visit to the tourism office we started at the National Palace of Sintra.
The palace sits on a hill in the center of town. The site was initially occupied by Moorish rulers in the 8th century, but the current palace was built starting in the 14th century, with several additions over the years. It continued as a royal residence until Portugal became a republic in 1910. Here are some pics from the palace. Those huge cones are chimneys from the kitchen and are 33 meters tall; the kitchen has had running water since at least the start of the 15th century.
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| Magpies room (since 15th century) |
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| Swans room (ca 14th century?) |
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| A few pics of the heraldic hall |
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| Part of the kitchen |
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| Chapel |
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| Aren't you glad you don't have to dust this? |
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| Laundry area |
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