As I am collecting my thoughts on this mystical day, I find myself looking back at it as though it were a dream. A dream I’d like to one day revisit. We were able to see and experience such a variety of things, it feels like we fit two days into one.
After a great deal of contemplating, we decided to do a jeep tour with FlaminGo Experiences. We were picked up at a meeting place in Lisbon and driven by van to the start of our tour in Sintra. As soon as we were greeted by our guide Joäo’s welcoming smile, I knew we were about to have a good day. Our vintage jeep was called The Original Gangster. It was the first of their fleet and had the gumption to get us there… all while rolling out some sweet tunes that had us nodding our heads to the lyrics “buy yourself a dream”, which we felt like we were doing on that day.
We hit the hills, driving past UNESCO world heritage sites and palaces that were once occupied by royalty and socialites. Because of the cooler climate, this area was the perfect place for a summer home, or should I say a castle. These estates are massive and perfectly landscaped. One could only imagine living as they did back in the time.
We continued driving through the lush forest of the Sintra Mountains until we reached Quinta Da Regaleira. Wow, wow, and wow! This place was unlike anything we had ever seen. Its history dates way back to the 2nd century BC but has become what it is today because of the original mind of Carvalho Monteiro. He purchased the property in 1892 and set out to make some major transformations. He hired the famous Italian designer Luigi Manini to help him put his ideology to fruition. The style of this 17th-century estate is a mixture of Gothic, Manueline, Romanesque and Renaissance.
They created a magical forest with a diverse microsystem, importing plants from all over the world. They developed a watering system, light years beyond its time, allowing them to thrive and flourish. But what makes this the most fascinating, is the mysteries that lie beneath the surface. Everywhere you look there are symbols and impressions of creatures from the beyond. Alchemical symbols and secrets of Freemasons and the Knights of Templars are etched into the design. There were stories of portholes existing on the property too… this place was wild, and all I could think was “Beam me up Scotty”!
Our tour guide did such a great job as a storey teller, I found myself looking over at the fog on the hills almost expecting to see something appear from Lord of the Rings. I left the grounds filled with so much curiosity toward the unknown.
There are emerald-coloured grottos, lakes, caves, underground tunnels, and an initiation well with 9 spiral flights of stairs symbolizing the death and rebirth of hermetic traditions. What exactly occurred here, is something only the members of the secret societies could tell.
After that, we were brought back down to reality and taken to the village our guide Joäo grew up in and still resides today. We sat and leisurely had a traditional Portuguese lunch, accompanied by wine and good conversation. Our group really appreciated Joäo’s insight of the area, and we all felt welcomed by the locals. The meal ended with us having a glass of Ginja liqueur; a sweet and sour Portuguese liqueur made with ginja berries and spices. It can be difficult to find outside of Portugal, so it was nice to try.
We switched into 4-wheel drive and took off to the back roads and unmarked trails through the Sintra Cascais National Park… all the while, listening to great tunes and getting to know our fellow travellers. We stopped along the way to see some vegetation and learn about the cork trees. They are a renewable resource. Most of the cork products we get today come from Portugal. Our guide took us to a secret beach overlooking the seaside cliffs to take in the view and capture some photos. He took some polaroids and gave them to us for a nice momentum. Further along, we ventured out to the westernmost point on the European continent. Cabo da Roca is this place. The terrain and lighthouse sort of reminded me of somewhere off the eastern coast of Canada. This area was stunning.
*The rule of thumb, is that you must touch the monument, or you never were really there
After that, we slowly drove along the coastline into Cascais. We passed some beautiful architecture and cruised into town ready to do some sightseeing. Our guide finished the tour by opening a bottle of bubbly and pouring us a glass to celebrate our day together. This was a nice touch.
We were so happy we saved ourselves all the logistics and let someone else take us on a magical carpet (jeep) ride through the beautiful Sintra Mountains. This time in Portugal’s history has really left its romantic stamp here. I would happily recommend a tour with this company. They are a locally owned and operated business with the kind of staff you want to hang out and break bread with.
With that said, we gave our thanks and our goodbyes to our travel friends and started through town.
We spent the latter part of the day walking through this picturesque little fishing town, that has responsibly evolved into a tourist destination. They have pristine beaches and a marina with million-dollar yachts, as well as the traditional fishing docs, with boats bringing in the catch of the day.
We found a great place to do a Port tasting at The Tasting Room. The service there was impeccable, they took their time explaining the varieties and asked us questions to gauge which ones we should try. We nibbled on some olives and ate the delicious table grilled sausage.
We made our way along the waterfront to the Fortress Citadel of Cascais and the marina where we spotted some murals and sculptures. We walked along the extensive promenade taking in the charm of the city and its colourful architecture. As day turned to night, we found the cool restaurant, Hifen, recommended by our guide and had delicious cocktails and dinner. To give you an idea of how great the food was, the lady sitting beside us at the bar from France said it was her third evening in a row eating there!
We only spent half a day in Cascais, but it left such a positive impact on us that we could honestly imagine living there.
The journey home was easy. We hopped on the 10 pm train right in Cascais and arrived back in Lisbon in under 40 minutes’ time! (The trains run to and from Lisbon every half hour).
Thanks for stopping by!
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