The Cabo da Roca lies on the Atlantic coast west of Lisbon in the municipality of Sintra. It is the westernmost point of the European continent, and thus forms the counterpart to Cape Spears near St. John’s, Newfoundland. The rocks fall 140 m steeply down and provide a home for a wide variety of plants […]
Sintra – a town with centuries-old palaces
Sintra is approx. 25 km northwest of Lisbon and part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra which became UNESCO world cultural heritage in 1995. In the municipality of São Martinho you find the Royal Palace, Palácio Nacional de Sintra, essentially built by King Manuel I. It is known by the distinctive shape of the two […]
Lisbon – the pearl of Portugal
Lisbon, the capital of Portugal is rightly described as pearl of Portugal. The vibrant, cosmopolitan city is picturesquely situated on seven hills and looks back on an eventful history. Due to its location at the mouth of the Tagus it was already an important port city during the time of the Phoenicians and Romans. Although […]
Palacio Nacional da Pena – Portugal
The Palacio Nacional da Pena lies above the Portuguese town of Sintra. The palace was built by the Portuguese titular King Ferdinand II in 1840 on the ruins of a monastery and served as summer residence for the royal family. Ferdinand was married to Mary II out of the House of Braganza. Inevitably one feels […]
Evora – UNESCO World Heritage Site in Portugal
Evora, located in the heart of Portugal – the Alentejo region – was already inhabited in the Neolithic period. Evora was extended during the colonization of Portugal by the Romans. A huge viaduct, the castle and the beautiful Diana Temple are surviving memorials of this period. Later the Moors enlarged the castle and built a […]