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Castelo dos Mouros
Snaking over the mountain above Sintra-Vila, the ruined Castelo dos Mouros is set in enchanted woodlands. First built by the Moors, the castle was captured by Christian forces under Afonso Henriques in 1147. By the 15th century it was no longer used, and in the 19th century was converted to a 'romantic ruin' at Don Fernando's instigation. Its battlements offer sublime views over the twisting greenery of the woods and their huge Gothic mansions.
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Convento dos Capuchos
Hidden in the woods is another magical sight, the hobbit-hole-like Convento dos Capuchos , which is a far remove from lavish palaces. Built in 1560 to house 12 monks, the monastery's builders took Matthew's gospel literally when it said 'the way to heaven is sinuous and its doors low and narrow'. The monks lived in incredibly cramped conditions, their tiny cells having low and narrow doors in preparation for the trip to heaven.
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Monserrate Park
Marvellous, rambling, partly wild, Monserrate Park is a romantic 30-hectare garden. The wooded hillsides feature a vast range of exotic flora, from roses and conifers to Chinese weeping cypress, dragon trees, eucalyptus, Himalayan rhododendrons and more than 24 species of palm. The park is more than 3.5km west of Sintra-Vila; take care of traffic on the narrow road if you're walking.
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Museu de Arte Moderna
The world-class Museu de Arte Moderna , set in Estefânia's splendid former casino, houses a spectacular collection of postwar art (particularly good pop art) including works by Warhol, Lichtenstein, Pollock, Kossoff, Klein and Nauman. There are also excellent temporary exhibitions and disabled access.
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Museu do Brinquedo
In the former fire station, the Museu do Brinquedo has a delightful international collection, from 3000-year-old Egyptian stone counters to Christian Dior Barbies, via tin cars, lead soldiers, Dinky toys and spooky porcelain dolls. João Arbués Moreira, an engineer by profession, began this collection (now more than 20,000 pieces) more than 50 years ago when he was 14.
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Palácio de Monserrate
The Moorish-inspired Palácio de Monserrate was constructed in the late 1850s by James Knowles for another wealthy Englishman, Sir Francis Cook. Previously on the site stood a Gothic-style villa, rented by the rich, infamous British Gothic writer, William Beckford, in 1794 after he fled Britain in the wake of a homosexual scandal. Visits to the recently restored Monserrate Palace are by 90-minute guided tour (including the grounds); reservations are essential.
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Palácio Nacional da Pena
The lavender, lemon and rose-tinted turrets and battlements of the ludicrous, magical Palácio Nacional da Pena rise up from a thickly wooded Sintra peak. There had long been a convent here, reduced to 16th-century ruins when Ferdinand of Saxe Coburg-Gotha (artist-husband of Queen Maria II) became enchanted with the site, bought it, and began restoration of the convent.
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Palácio Nacional de Sintra
Dominating the town is the Palácio Nacional de Sintra , with its two huge white conical chimneys and vast plaza. Of Moorish origins, the palace was first expanded by Dom Dinis (1261-1325), greatly enlarged by João I in the early 15th century (when the kitchens were built), adorned with Manueline additions by Manuel I in the following century, and repeatedly restored and redecorated right up to the present day.
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Parque da Pena
A further 200m up the road from Castelo dos Mouros is Parque da Pena, filled with lakes and exotic plants, huge redwoods and fern trees, camellias and rhododendrons. It's cheaper to buy the combination ticket if you want to visit the Palácio Nacional da Pena too, as the only entrance to the palace is via Parque da Pena.
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Quinta da Regaleira
The magical Quinta da Regaleira is one of Sintra's striking architectural gems. Mythological symbols and elements from the Knights Templar, freemasonry and alchemy cover this early-20th-century, neo-Manueline extravaganza. It was dreamed up by an opera-set designer, Italian Luigi Manini (who also designed the stunning Palace Hotel do Buçaco in the Beiras), under the orders of António Carvalho Monteiro, a Brazilian-born mining and coffee tycoon known as Monteiro dos Milhões (Moneybags Monteiro).
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