Sintra, a Fairytale Town
Historic center of Sintra is charming and full of delightful sights, wonderful cafes, and plenty of lovely shops. The first marvel you will encounter is a stunning Neo-Gothic building, a first encounter you will come to view as the obsession Sintra has with Romanticism. Built of the foundations of the chapel of São Sebastião between 1906 and 1909, the town hall is a fine example of revivalist architecture with exaggerated styling of medieval influences. Its striking clock tower is a dominant feature of Sintra's skyline, its central spire is glazed with green and white tiles adorned with the Portuguese coat of arms whilst being topped by an armillary sphere and flanked by four smaller spires
The Rua das Padeiras has many side alleys that you can use to discover the city, if you have the time then I definitely advise you to go wandering around the historic heart of this city. No visit is complete without experiencing The Piriquita, as recommended by my Airbnb owner. The cafe is famous for their travesseiros, made of almond cream and sweet puff pastry. Open since 1862, they became famous for its queijadas, a small egg and cinnamon pastry. Both are yummy
Another must try is Ginjinha, a Portuguese liqueur made by infusing ginja berries (sour cherry, Prunus cerasus austera, the Morello cherry) in alcohol and adding sugar together with other ingredients, with cloves and/or cinnamon sticks being the most common. Shots are sold from small shops throughout the town. You can drink ginja or Ginjinha from a chocolate cup in a number of stores. If you’re in the mood, just walk out of the Rua das Padeiras and choose your favorite place. You can’t miss it, they are hawking their goods right on the street.
AND don’t forget to partake in Vinho Verde…my new obsession.
If you arrive by train, it’s only a 15 minute walk beside a beautiful park to the city center. ENJOY!!
