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- Destinations
- Europe
- Portugal
- Sintra
Sintra
The picturesque resort town of Sintra, 18 miles (29km)
north-west of Lisbon, lies at the heart of one of Portugal's most
appealing holiday regions, abounding with natural beauty,
historical and cultural attractions and plenty of leisure
opportunities. Sintra itself, characterised by lush greenery,
bright splashes of flowers and elaborate 'wedding cake' palaces,
was described as a 'glorious Eden' by classic poet Lord Byron. No
wonder it was once chosen by royalty and nobility as the place to
build their summer holiday retreats and, in more modern times, has
been accorded the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sintra is actually an amalgamation of three villages, sprawling
down a steep granite hillside, so the layout is a little confusing
for visitors on holiday. The huge Palacio Nacional, with its tall,
conical chimneys serves as a landmark in the centre of Sintra, and
makes a good starting point for walking tours of the key
attractions of this fascinating fairy-tale town, captured by
Christian Crusaders from the Moors in 1147. A fun way to see the
town and surrounds is aboard the historic 100-year-old Sintra Tram,
which connects Estefanea to Praia das Macas. It is open for rides
for the public on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a couple of
Euros.
Information & Facts
Language
Portuguese is the official language, but English is
widely spoken and understood.
Money
Portugal is a member of the European Union and its official
currency is the Euro (EUR), which is divided into 100 cents. There
are numerous banks, bureaux de change and ATMs available in main
cities and tourist destinations. Foreign currency can be exchanged
at banks, bureaux de change and automatic currency exchange
machines. Banking hours are generally 8.30am to 3pm Monday to
Friday. Major credit cards are widely accepted, as are travellers
cheques.
Time
Local time is GMT (GMT +1 from last Sunday in March to
Saturday before last Sunday in October).