Portugal
Day 2: Daytrip to Sintra and battle of the pastries
Magical cultural and culinary day trip to Sintra just outside of Lisbon (39min by train).
1. Visit to Quinta da Regaleira
If you’re visiting Lisbon for 3 or more days, Sintra needs to be on your to do list. It’s really close with public transport and its historical architectural sites and preserved nature are breathtakingly beautiful. I would recommend going in the morning, and first visiting Sintra’s crown jewel: Quinta da Regaleira. The castle is located at the end of the historical city, it’s an astonishing site to walk around and unlike anything I have ever witnessed in Europe - no wonder it’s UNESCO heritage.
2. Lunch with a view over Sintra at Casa das Minas
After a rewarding walk at the beautiful site of Quinta da Regaleira or Sintra’s historical centre, time for a local lunch. Casa das Minas is a bit hidden on a mountain top but it’s well worth the visit. The Philippine staff is very kind, the food is delicious (I tried the specialty Maranho) and you have a nice view over the city of Sintra.
3. Exploring Sintra’s historical centre and enjoying the best pastry I ever had
If you plan on staying for a full day, it’s worth to also explore other castles and historical sites in Sintra but I decided to go to the historical centre and try the famous local pastry “Travesseiro” in the bakery Piriquita. Despite being lucky enough already to have experienced great pasteis in Lisbon, this has to be the best pastry I ever had in my life - immediately went back inside for another round of this local bit of sugar heaven.
