Back to Sintra

The purpose of today's trip to Sintra was to visit the Palácio e Quinta da  Regaleira.

Originally Quinta da Regaleira was the home of a Brazilian trader (Antonio Carvalho Monteiro dos Milhões), who had this place built to show off his wealth. 

 

Besides the dramatic-looking quinta (house), the estate has an impressive and mysterious garden that is nothing short of fantastic - you can walk around here for hours, looking for hidden paths, caves and tunnels.

 Don, Filipa, and Larry trying to decide where to go next.

 

  

 Carvalho Monteiro was fascinated by mysticism and filled his 4-acre grounds with symbolic religious icons. The most famous of these is the Initiation Well. You enter at the top and make your way down almost 60 feet of spiral staircases. You pass nine platforms, tightly linked to Dante’s nine gates of hell in the book, Divine Comedy. 

There is a large system of tunnels at the bottom. If you continue taking the left branch at each fork you will come to an area where you can walk on water (with the aid of some carefully placed stones) helping you to achieve enlightenment. Who knew it was so easy? I suppose this should be added to the list as another reason to go to Sintra, right?

And I might add that today was sunny and bright - with just a nip of winter in the air.
Another reason for those smiles on our faces!!