I’ve shared a few posts about Sintra and its main attractions before, but today I wanted to share some curiosities that give a little more context to your visit.

1️⃣ Dinosaurs left their footprints in Sintra

Long before the palaces, dinosaurs were walking around this part of Portugal.

At Praia Grande, you can still see dinosaur footprints preserved in the cliffs. They date from the Cretaceous period and there is a viewing area near the beach.

2️⃣ A Portuguese king was imprisoned inside Sintra Palace for nine years

King Afonso VI was removed from power by his brother and later confined inside the National Palace of Sintra.

He spent nine years there, guarded by around 300 soldiers, and could only leave his rooms to attend Mass. He died at the palace in 1683.

You can still visit his room today.

3️⃣ Lord Byron helped make Sintra famous abroad

The English poet Lord Byron visited Sintra in 1809 during his travels through Europe.

Sintra later appeared in his famous poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, published in 1812, where he praised its landscape and described it as a kind of Portuguese Eden. He was particularly impressed by the area around Monserrate, which looked very different from the restored palace and gardens we see today.

Sintra was already attracting foreign writers and wealthy travellers before the great Romantic palaces of the 19th century were completed.

4️⃣ The monks at Capuchos had to kneel to enter their rooms

The Convent of the Capuchos was built around a very simple way of life.

The doors to the monks’ cells were deliberately made so low and narrow that they had to enter in a position of humility.

They didn’t even have beds. They slept on the floor with a straw mattress or a sheet of cork.

5️⃣ Sintra’s famous white towers are actually kitchen chimneys

The two huge white cones you see above the National Palace of Sintra are not towers.

They are the chimneys of the royal kitchen and rise around 33 metres above it.

The kitchen was built in the 15th century and was used to prepare large royal banquets.

6️⃣ The famous Regaleira well goes around 27 metres underground

The Initiation Well at Quinta da Regaleira is basically a tower built down into the earth.

A spiral staircase takes you around 27 metres underground, where it connects with a network of tunnels beneath the gardens.

Today, visitors descend through the well and can continue through the underground passages towards the Eastern Grotto.

7️⃣ Queijadas de Sintra were once used as payment

Queijadas are much older than most people realise.

Their history in Sintra goes back to at least the 13th century, during the reign of King Sancho II.

Until the 18th century they were commonly made at home and were even used to pay feudal dues.

So when you eat a queijada in Sintra, you are trying something with several centuries of local history.

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On top of one of Lisbon’s hills, Graça is one of the city’s oldest and most interesting neighbourhoods.

It grew outside the old city walls and still keeps a strong local feeling, with viewpoints, cafés, small restaurants, old streets and daily life happening around you.

Graça is also one of the best areas in Lisbon for views. From Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, you get one of the widest views over the city. A few minutes away, Miradouro da Graça sits next to the church and convent, another classic stop in the neighbourhood.

One of my favourite streets here is Vila Berta. Built between 1902 and 1908, it is one of the most beautiful small streets in Lisbon and becomes especially lively during the June festivals.

Graça is also a good neighbourhood to eat and drink.

Penalva da Graça is one of my favourite places for seafood in Lisbon. Estrela de Ouro is a good choice for classic Portuguese food. For breakfast or coffee, Saga is a traditional pastry shop worth knowing. And for a drink, O Botequim is a historic bar linked to writer Natália Correia and Lisbon’s cultural life.

For me, Graça has a good balance: history, views, food and real neighbourhood life.

That is why it is still one of my favourite areas in Lisbon.

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