Pardal

Situated just below Sintra’s town hall but also on the edge of a forest, the Pardal’s location is both central and scenic. The apartment itself is modern and beautifully appointed. The renovation left portions of the original stone wall exposed.

The entry is into the spacious living room, which adjoins the modern all-electric eat-in kitchen in an open-plan layout. The large kitchen window offers a panoramic view of lush green woods. The tasteful and creative decor has an avian theme. The two bedrooms are situated on opposite ends of the apartment, each with en-suite bathroom with shower. The owners have paid special attention to the quality of the linens and bedding. They even include a bathrobe, slippers, and some essential toiletries. The owners can arrange for catered meals on request.

The apartment has a small private patio with a hammock and an outdoor table with chairs. While there is no private parking, free street parking can be found about ten minutes away. The train station is about a ten minute walk. Restaurants are abundant in the area, and a grocery store is about ten minutes away. The historic center of Sintra with the National Palace is about fifteen minutes away by foot. The apartment is situated on a small street that slopes downhill from the main road. Hilly walks are hard to avoid in Sintra.

The town of Sintra has something for everyone: decadent palaces, quiet cobblestone streets, and gorgeous parks. Its location is excellent as well because it is just a short drive or bus ride to the expansive Portuguese beaches and a direct train connection into cosmopolitan Lisbon.

Its natural beauty, pleasant climate, and proximity to the capital made it a favored resort among the nobility and the royal family. Today it is a popular tourist destination, primarily for the stately 15th century National Palace and the whimsical 19th century Pena Palace. Day visitors often miss other monuments such as the foreboding 9th century Castle of the Moors and the 19th century Monserrate Palace, a masterpiece of Moorish Revival architecture.

Central Sintra, is made up of three parts, Vila Velha, Estefânia, and São Pedro.

The Vila Velha, or old town, is the historic part of Sintra. The Palácio Nacional, a magnificent white edifice in the heart of the town, is a stunning example of a harmonious blend of architectural styles. The bustling town is literally at its doorstep. Tiny cafés serving the Sintra specialty, queijadas, delicious cheese cakes, and hot coffee abound, and there are a maze of quaint streets to meander. The old town is close to several other major areas of interest, including the Moorish castle perched on the hill overlooking Sintra, the stunning Pena Palace, and the lush, unique gardens of Monserrate.

The São Pedro quarter is close by and is best known for its bimonthly Sunday market. This market sells fresh produce, cheese, meats and much more. They even sell pão chouriço, spicy sausage tucked in fresh dough and baked on an open fire. There are many restaurants in the area as well.

Estefânia is the area around the Sintra train station. Trains to Lisbon and other parts of Portugal regularly come and go. There are excellent restaurants in the area, mostly patronized by locals, and the city market has an abundance of butchers, florists and produce vendors.

Sintra has a good local bus transportation system. There are also plenty of taxis and Uber drivers.

Sintra has frequent trains to and from Lisbon’s central Rossio station . The ride takes about 50 minutes. Connections to other destinations are often made at the Entrecampos station which is about 30 minutes away. For example, Evora can be reached in about 2 hours by changing at Entrecampos.

Sintra is close to local highways making it a practical base for seeing Central Portugal for drivers as well. For example, Evora by car takes about 1 hour 45 minutes.

For those so inclined, there are plenty of hiking possibilities in and around Sintra.

Patricia and her partner enjoy sharing their beautiful apartment with guests from around the world. Patricia speaks very good English. She lives nearby and is available for help if needed. And our UnTours staff person is always just a phone call away.