During his sojourn in Portugal, Lord Byron, English poet and leading figure of the 18th-century Romantic movement, once likened Sintra to “Elysium’s gates”. And it’s not far from the truth, as those who have visited and lived on these mountains would certainly attest. It’s no wonder many have fallen in love with Sintra – kings, queens, viscounts, merchants, monks, templar knights, poets and artists such as Byron himself, Hans Christian Andersen, Christopher Isherwood, the Portuguese epic poet Luís de Camões and plenty more of his ilk.
Sintra never fails to captivate me. Whenever I venture into this Portuguese town, just 30 minutes ride from Lisbon, I’m always enthralled by the majesty of this place, where history, nature and magic exist in such harmony. I’ve already created a hiking video in Sintra, but I’ve always wanted to create a travel documentary that offers a soulful ode to the magnificent Mountains of the Moon, its dreamy palaces, magical castles, romantic nature trails, swoon-worthy gardens, and above all, that evergreen splendour of nature the surround it. Not to mention, the stunning coastline at the Atlantic side of the Portuguese peninsula.
In a time when not many visitors are around, Sintra has somehow restored itself into what it was supposed to be – a nature retreat. A refuge to nature lovers, a sanctuary for romantic artists, poets, thinkers, painters and mystical souls who delve deeper into Sintra’s everlasting spirit and reassuring, serene embrace. I’ve been here so many times, but I couldn’t remember the town and the mountains this peaceful, and I was able to enjoy exploring the palaces, grounds and walking trails in utter calm serenity. Go deeper into its long, inexorable history, listen intently to the sounds of the forest, and then wax lyrical over its sublime views over the mountains.
Come and take the journey with me to help you get In The Mood for Sintra.
An immense THANK YOU to Sintra Marmòris Palace Hotel and Restaurante Azenhas do Mar for having me in Sintra, and taking part on this episode! Very grateful for the support and extremely glad to feature you in this documentary. You make Sintra an even better place.
